William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
Following his father's death at the age of 12, Adams apprenticed in a shipyard where he honed his skills in shipbuilding and navigation. He later joined the Royal Navy, serving under Sir Francis Drake during the conflict against the Spanish Armada in 1588.
In a fateful turn of events, Adams found himself aboard the Liefde, a Dutch ship, which, after 19 months at sea, encountered a typhoon that decimated its crew. Only 23 of the original 110 men survived as the battered vessel made its way to the port of Bungo (modern-day Usuki, Oita Prefecture), where authorities seized the ship and imprisoned its crew in Osaka Castle.
On May 12, 1600, Adams was brought before Tokugawa Ieyasu at Osaka Castle. The ship's cargo, including cannons and firearms, piqued Ieyasu's interest, leading him to order its transfer to Uraga for inspection.
Adams's fate took a remarkable turn when Ieyasu became his patron, valuing his intellect, mathematical prowess, and nautical expertise. Despite having a family in England, Adams was forbidden from leaving Japan and became Ieyasu's trusted advisor and official interpreter. In return for his loyalty, Adams was granted samurai status, bestowed with the two swords of the samurai, and provided with an estate in Uraga Harbor, among other privileges.
Under the name Miura Anjin, Adams married the daughter of a samurai official and had two children. He continued to serve the Tokugawa faithfully, conducting trade on behalf of various trading houses while also enjoying the Shogunate's permission to engage in his own trading ventures.
Adams passed away in Hirado, north of Nagasaki, in 1620, leaving behind a legacy that inspired numerous books and even computer games. Today, a monument in Tokyo's Anjin-cho commemorates his remarkable life and contributions to Japan.
See also
-
Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
-
Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
-
Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
-
Asai (Azai) Nagamasa
Asai Nagamasa inherited power from his father, Asai Hisamasa, when he was only fifteen years old. Both brave and impulsive, he proved himself a capable commander, managing to regain lands from the Rokkaku clan that had previously been lost by his father. After a territorial dispute with Oda Nobunaga over the province of Mino, Nagamasa formed an alliance with Nobunaga and married his sister Oichi, who was famous for her beauty. In 1570, when Oda Nobunaga declared war on the Asakura family, Nagamasa sided with the Asakura because he had long-standing ties with them. This unexpected move threatened Nobunaga's invasion of the Asakura lands by threatening him from the rear. Oda managed to save his army, not without the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but relations between Nobunaga and Asai were permanently damaged.
-
Amano Yasukage
Yasukage was born into the family of the samurai Amano Kagetaka and was given the name Matagoro at birth. He later changed his name to Kageyoshi, and then to Yasukage. From an early age, Yasukage served Tokugawa Ieyasu and accompanied him when he was held hostage by Imagawa Yoshimoto. His loyalty and devotion to Ieyasu from a young age laid the foundation for Yasukage's future military and administrative career.
-
Amago Tsunekisa
The Amago clan (also spelled Amako) was founded in 1392, when Sasaki Takahisa, who was orphaned at the age of three, took the new surname Amago, meaning “son of a nun,” in honor of the nun who raised him. Since the Sasaki family descended from Emperor Uda (866–931), the Amago clan traced its lineage back to this emperor. From around 1396, the Amago clan's headquarters was the mountain castle of Gassan-Toda in Izumo Province. Until the start of the Onin War, the Amago clan remained a minor clan in the service of the Kyogoku clan, which was also a descendant of the Sasaki clan. The Amago clan historically held the position of vice-governor of Izumo Province.
-
Abe Masakatsu
Masakatsu came from the ancient Abe clan, whose progenitor, according to the Nihon Shoki chronicle, is considered to be Prince Ohiko-no-mikoto (2nd century BC), son of Emperor Kogen. From the Nara period (710–784), members of the Abe clan held high positions in the government, including at the ministerial level, and from the Heian period (794–1185) onwards, the clan gained widespread fame, which continued until the Edo period.
-
Toyotomi Hidenaga
Toyotomi Hidenaga was an outstanding military commander and strategist of his time, who was unjustly overshadowed by his half-brother, the great Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At different stages of his life, he was known by the names Kinoshita Koichiro, Hashiba Nagahide, and Hashiba. Despite his relative obscurity among the general public, Hidenaga was considered one of the best minds of his time, on par with the renowned Kuroda Kanbei.
