Tokugawa Ienari
In 1828, with the death of Date Nariyoshi, Sendai Domain faced a major crisis. His son, the future Date Yoshikuni was only two-years-old. The Tokugawa shogunate had taken extraordinary measures to ensure the continuation of the Date line in the case of his predecessors Date Chikamune and Date Narimune; however, the patience of "Shōgun" Tokugawa Ienari had worn thin over Sendai Domain succession problems, and the domain faced the possibility of attainder. The "rōjū", Mizuno Tadaakira, initially proposed a solution whereby Nariyoshi’s 4-year-old daughter, Masahime would be married to a son of Tokugawa Ienari; however, negotiations did not proceed and instead she married Date Narikuni, from one of cadet houses of the Date clan. Date Narikuni would then adopt the infant Date Yoshikuni as his heir. Events went as planned and in 1828 Narikuni received Court rank of Junior Fourth, Lower Grade and the courtesy title of "Mutsu-no-kami". His ranks were raised to Junior Fourth, Upper Grade and "Sakonoe-chūshō" in 1831.