Otomo Sadamune (大友貞宗)
Sadamune OTOMO (year of birth unknown - January 17, 1334) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the late Kamakura Period. He was the sixth family head of the Otomo clan. His father was Chikatoki OTOMO, the fourth family head of the Otomo clan. His mother was a daughter of Chikatoki HETSUGI. His children were Sadayori OTOMO, Sadatoshi (Sadanori) OTOMO, Munetada TACHIBANA, Norimune OTOMO, Ujiyasu OTOMO, Ujimune OTOMO, Ujitoki OTOMO and others. His official rank was Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade). He was Omi no kuni no kami (governor of Omi Province). He was Sakon no taifu shogen (Lieutenant of the master of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards).
In 1311, his older brother Sadachika OTOMO died and he succeeded him to become the family head. He served Hidetoki HOJO (Hidetoki AKAHASHI) sent by Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) to Chinzei tandai (office of the military governor of Kyushu). In April 1333, he was attacked by Taketoki KIKUCHI receiving a secret order from the Emperor Godaigo and he with Hidetoki, Sadatsune SHONI and others put him to rout and death. After that, he continued to search out and destroy the anti-Shogunate army in Kyushu. However, in June of the same year, Rokuhara Tandai (an administrative and judicial agency in Rokuhara, Kyoto) in Kyoto was captured by Takauji ASHIKAGA and others and the news of the dominance of anti-Shogunate army spread through Kyushu, then Sadamune with Sadatsune, the Shimazu clan and others broke away from Hidetoki and attacked and killed him. He was given Shugoshiki (post of provincial constable) of Bungo Province for this achievement, but on January 17 of the following year he died suddenly in Kyoto. After his death, his son Ujiyasu OTOMO took over as the head of the family.
It was also rumored that his sudden death was caused by the curse of the ghost of Hidetoki.