Echoes of History

Portuguese Missionaries in Japan

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Episode notes

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

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