Ubisoft’s games have long ceased to surprise, and for the past days, news broadcasts have included the obligatory clarification: “The main character in the new Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is not a tribute to a modern agenda, but a real historical figure.” This is indeed true.
The question has piqued the inquisitive mind, prompting a deeper investigation. However, it’s not a matter of whether to accept or reject the information, but rather to understand it.
“Who is this Yasuke?” you ask. Is he merely a figure to whom a mere fifteen lines are devoted in the extensive “Church History,” or is he a fascinating individual who found himself at the right place at the right time?
Where did the blacks come from in japan?
The foremost article that surfaces on Google regarding this subject is titled “Images of Black People in Medieval and Early Modern Japan, 1543–1900.” The introduction of this article directly states: “Beginning in the mid-16th century, a considerable number of Black Africans started arriving on the Japanese islands as crew members, servants, or slaves at European courts.” As for the type of trade with Europe, Japan did experience a period known as Sakoku, a historical era of isolation from the 1640s to the 1850s-60s. However, the events of interest occurred before the Sakoku period and may have even acted as a catalyst for it.
Europeans, particularly the Portuguese and Spaniards, embarked en masse to Japan to trade their goods. Intriguingly, Catholics were among these voyagers. During this period, Japan was experiencing “feudal fragmentation,” a common phase in a state’s history where local rulers compete for power with increasing military might. The feudal lords of Kyushu, the island closest to Europe, believed that adopting the faith of their foreign allies would lead to stronger alliances, more gunpowder, and weapons, enhancing their power. Consequently, not only did they welcome Catholics, but they also began to establish churches and embrace the faith themselves, setting a precedent that would influence others.
The violent allure of the Catholic Church did not escape the notice of European gentlemen, who concluded that making this process more controllable would be wise.
The story of one man from Mozambique
During that period, the Catholic Church recognized the Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), also known as the Jesuit Order or simply “Jesuits.” The order was established around the 1540s. Broadly speaking, the mission of the order was to evangelize populations that had not yet been exposed to these sacred texts.
The men were not foolish; they would have known that the path of religion through sword and fire might force compliance, but it does not ensure lasting allegiance.
The Jesuits worked within Islamic countries as well, disseminating their beliefs. They managed to convert enslaved individuals to their faith. It was not rare for these converted individuals, once slaves, to adopt the faith of their masters, which sometimes led to their advancement from mere chattels to valued lieutenants bearing arms.
The Jesuits dispatched their finest novices to lead expeditions, who were instrumental in the Jesuit activities across various countries. These chosen individuals were steadfast believers in the Catholic faith, dignified in presence, with weathered faces. Among them was Alessandro Valignano, who spearheaded missions in India, Macau, China, and the Japanese Islands. Writer Jose Manuel García, in his 1997 work, cites Father Louis Froit, an associate of Alessandro, who remarked upon their arrival in Japan: “Crowds of Japanese awaited us, struck by Valignano’s stature.”
As mission leader, Valignano was tasked with studying and potentially reorganizing the mission’s structures and methods across India, China, and Japan. Afforded considerable autonomy and expected to exercise prudence, he reported solely to the Jesuit Superior General in Rome. To make an impression on the Japanese, Valignano was assisted by his dark-skinned servant, who had been enslaved in Mozambique and converted to a new faith. This servant, later known as Yasuke, became one of Alessandro’s most trusted aides.
Who are you, warrior?
The documentation of Yasuke’s life and his arrival in Japan is quite sparse. The accounts of his presence and life on the island were primarily recorded by Father Louis, who focused more on Alessandro’s journey than on his African servant. Unlike Europeans, the Japanese were not commonly acquainted with black skin, although other individuals of African descent had arrived in Japan as part of ship expeditions before Yasuke. For merchants, interactions were straightforward: they arrived, traded goods, received payment, and departed. In contrast, Alessandro, who visited numerous households, was always accompanied by Yasuke.
Alessandro’s mission required him to convene with high-ranking individuals amidst the fragmented feudal conflicts in Japan. In such a divided landscape, where each lord is sovereign and seeks the downfall of others, the logical step is to approach the most powerful among them. Consequently, the most influential lord was Oda Nobunaga, who is notably referenced in PayDay 2—indicating that the site’s focus spans beyond history to include gaming content.
The events of this campaign are reflected in the letters of Father Louis, which he reported to the Order. These same letters were also included in the annual report of the Jesuit Mission in Japan for the year 1582. It is through these letters and their inclusion in the report that we derive our primary knowledge of Yasuke’s existence and his participation in the Jesuit mission as a member of Alessandro’s entourage.
However, these letters were quite informal. For instance, Father Louis described in one letter that “while in the capital, a brawl erupted among the local townspeople. They fought to catch a glimpse of Yasuke, breaking down the door of the Jesuit residence, and the melee resulted in many deaths and injuries among the Japanese.”
Father Louis and Alessandro also spoke about this Meeting:
“Nobunaga also really wanted to see a black man and called him. .. took Yasuke to Nobunaga, who, seeing a black man for the first time, refused to believe that the color of his skin was natural, and not applied later, and forced him to take off his clothes from the waist up. .. how Nobunaga, thinking that there might be ink on his body, forced him to take off his clothes and wash his body, but the more he washed and rubbed, the darker it got his skin became.”
Father Louis
Additionally, the arrival of Yasuke in Japan is recorded in the manuscript known as Shincho Koki, or Nobunaga Koki, which is a chronicle attributed to Oda Nobunaga. The text includes: “A black bozu came from a Christian country. He appears to be 26 or 27 years old. His skin is as dark as that of a bull, and he possesses a robust and excellent physique. Furthermore, he has the strength of more than ten men. The padres who accompanied him expressed their gratitude to Lord Nobunaga for granting permission to proselytize.”
Nobunaga was impressed by the black boy and asked Alessandro give it away. The latter did not object and left the guy as a gift [not we forget, no matter how good it was, Nobunaga had to leave a gift, because his mission depended on it (author’s note)]. At the court, the black young man was given a Japanese Yasuke’s name, … [later] Nobunaga made him his assistant and enrolled him in the Yasuke to his army.
Text from Shincho Koki
Father Louis wrote the following about this:
Black Man understood a little Japanese, and Nobunaga never tired of talking to him. And as he was strong and could perform several stunts, Nobunaga with a large protected him with pleasure and made him wander around the city of Kyoto with Accompanying. Some residents of the city thought that Nobunaga could make it tono (“master”).
Father Louis
After Yasuke’s relocation, details about him in Jesuit letters and texts were lost. Similarly, his trail vanishes in the Japanese chronicles, as he merely served in the army. The subsequent mentions are found in the historical records dated May 11, 1582, in the diary of Matsudaira Ietada, a vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Letada was not just an ordinary man from the mountains; he was a former vassal of Oda Nobunaga and later aided in the unification of Japan. These records indicate that Yasuke accompanied Nobunaga on his inspection tour of the region following the defeat of his long-standing enemy, the Takeda Kai clan. The event description from May 11, 1582, states:
“Nobunaga-sama was accompanied by a black man, whom he presented by the missionaries and to whom he gave a scholarship. His body was as black as ink, and his height was 6 shaku 2 fana (182.4 cm). They said that his name was Yasuke.”
Matsudaira Letada
On June 1, 1582, Oda Nobunaga was betrayed and attacked by his senior vassal Akechi Mitsuhide during the Honnō-ji Incident. Yasuke, who served Nobunaga, was also present at the time. Following Nobunaga’s forced suicide, Yasuke was taken captive. The dilemma then arose: what to do with a black warrior? The details of what transpired are uncertain. There is a piece of correspondence that mentions Yasuke, but its source remains elusive.
A black man, whom the guest sent to Nobunaga, came to the house of Nobunaga’s son after his death, and was fighting for quite a long time, when the vassal Akechi came to him and said: “Do not be afraid, give me this sword,” and he gave him the sword. The vassal asked Akechi what to do with a black man, and he answered: “A black slave is an animal (animal animal) and does not know anything, and he is not Japanese, so do not kill him, but put him in custody.”
Subsequently, the Jesuits’ annual reports reveal that Yasuke had indeed returned to them. However, the texts only provide information that he received treatment at the Jesuit camp for a period, after which his trail vanishes from the historical records.
Was he a samurai?
In the tale of Yasuke, we have uncovered much together, dear Aeons. Yet, we must now delve into his role at court. Who was he within the feudal hierarchy?
Let’s explore the definition of “samurai” in feudal Japan. This term referred to secular feudal lords, ranging from powerful daimyo to lesser nobles. More commonly, it denoted the military-feudal class of minor nobility.
The term “samurai” originates from an ancient form of the verb “to serve,” indicating that a samurai was someone who served. Samurai were not merely warrior-knights; they also served as bodyguards to their daimyo or lord, and as attendants in daily life.
If we accept this definition, then Yasuke does not quite fit the image of a samurai. There are insufficient sources to detail his life and role in the court. Considering his history and position, I conclude that he was more of a “bushi” than a “samurai”, despite holding a significant role in the court. While “bushi” and “samurai” are roughly synonymous in Japanese, Yasuke does not compare to notable foreign samurai like Jan Josten, who had considerable influence at the emperor’s court and was instrumental in the spread of Christianity in Japan.
Josten even had a district in Tokyo named after him. However, the criteria for being considered a samurai are subject to debate. Wikipedia describes Yasuke as a servant at court. The accounts suggest Nobunaga greatly trusted Yasuke, yet we lean towards the view that he should not be labeled a samurai.
Aren’t Ubisoft so crazy to push the agenda so brazenly?
Indeed, we have been delayed in asking such questions for 70 years.
In 1968, writer Yoshio Kurusu and artist Genjiro Mita published a children’s book titled “Kurosuke,” featuring the character Yasuke. The book was honored the following year with the Japanese Prize Association of Writers for Children award. Yasuke’s story also inspired Shusaku Endo to write the satirical novel “Kuronbo” in 1971. Additionally, Yasuke appears as a supporting character in Yoshihiro Yamada’s manga “Hyōge Mono,” which ran from 2005 to 2017. In the realm of video games, Ubisoft was not the first to feature Yasuke; the character made an appearance in the 2017 game “Nioh” and its 2020 sequel, with Ritchie Campbell providing the voice.
Yasuke is a fascinating historical figure. Originally a slave-servant to a European Catholic, he found himself in the service of one of Japan’s most significant figures. However, he had little to no impact on Nobunaga’s court or on Japanese life in general. It’s puzzling why game developers would choose him as the protagonist. He seems more fitting as a primary supporting character, aiding in the narrative, sharing stories, and providing context. He could serve as a guide, akin to Leonardo, occasionally advancing the plot. The game is yet to be released, so judgment is reserved. Nonetheless, the anticipation for the Japanese theme is high.
Moreover, it is not advisable for readers to form opinions based solely on what has been seen. Yasuke led an extraordinary life that is certainly worth sharing.
