Yasuke is one of the most captivating and yet mysterious figures within Japanese history. In 1581, at the height of the civil war, he crossed paths with the country’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Their meeting bound the two men together and set Yasuke on a path to becoming the first known samurai of African descent in Japan.

Delving into the history behind one of the two main characters in the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Matt Lewis and Thomas Lockley examine the few surviving historical sources to reveal what we know about Yasuke, Japan’s first African samurai.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Anisha Deva

Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543 two worlds collided - Europeans had encountered Japan for the first time. For the next 50 years Portuguese-sponsored missionaries flooded into this newly discovered land aiming to exploit it for western benefit. But in the fiery cauldron of Sengoku Japan, Portuguese missionaries were but one player in the most bloody and brutal of political games.

In the third episode of this series delving into the history behind the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, join Matt Lewis and Prof. Fredrick Cryns as they uncover how these missionaries fit into 16th century Japan’s patchwork of warlords and daimyos and the momentous impact they had on feudal Japanese warfare and society.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Anisha Deva

Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 16th century, Japan was embroiled in what is known as Sengoku jidai - ‘The Warring States’ period. It was a time of bloody battles, social upheaval and is known as the most violent in Japan’s history.

But how, and when, did 150 years of bitter warfare and division come to an end? How did unification change the face of Japanese society?

In the second episode of this series delving into the history behind the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Matt Lewis and Dr Christopher Harding discover how three men overpowered and outwitted Japan’s rival warlords and in doing so, brought about the unification of a fractured region.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Ella Blaxill

Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.