eBook - ePub
African Samurai
The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan
- 390 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
African Samurai
The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan
About this book
This biography of the first foreign-born samurai and his journey from Africa to Japan is "a readable, compassionate account of an extraordinary life" (
The Washington Post).
When Yasuke arrived in Japan in the late 1500s, he had already traveled much of the known world. Kidnapped as a child, he had ended up a servant and bodyguard to the head of the Jesuits in Asia, with whom he traversed India and China learning multiple languages as he went. His arrival in Kyoto, however, literally caused a riot. Most Japanese people had never seen an African man before, and many of them saw him as the embodiment of the black-skinned Buddha. Among those who were drawn to his presence was Lord Nobunaga, head of the most powerful clan in Japan, who made Yasuke a samurai in his court. Soon, he was learning the traditions of Japan's martial arts and ascending the upper echelons of Japanese society.
In the four hundred years since, Yasuke has been known in Japan largely as a legendary, perhaps mythical figure. Now African Samurai presents the never-before-told biography of this unique figure of the sixteenth century, one whose travels between countries and cultures offers a new perspective on race in world history and a vivid portrait of life in medieval Japan.
"Fast-paced, action-packed writing. . . . A new and important biography and an incredibly moving study of medieval Japan and solid perspective on its unification. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review)
"Eminently readable. . . . a worthwhile and entertaining work." — Publishers Weekly
"A unique story of a unique man, and yet someone with whom we can all identify." —Jack Weatherford, New York Times–bestselling author of Genghis Khan
When Yasuke arrived in Japan in the late 1500s, he had already traveled much of the known world. Kidnapped as a child, he had ended up a servant and bodyguard to the head of the Jesuits in Asia, with whom he traversed India and China learning multiple languages as he went. His arrival in Kyoto, however, literally caused a riot. Most Japanese people had never seen an African man before, and many of them saw him as the embodiment of the black-skinned Buddha. Among those who were drawn to his presence was Lord Nobunaga, head of the most powerful clan in Japan, who made Yasuke a samurai in his court. Soon, he was learning the traditions of Japan's martial arts and ascending the upper echelons of Japanese society.
In the four hundred years since, Yasuke has been known in Japan largely as a legendary, perhaps mythical figure. Now African Samurai presents the never-before-told biography of this unique figure of the sixteenth century, one whose travels between countries and cultures offers a new perspective on race in world history and a vivid portrait of life in medieval Japan.
"Fast-paced, action-packed writing. . . . A new and important biography and an incredibly moving study of medieval Japan and solid perspective on its unification. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review)
"Eminently readable. . . . a worthwhile and entertaining work." — Publishers Weekly
"A unique story of a unique man, and yet someone with whom we can all identify." —Jack Weatherford, New York Times–bestselling author of Genghis Khan
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access African Samurai by Thomas Lockley,Geoffrey Girard in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Historical Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Advance Praise for African Samurai
- About the Authors
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Map
- Contents
- Quotes
- Prelude
- Part One
- Part Two
- Part Three
- Afterword
- Author Note
- Notes
- Index
- Copyright