African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black

African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan

Warrior. Samurai. Legend.

â€œA readable, compassionate account of an extraordinary life.â€ â€”The Washington Post

The remarkable life of historyâ€™s first foreign-born samurai, and his astonishing journey from Northeast Africa to the heights of Japanese society.

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 (in local tradition) 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 Japanâ€™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, cultures and classes offers a new perspective on race in world history and a vivid portrait of life in medieval Japan.
Country USA
Brand Hanover Square Press
Manufacturer Hanover Square Press
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 2019-04-30
UnitCount 1
EANs 9781335141026

Country	USA
Brand	Hanover Square Press
Manufacturer	Hanover Square Press
Binding	Hardcover
ReleaseDate	2019-04-30
UnitCount	1
EANs	9781335141026

African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan

You might also like...