A Samurai: The African Samurai


There was an African Samurai named Yasuke. Yasuke arrived in Japan 1579 as a slave. And was a slave to an Italian Jesuit priest named Alessandro Valignano.

Yasukes exact origin is unknown other than being from East Africa. Yasuke is the only African man to acquire Samurai status.

Yasuke was granted the high status of samurai by Oda Nobunaga. Yasuke became somewhat of a celebrity in Japan for his height and strength. Oda Nobunaga believed not that his skin was black and made him wash thoroughly in front of him.

Following that event Oda Nobunaga grew fond of Yasuke and famously announced across Japan that Yasuke had the strength of ten men.

Yasuke fought alongside Nobunaga many times during his plight to unify Japan.

He was even there fighting valiantly trying to defend Nobunaga in his last moments prior to seppuku.

Akechi Mitsuhide forced Nobunaga to commit seppuku ritual samurai suicide.

As, for Yasuke he declared he was not Japanese and so was not permitted to commit seppuku despite his samurai status and twin sword.

Yasuke was returned to the Portuguese church they were overjoyed that the slave was returned to position of slavery.

It is a big unknown for the history books that will perhaps never know what happened to Yasuke from the point of being returned to slavery.



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