Shogun: The True Story of John Blackthorne
//Summary - Level-C2//
The article discusses the life of William Adams, an English sailor whose experiences in Japan during the early 1600s inspired the character John Blackthorne in the novel Shogun." Originally aiming for South America, Adams's diverted voyage took him to Japan, where, despite numerous hardships, he became a trusted advisor to the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, contributed to shipbuilding, and was granted samurai status. The article traces his significant influence, integration into Japanese society, and his lasting legacy, confirmed by recent DNA analysis of his remains in Japan.
In this article, I cover the historical background that inspired the character John Blackthorne in Shogun. His character is based on the life of an English merchant/sailor named William Adams, who lived an extraordinary life for man in the 1600's. I will cover his story and draw some comparisons to the show.
1)
The history leaks here. The first few episodes of the new show Shogun have been released, and so far, it has been a very gripping and compelling story set in feudal Japan during the Sengoku Jidai(warring period).
This was also a period when many European merchants and traders began to arrive in Japan for the first time. In this show, you are introduced to a character who is shipwrecked and captured by the Japanese. His name is John Blackthorne, and he is from England. His predicament was so engaging that I wanted to read more about it.
2)
What shocked me was their original mission was not to go to Japan. It was actually to reach the west coast of South America, and Japan was just their plan B.
If that failed, they set off from Holland with five ships and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean through "the Straits of Magellan" Only three of the five boats made it through "the Straits of Magellan."
The others were lost due to storms, and the Spaniards captured another once they went around the tip of South America.
3)
They reached the Pacific Ocean and didn't want to stay on the western coast of South America.
Because they feared further Spanish attacks, they decided to continue west to Japan.
They are said to have made landfall on some islands, probably the Hawaiian islands and some crew members abandoned the Expedition Expedition to stay in Hawaii. After 19 months, they sailed westward to Japan. They finally reached the coast of Japan.
4)
Its ship was called "The Leaf Day," which means charity in Dutch. The other ships were lost for various reasons, such as storms or simply getting lost.
And they ended up in a completely different place. Out of the original crew of 100 sailors, only about 20 were left barely alive, sick, dying, starving, and diseased. They managed to harbour their ship in Kyushu, Japan. Of those 20 men who made it, only nine would survive, and one was named William Adams.
5)
The man that John Blackthorn is based on in the show his life is based on William Adams.
Even though he was on this Dutch expedition, William Adams was an Englishman. We know a lot about his life through the letters he wrote to his wife throughout his journey, and in his letter, he describes many encounters with the Japanese.
And even his journey to get there. So, in the show, his name is John Blackthorne, but the show is based on a novel, also called Shogun, by James Clavell, published in 1975.
6)
He took these characters from history but gave them different names, so John Blackthorne is William Adams. Another one is Toranaga; the Daimyo who captures him is meant to be Tokugawa. In William Adams's letters, he tells us he was born in Kent in Gillingham.
In 1564, he apprenticed to a shipbuilder. There, he learned many skills, such as astronomy and navigation—everything related to being a sailor. From there, he joined the Royal Navy, serving under the Admiralty.
7)
The famous Sir Francis Drake was against the Spanish Armada, and there he gained a lot of experience as a pilot of ships. From there, he joined merchant expeditions and merchant ships, where he got involved with the Dutch traders.
The expedition he was on was a predecessor of the Dutch East India Company or what was to become the Dutch East India Company. They landed in Bungo, Japan, and the locals met them. William Adams mentions in his letters that they were not hostile to them.
8)
But they stole everything from the ship, including all its goods, weapons, and cannons. They imprisoned the crew and took them to Osaka Castle. Some Portuguese missionaries also there claimed that William Adams and his crew were pirates and demanded that they be executed. The Lord of that area was Tokugawa Ieyasu.
He took all their cannons and weapons, which would prove crucial in the Battle of Sekigahara.
9)
In the show in the story, William Adams was brought before the Daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tokugawa Ieyasu was a fascinating character because he was different from the other Japanese nobles of the time. He was very interested in the outside world and things outside of Japan.
Most other Japanese nobles were very insular and parochial, and they didn't see much good in anything from the outside world. Still, Tokugawa Ieyasu wanted to learn from these foreigners and learn their ways because he saw their ways.
10)
William Adams was brought before the Lord, and he tells us that he saw well in a lord who was coming before him and seemed to be wonderfully favourable. He made many signs to me, some of which I understood and others I did not. In the end, there came one who could speak Portuguese to him.
Ieyasu demanded of me what country I was from and what moved us to his country, which was so far away.
11)
I showed him the name of our country and that our government had long sought the East Indies and desired friendship with all kings in ways of merchandise, having in our country various commodities with which these countries had not. Then he asked if our country had wars.
With the Spaniards in Portugal being at peace with all other nations further, he asked me what I believed in. I said in God who made heaven and earth. He asked me various other questions about things of a religious nature and many other things, as in what way.
12)
I showed him through the Straits of Magellan, which he was surprised at and thought I was lying, so from one thing to another, I stayed with him until midnight. They discussed, and finally, Tokugawa Ieyasu refused to execute the prisoners because they had not been harmed.
In the end, he didn't listen to the Portuguese missionaries. Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu found William Adam to be very knowledgeable. He had many skills in navigation and shipbuilding, so he commissioned him to build the first Western-style ship in Japan.
13)
It was used to survey the Japanese coast to make this ship for Tokugawa Ieyasu. He gained a lot of trust in him; he invited William Adams to stay in his palace whenever he liked. Many of the other survivors of Adam's ship were also offered rewards and favours and allowed to go on their trading expeditions to nearby places.
Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu took such a liking to Adams that he presented him with two kinds, which symbolized being a samurai, so he was.
14)
Probably the first Western samurai that ever existed, William Adams became a personal advisor on everything related to the Western world and civilization. Despite this, William Adams still had a wife and children in England.
However, Tokugawa Ieyasu would not let him leave, and instead, William Adams married a local Japanese woman and had two children with her. He could still send money back to his family in England through the English trade posts in the Far East.
15)
East, the Japanese rewarded William Adams with his chief in Hemi, Japan, so he had his farm estate next to the port of Uraga, the traditional entry point to Edo Bay.
He was recorded there as dealing with foreign ships. William Adams' accounts also show that he highly regarded the Japanese people.
He said that the people of this land, Japan, are exemplary of nature, courteous above measure, and courageous in war. Their justice is severe.
16)
They execute without any partiality to lawbreakers. They are governed in great civility. No country in the world is better governed by civil policy. The people are very superstitious in their religion and have diverse opinions.
He lived to age 55, spent the rest of his years serving the emperor, and engaged in trade in the Far East. Adams refused to stay in English quarters, residing with the local Japanese magistrate instead. The English who met William Adams noted.
17)
He wore Japanese dress and spoke Japanese fluently, and today, there are Japanese suits of armour that you can see in the Tower of London that were given by the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu to an English.
18)
After William Adams' life, the traders showed the relationship they built with the Japanese, and it's a symbol of that. You can see these fantastic samurai suits of armour on display today in the Tower of London. They were given to the English in 1613, so he lived to age 55. He died in 1620, so he lived a pretty long life, 20 years longer than the average life expectancy.
19)
He was buried in a place called Hirado in Nagasaki prefecture. In they, they covered his skeletal remains. In Japan, new archaeologists finally announced the discovery of bones at the site believed to be those of Adams. After investigating the genetic background, the chondral DNA analysis showed that the DNA probably belonged to the Hao group H, the most common DNA.
20)
Group found in Europe. The analysis also showed aspects such as dietary habits and burial style matched with motor. In April 2020, the University of Tokyo conducted conclusive forensic tests on the bones and confirmed it was William Adams' grave. Confirmation of the identity of the remains may have been possible with DNA data from living relatives of Adams.
Shogun: The True Story of John Blackthorne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssyXe9SuZcA
In this video, I cover the historical background that inspired the character John Blackthorne in Shogun. His character is based on the life of an English merchant/sailor named William Adams, who lived an extraordinary life for man in the 1600's. I will cover his story and draw some comparisons to the show.
Please note: The thumbnail image used for this video is a digitally created representation and not an authentic historical photograph.
I will showcase some of William Adams's authentic drawings in the video. I hope you enjoy the video and the journey through history it presents.
Shogun: The True Story of Yoshi Toranaga (Tokugawa Ieyasu)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5NS-cRJ2wU
Dive into the captivating world of "Shogun" as we explore the life of one of its central figures, Lord Yoshi Toranaga. Drawing inspiration from the historical samurai legend of Tokugawa Ieyasu, this video delves into the remarkable parallels between fiction and reality. From the intrigue of early life events to shared hobbies and interests, discover how the character of Lord Toranaga mirrors the true story of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the unifier of Japan.
