Yasuke, the African retainer of Nobunaga

Name: Yasuke, the African retainer of Nobunaga
Start: 1581
Location: Kyoto

1581 · Kyoto · Asia · Culture

An African man becomes a retainer of Japan's great warlord

Yasuke, the African retainer of Nobunaga — Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

In 1581 Jesuits brought an African attendant to Kyoto, where crowds rushed to see him. Oda Nobunaga reportedly had his skin scrubbed, thinking it was ink, then took him into service with a stipend and a sword. A year later Yasuke was with Nobunaga when he died at Honnō-ji.

State: Warring States Japan

Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 16th century

Did you know

When Oda Nobunaga first saw the African Yasuke in 1581, he had his skin scrubbed, thinking it was ink. Convinced otherwise, he took Yasuke into service with a stipend and a sword. Share →

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