The Real Friendship Between a Japanese Ruler and English Samurai That Inspired ‘Shōgun’

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Feudal Japan and the unexpected alliance between a powerful warlord and a marooned English sailor are the foundation for FX’s new miniseries Shōgun. Based on the fictional 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell and a reimagining of the 1980 miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain, the 10-part drama began February 27 on FX and is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

Shōgun stars Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a Japanese daimyo fighting for his life at the outbreak of civil war, and Cosmo Jarvis as naval pilot John Blackthorne. The two realize they may share common enemies and form an unlikely pairing crucial to survival.

While Toranaga and Blackthorne are fictional characters, they are loosely based on two real-life figures. Here’s what you need to know about Tokugawa Ieyasu and William Adams.

Tokugawa Ieyasu Had a Tumultuous Upbringing

According to FX, Ieyasu was born at Japan’s Okazaki Castle in 1543. His father and mother divorced when he was only 3 years old for political reasons. He was then taken hostage by two rival clans, the Odas and Imagawas, at ages 6 and 8, respectively.

Although he was treated well by the Imagawas and even married his captor’s niece, Ieyasu eventually fled after a loss in battle around age 20 and switched his alliance to the Odas. He would continue to rise in the political realm over the coming decades and eventually made a play for power following the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598.

Before his death, Hideyoshi appointed Ieyasu to a 10-person Council of Elders, whom he asked to ensure that his infant son would become ruler of Japan when old enough. However, tensions developed between Ieyasu and the Five Elders of the group and the Five Commissioners led by Ishida Mitsunari. This forms the basis of the conflict during which Shōgun takes place.

Then, on April 19, 1600, the unexpected arrival of English sailor William Adams would start an important friendship for Ieyasu.

Ieyasu Saved William Adams' Life

On that day, navigator Adams and his beleaguered crew dropped anchor near the town of Usuki on Kyushu, Japan’s third-largest island.

According to the William Adams Club, Adams—born in 1564 in Gillingham, England—had set sail from Rotterdam two years earlier, in June 1598, as a senior officer for a Dutch voyage to the Pacific. With the Protestant English and Dutch allied at the time, the excursion was designed to break up the trade monopoly held in the region by the Spanish and Portuguese, both Catholic.

However, the venture was a disaster. Delays led to starvation and scurvy outbreaks among the 500 sailors involved, and Adams’ ship, the Liefde, became isolated from the group. An attempted raid for supplies resulted in an ambush on the crew—leaving Adams’ brother Thomas dead. By the time they reached Japan, Adams was the most senior officer remaining and assumed command.

Fearing the presence of Protestants in the area, Jesuit missionaries already in Japan attempted to convince local leaders that Adams and his men partook in piracy—for which the penalty was death. Luckily for Adams, the incident was reported to Ieyasu, who interrogated the sailor personally. Instead of killing him, Ieyasu welcomed Adams as an ally and would appoint him to various roles in the coming years.

Adams Built Ships for Ieyasu and Became a Samurai

Ieyasu was eventually appointed shōgun, or a military ruler, in 1603 and tasked with keeping peace in Japan on the emperor’s behalf. Adams became a valuable adviser to Ieyasu because of his scientific knowledge and mastery of languages.

According to the William Adams Club, Adams helped Tokugawa’s troops improve their gunnery and naval capacity. Known by his title “Anjin,” or pilot, Adams helped build two small English-style ships for Ieyasu. He later became an interpreter and interacted with Spanish and Dutch delegations, replacing the Jesuits who had traditionally filled the role.

In recognition of his services, Adams was appointed the high samurai rank of Hatamoto in 1610. With this came land and prestige and a prohibition on leaving the country until further notice. This ban was lifted in 1613, and Adams would participate in multiple trade expeditions until his death on May 16, 1620.

Ieyasu, meanwhile, surrendered his status as shōgun in 1605 to confer the title to his son, establishing a hereditary link with the honor. However, he did continue to lead the country under a shadow government. He died before Adams in 1616.

Watch Shōgun on FX

The first two episodes of Shōgun debuted on February 27 on FX. The remaining eight episodes air every Tuesday through April 23. You can also stream episodes on Hulu and Disney+.

Shōgun has already drawn immense praise from critics—as well as comparisons to another TV megahit. Variety calls the series the “most transportive TV epic since Game of Thrones” and says the focus on their characters unites the two series beyond their plot-based similarities. It stars Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne, and Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko.

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