imported>Soranin |
imported>Soranin |
||
| Line 363: | Line 363: | ||
===Kamakura=== | ===Kamakura=== | ||
Okay, that's really interesting question. So the first segment of the samurai rule, the samurai's so-called headquarters was in Kamakura that's currently Kamakura city near Tokyo. So the Tokyo city was not known at the time that Tokyo was a city yet, but the Kamakura was not known nationwide. So when the Kamakura rulership was going on and being consolidated, it's not that many people would know about the politics. So it's like say regional understandings of this is where Shogun lives and this is what Shogun does. [...] So around the first sort of segment of time, the very first samurai rules, I would say that not so many people would know about the politics. That will continue the middle segments of the samurai rule that we call usually medieval Japan. And then medieval Japan as well, this Kamakura headquarters of the samurai has been moved and taken by a different family.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 08">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 8: How To Fit In: Feudal Japan</ref> | Okay, that's really interesting question. So the first segment of the samurai rule, the samurai's so-called headquarters was in Kamakura that's currently Kamakura city near Tokyo. So the Tokyo city was not known at the time that Tokyo was a city yet, but the Kamakura was not known nationwide. So when the Kamakura rulership was going on and being consolidated, it's not that many people would know about the politics. So it's like say regional understandings of this is where Shogun lives and this is what Shogun does. [...] So around the first sort of segment of time, the very first samurai rules, I would say that not so many people would know about the politics. That will continue the middle segments of the samurai rule that we call usually medieval Japan. And then medieval Japan as well, this Kamakura headquarters of the samurai has been moved and taken by a different family.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 08">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 8: How To Fit In: Feudal Japan</ref> | ||
==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
===Ōnin War | ===Ōnin War [1467-1477]=== | ||
Ōnin War, running from 1467 to 1477. Huge damage done to Kyoto in the process of this war. It begins as a kind of succession dispute within the shogunate, but an enormous proportion of Kyoto is destroyed in fire. Lots of these different warrior constables from around the country end up coming to the Kyoto region to get involved. When that war ends, some of them go back to their provinces to find that someone else has usurped them. And that's someone else who has usurped them, manages to solidify their own power until they become what we would call daimyo, this real independent warlord. And in other cases, the warrior constables, when they go back to their provinces, they're the ones who managed to do that. Because this war, this Onin War, this 10 year conflict, pretty much destroys the idea of a functional shogunate. And so there really is no one in Kyoto anymore that you have to answer to.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | Ōnin War, running from 1467 to 1477. Huge damage done to Kyoto in the process of this war. It begins as a kind of succession dispute within the shogunate, but an enormous proportion of Kyoto is destroyed in fire. Lots of these different warrior constables from around the country end up coming to the Kyoto region to get involved. When that war ends, some of them go back to their provinces to find that someone else has usurped them. And that's someone else who has usurped them, manages to solidify their own power until they become what we would call daimyo, this real independent warlord. And in other cases, the warrior constables, when they go back to their provinces, they're the ones who managed to do that. Because this war, this Onin War, this 10 year conflict, pretty much destroys the idea of a functional shogunate. And so there really is no one in Kyoto anymore that you have to answer to.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | ||
| Line 393: | Line 380: | ||
The result of that was the whole society kind of fell apart. And a lot of the lords headed out to the provinces, partly because they were broke, because they'd had their houses burnt down. I mean, there are quite a lot of peasants and serfs could come out of the countryside into the city and recreate themselves as merchants or as artisans, because they could make things, they could sell things. And so a whole new culture grew from that period of incredible disaster.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07"/> | The result of that was the whole society kind of fell apart. And a lot of the lords headed out to the provinces, partly because they were broke, because they'd had their houses burnt down. I mean, there are quite a lot of peasants and serfs could come out of the countryside into the city and recreate themselves as merchants or as artisans, because they could make things, they could sell things. And so a whole new culture grew from that period of incredible disaster.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07"/> | ||
===Battle of Okehazama | ===Battle of Okehazama [1560]=== | ||
In 1560, the powerful daimyo Imagawa Yoshimoto to his east, enrolled [????] Toutomi, Suroga, and the Kawa provinces, and came from the illustrious Imagawa line, which was one of the pillars of the former Ashikaga shogunate. He decides, or it's usually assumed at least that he decides that he's going to make a run at marching on the capital of Kyoto to take charge of the central government. So he gathers together an army of 25,000 troops and begins his march east. And the first stop is, of course, his neighbor in Owari province, Nobunaga. So he has to go through Nobunaga's domain. On paper, this is going to be very easy. He's got 25,000 troops, which at the time was a very large army. And Nobunaga only has a few thousand men, maybe 2,500. So we're looking at roughly around a 10 to 1 disadvantage. But Nobunaga, despite the fact that his advisors all counsel him to withdraw into his castle at Kyosu and withstand a siege, he decides that that's a losing strategy. Because what's he going to do against an attack by an army that size? He decides that his best course of action is to try to seek an opening and attack.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | In 1560, the powerful daimyo Imagawa Yoshimoto to his east, enrolled [????] Toutomi, Suroga, and the Kawa provinces, and came from the illustrious Imagawa line, which was one of the pillars of the former Ashikaga shogunate. He decides, or it's usually assumed at least that he decides that he's going to make a run at marching on the capital of Kyoto to take charge of the central government. So he gathers together an army of 25,000 troops and begins his march east. And the first stop is, of course, his neighbor in Owari province, Nobunaga. So he has to go through Nobunaga's domain. On paper, this is going to be very easy. He's got 25,000 troops, which at the time was a very large army. And Nobunaga only has a few thousand men, maybe 2,500. So we're looking at roughly around a 10 to 1 disadvantage. But Nobunaga, despite the fact that his advisors all counsel him to withdraw into his castle at Kyosu and withstand a siege, he decides that that's a losing strategy. Because what's he going to do against an attack by an army that size? He decides that his best course of action is to try to seek an opening and attack.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | ||
| Line 400: | Line 387: | ||
So it kind of makes a name for Nobunaga. Another key thing about this battle, though, and the aftermath is that in the confusion of the Imagawa family with the loss of their head, several of their more talented and younger retainers, one of which we know today as Tokugawa Ieyasu, are able to claim independence. And Ieyasu establishes himself in his home territory of Mikawa, which is just to the east of Owari, and establishes an alliance with Nobunaga, thus providing a secure flank to Nobunaga's east, allowing Nobunaga to then look in other directions as he begins to expand.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | So it kind of makes a name for Nobunaga. Another key thing about this battle, though, and the aftermath is that in the confusion of the Imagawa family with the loss of their head, several of their more talented and younger retainers, one of which we know today as Tokugawa Ieyasu, are able to claim independence. And Ieyasu establishes himself in his home territory of Mikawa, which is just to the east of Owari, and establishes an alliance with Nobunaga, thus providing a secure flank to Nobunaga's east, allowing Nobunaga to then look in other directions as he begins to expand.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | ||
===Siege of Kanegasaki | ===Siege of Kanegasaki (1570)=== | ||
In 1570, Nobunaga sends an invitation, sensibly on Yoshiaki's behalf, to local warlords for a reception in Kyoto. And this is almost a way to test who was going to accept his authority and who wasn't. And the daimyo of Ichizen province, Asakura Yoshikage, refuses the summons. So Nobunaga launches a campaign to besiege the Asakura's main castle. But unfortunately for Nobunaga, the Azai, his brother-in-law's family, his brother-in-law being Azai Nagamasa, had a multi-generational alliance relationship with the Asakura. So Nagamasa feels obligated to go to the Asakura's aid, and he launches an attack on Nobunaga's army's rear, forcing Nobunaga to break off the siege and retreat while a rear guard held off the Asai and the Asakura forces. So Nobunaga feels personally betrayed by this man who was a relative by marriage. And the Asai and Asakura are one of the initial threats that he faces.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | In 1570, Nobunaga sends an invitation, sensibly on Yoshiaki's behalf, to local warlords for a reception in Kyoto. And this is almost a way to test who was going to accept his authority and who wasn't. And the daimyo of Ichizen province, Asakura Yoshikage, refuses the summons. So Nobunaga launches a campaign to besiege the Asakura's main castle. But unfortunately for Nobunaga, the Azai, his brother-in-law's family, his brother-in-law being Azai Nagamasa, had a multi-generational alliance relationship with the Asakura. So Nagamasa feels obligated to go to the Asakura's aid, and he launches an attack on Nobunaga's army's rear, forcing Nobunaga to break off the siege and retreat while a rear guard held off the Asai and the Asakura forces. So Nobunaga feels personally betrayed by this man who was a relative by marriage. And the Asai and Asakura are one of the initial threats that he faces.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | ||
| Line 408: | Line 395: | ||
But the surviving members of the Asakura and the Asai forces find refuge on Mount Hiei, which is a mountain just to the northeast of the capital. And it's the site of the Enuryakuji Temple, which is the headquarters of the Tendai Sept of Buddhism and a military power in its own right. what that matters is that, you know, this was a Buddhist temple that had essentially an army of its own. And so this prevents Nobunaga from cutting off the Asai and the Asakura forces and completely destroying them. And he has to back off,<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | But the surviving members of the Asakura and the Asai forces find refuge on Mount Hiei, which is a mountain just to the northeast of the capital. And it's the site of the Enuryakuji Temple, which is the headquarters of the Tendai Sept of Buddhism and a military power in its own right. what that matters is that, you know, this was a Buddhist temple that had essentially an army of its own. And so this prevents Nobunaga from cutting off the Asai and the Asakura forces and completely destroying them. And he has to back off,<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | ||
===Ishiyama Hongan-ji War | ===Ishiyama Hongan-ji War [1570-1580]=== | ||
I suppose there's a really good example of siege warfare involving Oda Nobunaga. So in Japan, you have these different Buddhist sects and one of them, Ojoro Shinshu, was particularly powerful and particularly worrying for Oda Nobunaga because the people in this particular sect could be almost pitted out at the last minute to become a kind of pop-up army so that the patriarch, for want of a better word, of this particular sect could issue a statement against Oda Nobunaga as he did, declaring him an enemy and saying that people would be rewarded in the next life if they stand up against him. And the followers of this sect included some fairly wealthy merchants who could effectively equip themselves and feed themselves. So the danger of these pop-up armies appearing almost out of nowhere was extraordinary for Oda Nobunaga and he worried about it and he actually resented it very much. And so he launched a siege against the main compound in Osaka of the Jodo Shinshu sect, which lasted actually for a while. It wasn't entirely successful because Osaka, of course, is on the water and so the patriarch had allies, pirate Daimyo, I suppose you could call them, who for a while would supply the castle by sea. But Oda Nobunaga managed to defeat those pirates at sea and so after a while the Jodo Shinshu sect holed up in this fortified temple complex in Osaka had to give up. They did at the last minute, the sun, I think, of the patriarch, if I've got it right, when he was forced to come out, set fire to the place just before he came out on the basis that if the Jodo Shinshu sect cannot have that fortress anymore, then Oda Nobunaga certainly can't have it either.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | I suppose there's a really good example of siege warfare involving Oda Nobunaga. So in Japan, you have these different Buddhist sects and one of them, Ojoro Shinshu, was particularly powerful and particularly worrying for Oda Nobunaga because the people in this particular sect could be almost pitted out at the last minute to become a kind of pop-up army so that the patriarch, for want of a better word, of this particular sect could issue a statement against Oda Nobunaga as he did, declaring him an enemy and saying that people would be rewarded in the next life if they stand up against him. And the followers of this sect included some fairly wealthy merchants who could effectively equip themselves and feed themselves. So the danger of these pop-up armies appearing almost out of nowhere was extraordinary for Oda Nobunaga and he worried about it and he actually resented it very much. And so he launched a siege against the main compound in Osaka of the Jodo Shinshu sect, which lasted actually for a while. It wasn't entirely successful because Osaka, of course, is on the water and so the patriarch had allies, pirate Daimyo, I suppose you could call them, who for a while would supply the castle by sea. But Oda Nobunaga managed to defeat those pirates at sea and so after a while the Jodo Shinshu sect holed up in this fortified temple complex in Osaka had to give up. They did at the last minute, the sun, I think, of the patriarch, if I've got it right, when he was forced to come out, set fire to the place just before he came out on the basis that if the Jodo Shinshu sect cannot have that fortress anymore, then Oda Nobunaga certainly can't have it either.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | ||
===Siege of Mount Hiei | ===Siege of Mount Hiei [1571]=== | ||
So there were quite remarkable sieges along the way, a company that has to be said, certainly in the case of someone like Nobunaga, with extraordinary slaughter. I think he particularly hated the idea that Buddhist sects would interfere in the running of the country. So there's another Buddhist sect, the Tendai sect, which he attacked on their mountain base called Mount Hiei, sent thousands of troops up there, killed everybody, burned everything, just destroyed the entire sect, including people unrelated to the sect who were living on the mountain. So this gives you an idea of how bloody and uncompromising some of this warfare could be.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | So there were quite remarkable sieges along the way, a company that has to be said, certainly in the case of someone like Nobunaga, with extraordinary slaughter. I think he particularly hated the idea that Buddhist sects would interfere in the running of the country. So there's another Buddhist sect, the Tendai sect, which he attacked on their mountain base called Mount Hiei, sent thousands of troops up there, killed everybody, burned everything, just destroyed the entire sect, including people unrelated to the sect who were living on the mountain. So this gives you an idea of how bloody and uncompromising some of this warfare could be.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 01">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 1: Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period</ref> | ||
| Line 420: | Line 407: | ||
when Emperor Kamu had the capital built there, one of the things he knew was that there was already in the northwest a mountain called Mount Hiei on which was a huge Buddhist temple. So that therefore counteracted the unluckiness. That was very important. And then more Buddhist temples and more Buddhist temples were built on that same mountain. And in the end, there was something like 3000 Buddhist temples up there, which was all an excellent thing for countering the unluckiness, except it became rather unlucky itself, because those Buddhist priests then came down and started rampaging around the city. And then, unluckily, Nobunaga had to go up and destroy the entire temple compound, which he did. He burnt down the whole lot. But there are temples there again.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | when Emperor Kamu had the capital built there, one of the things he knew was that there was already in the northwest a mountain called Mount Hiei on which was a huge Buddhist temple. So that therefore counteracted the unluckiness. That was very important. And then more Buddhist temples and more Buddhist temples were built on that same mountain. And in the end, there was something like 3000 Buddhist temples up there, which was all an excellent thing for countering the unluckiness, except it became rather unlucky itself, because those Buddhist priests then came down and started rampaging around the city. And then, unluckily, Nobunaga had to go up and destroy the entire temple compound, which he did. He burnt down the whole lot. But there are temples there again.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | ||
===Shimabara Rebellion | ===Shimabara Rebellion [1637-1638]=== | ||
in Kyushu where you have what's called the Shimabara rebellion 1637 to 1638 where basically a ragtag bunch of peasants with a little bit of samurai leadership managed to hold themselves up in a castle and fight off wave after wave of samurai who come in to try and pacify them and take the castle and it's extraordinarily embarrassing you know these samurai try everything they send ninjas into the castle they send spies in who get caught they try and dig tunnels under the castle but the people inside the castle fill the tunnels with feces and urine they try all sorts of things and it takes months and months and months and reinforcements to finally get this rebellion under control and the story that the Tokugawa tell after the Shimabara rebellion is that this was a case of foreign interference you know these people these peasants couldn't possibly hold off samurai unless they were somehow being supported and orchestrated by these nefarious foreign christian powers and so probably the last development in this long process of unification is the shutting down almost completely of Japan's borders they'll still deal with China and Korea at particular points within Japan they'll have that trade with Southeast Asia they'll have a limited trade as well but the Portuguese are thrown out the Spanish are thrown out the English aren't terribly interested in the end anyway the Japanese will only deal when we're thinking about European powers with the Dutch and only at this little artificial island called Dejima just a few feet worth of wooden bridge off the coast of Nagasaki<ref name="Echoes Shadows 02">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 2: The Unification of Japan</ref> | in Kyushu where you have what's called the Shimabara rebellion 1637 to 1638 where basically a ragtag bunch of peasants with a little bit of samurai leadership managed to hold themselves up in a castle and fight off wave after wave of samurai who come in to try and pacify them and take the castle and it's extraordinarily embarrassing you know these samurai try everything they send ninjas into the castle they send spies in who get caught they try and dig tunnels under the castle but the people inside the castle fill the tunnels with feces and urine they try all sorts of things and it takes months and months and months and reinforcements to finally get this rebellion under control and the story that the Tokugawa tell after the Shimabara rebellion is that this was a case of foreign interference you know these people these peasants couldn't possibly hold off samurai unless they were somehow being supported and orchestrated by these nefarious foreign christian powers and so probably the last development in this long process of unification is the shutting down almost completely of Japan's borders they'll still deal with China and Korea at particular points within Japan they'll have that trade with Southeast Asia they'll have a limited trade as well but the Portuguese are thrown out the Spanish are thrown out the English aren't terribly interested in the end anyway the Japanese will only deal when we're thinking about European powers with the Dutch and only at this little artificial island called Dejima just a few feet worth of wooden bridge off the coast of Nagasaki<ref name="Echoes Shadows 02">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 2: The Unification of Japan</ref> | ||
| Line 445: | Line 432: | ||
==The Jesuits== | ==The Jesuits== | ||
===Luís Fróis=== | ===Luís Fróis=== | ||
He was the historian of the Jesuits. He wrote all the lengthy reports about Japan. Every year, the Jesuits wrote a report about what they had done in Japan, about the political situation of Japan and all the Christian communities in all the places, especially in Kyushu. And that was a very lengthy report. It was mostly over 100 pages every year. And those reports are very valuable, because Fróis wrote too much for the liking of his superiors. He said, it's too much, you have to make it more compact. But because of all those reports, we have vivid impressions of what Japan was like at the time, and also all kinds of political developments within Japan.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 03">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 3: Portuguese Missionaries in Japan</ref> | He was the historian of the Jesuits. He wrote all the lengthy reports about Japan. Every year, the Jesuits wrote a report about what they had done in Japan, about the political situation of Japan and all the Christian communities in all the places, especially in Kyushu. And that was a very lengthy report. It was mostly over 100 pages every year. And those reports are very valuable, because Fróis wrote too much for the liking of his superiors. He said, it's too much, you have to make it more compact. But because of all those reports, we have vivid impressions of what Japan was like at the time, and also all kinds of political developments within Japan.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 03">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 3: Portuguese Missionaries in Japan</ref> | ||
| Line 484: | Line 468: | ||
So then he works to consolidate his position by doing some preliminary campaigns into neighboring Issei province and establishing diplomatic relations. So he marries his younger sister, Oichi, to a warlord named Azai Nagamasa who rules northern Omi province. And this is significant because Omi is the province that lies between Mino and Owari, which he owns, and the capital of Kyoto. So he's in essence securing a line of, you know, advance for future endeavors.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | So then he works to consolidate his position by doing some preliminary campaigns into neighboring Issei province and establishing diplomatic relations. So he marries his younger sister, Oichi, to a warlord named Azai Nagamasa who rules northern Omi province. And this is significant because Omi is the province that lies between Mino and Owari, which he owns, and the capital of Kyoto. So he's in essence securing a line of, you know, advance for future endeavors.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | ||
===Oda Nobukatsu | ===Oda Nobukatsu/Kitabatake Tomotoyo=== | ||
He gained control of neighboring Issei province by first having his second son Nobukatsu adopted into the Kitabatake family, which ruled that province. And then later on, having the members of the Kitapatake clan assassinated so that his son rose up the hierarchy and essentially took over the clan from within.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 06">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 6: The Tensho Iga War</ref> | He gained control of neighboring Issei province by first having his second son Nobukatsu adopted into the Kitabatake family, which ruled that province. And then later on, having the members of the Kitapatake clan assassinated so that his son rose up the hierarchy and essentially took over the clan from within.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 06">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 6: The Tensho Iga War</ref> | ||
| Line 498: | Line 482: | ||
==Imperial Court== | ==Imperial Court== | ||
===Michihito | ===Michihito, Emperor Ōgimachi=== | ||
I think that was one difference between Yoshiaki and say the imperial court, the Emperor Ogimachi at this time, it had been well established by this point that the Emperor was, you know, the head of the imperial court and the sovereign of the nation. But normal day to day political power was delegated to you know, some sort of warrior governing body, one of the previous shogunates or so forth. So that sort of conflict was not present with the imperial court.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | I think that was one difference between Yoshiaki and say the imperial court, the Emperor Ogimachi at this time, it had been well established by this point that the Emperor was, you know, the head of the imperial court and the sovereign of the nation. But normal day to day political power was delegated to you know, some sort of warrior governing body, one of the previous shogunates or so forth. So that sort of conflict was not present with the imperial court.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | ||
| Line 504: | Line 488: | ||
So the Emperor [Michihito, Emperor Ōgimachi] was still rather broke. The Emperor throughout centuries was very often very poor, and very often just basically getting pocket money from whoever is in power, but still had respect and was still officially descended from the Sun Goddess, the most respected person in the entire land. So Nobunaga then gave the Emperor lots of money and furnished the Imperial Palace made it good. So he gave himself legitimacy as a ruler by helping out the Emperor.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | So the Emperor [Michihito, Emperor Ōgimachi] was still rather broke. The Emperor throughout centuries was very often very poor, and very often just basically getting pocket money from whoever is in power, but still had respect and was still officially descended from the Sun Goddess, the most respected person in the entire land. So Nobunaga then gave the Emperor lots of money and furnished the Imperial Palace made it good. So he gave himself legitimacy as a ruler by helping out the Emperor.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | ||
==Shoguns== | ==Shoguns== | ||
===Ashikaga Yoshiaki=== | ===Ashikaga Yoshiaki=== | ||
The previous shogun, Ashikaga Yoshitero, had been assassinated in 1565 and replaced by a puppet. So Yoshitero's younger brother, a man by the name of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, had been traveling around the provinces trying to seek a benefactor who would back his claim and help him march on the capital. So shortly after Nobunaga establishes himself in Gifu, Yoshiaki arrives on his doorstep in 1568, thus giving him a pretext to make his move on the capital.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | The previous shogun, Ashikaga Yoshitero, had been assassinated in 1565 and replaced by a puppet. So Yoshitero's younger brother, a man by the name of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, had been traveling around the provinces trying to seek a benefactor who would back his claim and help him march on the capital. So shortly after Nobunaga establishes himself in Gifu, Yoshiaki arrives on his doorstep in 1568, thus giving him a pretext to make his move on the capital.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 5: Oda Nobunaga</ref> | ||
| Line 526: | Line 504: | ||
So one of their descendants, Yoshiyaki, was around and he was a pretty hopeless guy. But he was officially the Shogun. So Nobunaga's excuse for entering Kyoto was to reinstate him as Shogun. But actually, he, like a lot of these guys, is this Yoshiyaki. The Shogun was very treacherous. We wanted to get rid of Nobunaga, and he instigated a plot against him. So Nobunaga had him arrested and taken off to a castle in the middle of nowhere and left there forever. So that was the end of him.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | So one of their descendants, Yoshiyaki, was around and he was a pretty hopeless guy. But he was officially the Shogun. So Nobunaga's excuse for entering Kyoto was to reinstate him as Shogun. But actually, he, like a lot of these guys, is this Yoshiyaki. The Shogun was very treacherous. We wanted to get rid of Nobunaga, and he instigated a plot against him. So Nobunaga had him arrested and taken off to a castle in the middle of nowhere and left there forever. So that was the end of him.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 07">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 7: Kyoto: Japan's Imperial City</ref> | ||
==Jesuit relations== | ==Jesuit relations== | ||
| Line 586: | Line 561: | ||
But the Imagawa forces by midday had made significant progress against the Odo forces invading. So the Imagawa army was much larger. It was rather spread out and divided. The vanguard had taken several of these forts that Nobunaga had. Yoshimori himself was with only a few thousand troops. And at his command post, they took a bit of a siesta, almost, if you will, in this small narrow gorge called Dengaku Hazama. And they were celebrating some of the Imagawa troops had already broken into the celebration sake in anticipation of their great victory that they saw coming because, you know, how could you see anything else? A little bit after this, there's a rainstorm. This was in the summer. So the rainy season in Japan. This thunderstorm breaks out and it really helps Nobunaga maneuver his forces through the mountains, through these narrow passes into position to attack Imagawa Yoshimoto's headquarters camp. They broke out of the tree line to attack the camp. And at first Yoshimoto assumes that it's a drunken brawl taking place amongst his men. Too late, he realizes that it's not that he's actually under attack. And shortly after that, two of the Otis samurai relieve him up his head. In the aftermath, the Imagawa forces deprived of their commander melt away in confusion. And we have this almost legendary victory by other Nobunaga outmanned ten to one, destroying the forces of this great daimyo.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | But the Imagawa forces by midday had made significant progress against the Odo forces invading. So the Imagawa army was much larger. It was rather spread out and divided. The vanguard had taken several of these forts that Nobunaga had. Yoshimori himself was with only a few thousand troops. And at his command post, they took a bit of a siesta, almost, if you will, in this small narrow gorge called Dengaku Hazama. And they were celebrating some of the Imagawa troops had already broken into the celebration sake in anticipation of their great victory that they saw coming because, you know, how could you see anything else? A little bit after this, there's a rainstorm. This was in the summer. So the rainy season in Japan. This thunderstorm breaks out and it really helps Nobunaga maneuver his forces through the mountains, through these narrow passes into position to attack Imagawa Yoshimoto's headquarters camp. They broke out of the tree line to attack the camp. And at first Yoshimoto assumes that it's a drunken brawl taking place amongst his men. Too late, he realizes that it's not that he's actually under attack. And shortly after that, two of the Otis samurai relieve him up his head. In the aftermath, the Imagawa forces deprived of their commander melt away in confusion. And we have this almost legendary victory by other Nobunaga outmanned ten to one, destroying the forces of this great daimyo.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 05"/> | ||
===Azai Nagamasa=== | ===Azai Nagamasa=== | ||
| Line 606: | Line 575: | ||
===Mori Ranmaru=== | ===Mori Ranmaru=== | ||
So Yasuke was there at Nobunaga's death. He possibly was the last person to see him alive. Nobunaga was killed in a coup d'etat, essentially. He was heading to the front with this small corps of men over which Yasuke was one, around 30 people. And one of his generals, basically, we still don't know to this day why, he brought his whole army of 13,000 and attacked. They were all gunned down, essentially. Nobunaga, with Yasuke and his lover, [Mori] Ranmaru, come into the middle of the temple where their last moments are held. The temple's on fire around them. And Nobunaga really is going to know what happened in that room because there's only three people and they all died, except for Yasuke. But we only know that Yasuke survived because the Jesuits recorded as such. We don't know what he saw, unfortunately. The normal legend goes Nobunaga cut his belly, Ranmarutook his head off as his second, and then one supposes that Ranmaru then cut his belly and Yasuke took off Ranmaru's head. And the supposed last order is Yasuke save my head. Yasuke runs with the head to Nobunaga's son, who is probably about five to ten minutes walk away, very close, in a different temple.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 04">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 4: Yasuke: The First African Samurai</ref> | So Yasuke was there at Nobunaga's death. He possibly was the last person to see him alive. Nobunaga was killed in a coup d'etat, essentially. He was heading to the front with this small corps of men over which Yasuke was one, around 30 people. And one of his generals, basically, we still don't know to this day why, he brought his whole army of 13,000 and attacked. They were all gunned down, essentially. Nobunaga, with Yasuke and his lover, [Mori] Ranmaru, come into the middle of the temple where their last moments are held. The temple's on fire around them. And Nobunaga really is going to know what happened in that room because there's only three people and they all died, except for Yasuke. But we only know that Yasuke survived because the Jesuits recorded as such. We don't know what he saw, unfortunately. The normal legend goes Nobunaga cut his belly, Ranmarutook his head off as his second, and then one supposes that Ranmaru then cut his belly and Yasuke took off Ranmaru's head. And the supposed last order is Yasuke save my head. Yasuke runs with the head to Nobunaga's son, who is probably about five to ten minutes walk away, very close, in a different temple.<ref name="Echoes Shadows 04">''[[Echoes of History]]'' – Shadows – Episode 4: Yasuke: The First African Samurai</ref> | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
My secondary sandbox.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Ever since Darius, a Proto-Assassin, eliminated the Persian king Xerxes,
the hidden blade has become the signature weapon of the Brotherhood of Assassins.
It is usually hidden using an armband and can be deployed in a flash, revealing a formidably sharp point. Thanks to modifications made by Altaïr, you no longer need to cut off a finger to use it to its best advantage. Some Assassins, however, continue to mutilate themselves out of tradition and devotion to the Brotherhood.Made under duress by Leonardo da Vinci for the Baron de Valois, this pistol of rare precision includes several innovations never seen on weapons of this era. It can be immediately identified thanks to its golden metal spinning wheel.
In Venice, the Doge is the first magistrate of the republics of Venice and Genoa. He is elected for life. From the Palazzo Ducale, he leads the armies, presides over the Senate, can declare war and sign peace. He is responsible for the Council of Ten, an assembly made up of the lords of the most powerful Venetian families. The current Doge, elected in 1501, is Leonardo Loredan. He is a cultured merchant and a fine politician.
Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno, born in 1480, is the most famous of Leonardo da Vinci's apprentices. He maintains an ambiguous relationship with the Maestro, made of a deep friendship, but also of some mischief due to the young apprentice's passion for gambling. A few years ago, this passion almost cost the Assassins dearly when Salaì failed to keep track of his mission: Protect Leonardo. Fortunately his courage, his insight and some decisive help from Ezio allowed the Assassins to find the Maestro safe and sound. Salaì would do just about anything for Leonardo da Vinci, and the feeling is probably mutual.
Leonardo da Vinci, aged 57 in 1509, is one of those rare people who are gifted in all they choose to do. His first meeting with Ezio was more than thirty years ago and Ezio still carries the hidden blade that the genius repaired and upgraded for him. As a staunch ally, Leonardo enabled the Assassins to technologically surpass their Templar enemies thanks to numerous inventions, including the flying machine. The Maestro, as we sometimes call him, has the habit of appearing without warning, whether in Rome, Florence or where he is now, Venice.
Niccolò Orsini di Pitigliano (1442 - 1510) was a Leader of Italian mercenaries. He was the Captain-General of the Venetians during the war against the Cambrai league.
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, born in 1469, is a Florentine with many talents. Philosopher, politician and member of the Brotherhood of Assassins since he was 19, Niccolò is one of those who allowed Ezio to join the Brotherhood. He is a powerful enemy of the Borgias and has helped Ezio dismantle one of their bases in Rome. He faithfully supports Ezio in all circumstances, despite the apparent discord between the two men. It was probably at his request that Niccolò temporarily left his native Florence to lend a hand once again to the Assassins in Rome. His political visions will have to wait a few more years before being written down on paper in his famous book: The Prince.
The Bocca di Leone ("Lion's Mouth") were boxes made for denunciation. They often bore the shape of a human or animal mouth. Some were dedicated to various types of accusations: Concealment of income, favors, misdemeanors linked to public health, etc. Denunciations could not be completely anonymous (except in case of emergency) and were processed according to a sophisticated investigation system. The lion sometimes appeared on the boxes as a reference to the Lion of Venice, emblem of the Republic.
The Assassins know the secrets of a civilization that existed long before humanity. lts members were known under the names Isus, Precursors or First Civilization. Some elements of their technology have endured, such as the Pieces of Eden. As rare as they are powerful, they have been used repeatedly to influence the course of humankind's history. The Assassins are trying by all means to prevent Templars from finding and using the fragments.
Among the Pieces of Eden, the Staves were created to take control of the body and mind of humans. Used properly, they are an extremely powerful instrument of control, which can be used for good or evil. Doubt remains as to whether their extraordinary powers, such as levitation or invisibility, are real or are simply illusions.
The famous Lion of Venice is none other than a representation of Saint Mark, decorated with wings inspired by the Bible. When its fore paws are crossed, one rests on the ground and the other on the water, symbolizing the balance of Venetian powers between land and water. When depicted with a book, it symbolizes peace, whereas it is sometimes holding a sword during periods of armed conflict.
The Animus was originally a technological project of Abstergo Industries, a facade for the Order of the Templars. Thanks to a DNA fragment, it allows the person who is connected to explore and relive the memories of their ancestors - their Genetic Memories. Improved over time, used by both Assassins and Templars, the latest versions of the Animus are no longer dependent on the user's DNA and allow anyone to explore the memories of a subject as long as they have their DNA. The newest versions of the Animus, HR-8 and HR-8.5, developed under the supervision of Sophia Rikkin and Layla Hassan, are now portable and do away with the need to use a DNA sample. The Memory only needs to be saved in order to share it with others. However, it happens that the Animus experiences some failures when displaying the Memories. These are the glitches that Assassins sometimes fear. It is rumored that some of these glitches may have been intentionally introduced into the Animus code by the Templars... If so, only an Assassin from the present day can help us!
Lucrezia Borgia, from a famous family of Templars, is cruel and merciless, just like her brother Cesare. Her use of excessive violence and her poisonings are almost legendary. Bold and independent, she defied social conventions by entertaining many romantic relationships during her numerous marriages. The few people who have really known her have been able to recognize the fragility beneath her arrogance and violence, no doubt linked to her family's turbulent history. During her two encounters with Ezio, they both tried to take advantage of the situation by playing the muddle game of seduction. She is still mad with rage at having let herself be taken in by her own game. She ruminates on a revenge that will certainly be terrible.
Cynical, sarcastic and self-confident, Shaun works for the Brotherhood as a historian and analyst. His knowledge is a valuable source of information for modern Assassins who are looking for Pieces of Eden and other First Civilization resources from the memories of various historical figures. Shaun offers precious help to people who visualize their genetic memories through the Animus. He creates databases for the Assassins by analyzing people, locations and eras from historical experiences. With Rebecca Crane, Desmond Miles and William Miles, Shaun was na essential member of the Assassins team who located an Apple of Eden and then the Great Temple in 2012, which changed the course of the conflict between Assassins and Templars. After perilous missions to London and Madrid, Shaun seems to have disappeared. Rumors of his reappearance were true!
When Leonardo da Vinci was forced to create war machines for the Borgias in 1499, his creative genius took over and he invented a whole system of combat automatons - it was still theoretical at that time - that can be set up in advance so that they travel a certain distance before setting off the bomb they are harboring. Overcome by remorse, he managed to hide his blueprints, but the Borgias were finally able to get their hands on them and turned them over to the Favero, who managed to finalize them. Fortunately, the Brotherhood also managed to create working prototypes thanks to Leonardo.
This small group of fierce Templars aims to fight the Assassins with their own methods. Trained like true counter-Assassins, the Crows are specialists in disguise, infiltration and, of course, assassination. They all wear clothes and accessories that evoke their favorite animal, the crow. Moreover their former leader, Sirus Favero, was nicknamed il corvo (the raven). In an attempt to preserve their anonymity, they use the names of the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Assassins will have to face the four Crows led by Cesare Borgia including the formidable Matteo Favero, son of the historic leader of the Crows.
This megacorporation, created in 1937, is the result of a strategy of the Order of the Temple to sustainably transform the world and make it conform to the values and visions of the Templars. Today, it is a sprawling conglomerate that extends its sinister wings over sectors as varied as medical, pharmaceutical or video game industries. Abstergo is the inventor of the Animus.
These are taken from the WIP rulebook from the kickstarter, so they are VERY subject to change and shouldn't be used in ANY pages.
Shao Jun (born in 1505) is a famous Assassin of the Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins.
A former concubine of the Zhengde Emperor, she was rescued by the Assassins after the emperor’s death and devoted her life to the Brotherhood as a result.
During the interregnum following the Zhengde Emperor’s death, Zhang Yong—the leader of the Eight Tigers, a Templar faction—ordered a purge of all those who opposed him, which included the Assassins. Shao Jun and her Mentor, Zhu Jiuyuan, fled west to seek out the retired Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. After helping Ezio fight off a Templar attack in his villa in Tuscany, he gave her a Precursor box to help her rebuild the Chinese Brotherhood.Measuring up to 12 feet, it is one of the most dangerous animals one can encounter in the region. It will bite and inject a potent venom that can kill an adult human in thirty minutes if no antidote is taken. Amazingly, even the very young ones can bite as dangerously as adults. It is not uncommon for expert handlers to extract their venom and use it to poison weapons.
Quick as lightning, the mongoose is the forever enemy of the cobra snake. Thanks to their incredible reflexes, they can face the venomous snakes and exploit any weakness, striking at the right time in the right spot. The mongooses found in this region have developed a resistance to the snake’s venom that allows them to continue fighting, even after a bite. They are greatly admired and revered by the inhabitants of the region, who sometimes tame and train them to help against the snakes.