1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: All right, So this is the story about the central 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: figure in the new video game Assassin's Creed Shadows. It's 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: five hundred years ago. Imagine you're a brilliant, healthy, strong, 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: young black man from Mozambique in Africa. You're in service 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: to a Jesuit priests whose job it is to introduce 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: Catholicism to Japan. You arrive there in fifteen eighty, when 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: you're about twenty five years old. Then one of the 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: most powerful men in Japan wants to see you simply 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: because he wants to see a black person. In the 10 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: next two years, you become one of the most powerful 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: foreign figures in Japanese history. I'm Patti Steele, the only 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: black samurai. That's next on the backstory. The backstory is back. 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: A deep look at ancient Japan can be mind boiling, 14 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: to say the least. Last year, the FX on Hulu 15 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: series Shogun, based on a fifty year old novel about 16 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: feudal Ja Japan, won eighteen Emmy Awards, including Best Drama, 17 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: the most awards in one season for any TV show 18 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 1: in Emmy history, and it won four Golden Clothes as well. 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: In its first six days of release, it had almost 20 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: ten million viewers, and the theme continues to be super popular. 21 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: This coming week, the controversial Assassin's Creed Shadows is going 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: to be released, also set in Japan in the fifteen hundreds, 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: one of its two main characters is Yusuke, based on 24 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: the real life African warrior Yusuke. He wasn't just the 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: first foreigner to be made a samurai. In fact, he 26 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: was also the only black samurai in Japanese history. Despite 27 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: being there for just two short years, Yusuke became a 28 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: trusted associate of one of feudal Japan's most respected and 29 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: feared samurai lords. So what do we know about how 30 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: this individual became such a powerful presence. Born around fifteen 31 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: fifty five, probably in Mozambique, Africa, Yusuke was a tall, 32 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: powerfully built guy, but there's no documented history about how 33 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: he wound up as a bodyguard and assistant to Italian 34 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: Jesuit priest and missionary Alessandro Vleignano. They arrived in Japan 35 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: around fifteen seventy nine or fifteen eighty. People were enthralled 36 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: with the exotic look of Yusuke, over six feet tall 37 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: with deep ebony skin which they'd never heard of much 38 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: less seen. Soon after they arrived, the priest decided to 39 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: head to Kyoto, a city with a vibrant tapestry. It 40 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: was the imperial capital. He had Yusuke by his side. 41 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: His presence causes a scene with crowds anxious to catch 42 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: a glimpse of this stranger. Some people questioned whether his 43 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 1: skin was painted with ink. News of this amazing man 44 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:56,399 Speaker 1: reached one of Japan's most powerful samurai lords, Oda Nobunaga. 45 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: He's fascinated and summons Yusuke to his court. When he arrives, 46 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: Nobunaga is totally overwhelmed. He's amazed by Yusuke's skin color. 47 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: He orders him to take off his jacket and shirt 48 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: and scrub his skin with soap and water to proof 49 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: it is an ink. Finally satisfied that Yusuke's complexion is natural, 50 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: Nobu Naka becomes even more fascinated with him. Yusuke speaks 51 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: some Chinese and the two begin talking. Before long, Nobu 52 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: Naka is captivated with Yusuke's intelligence, his strength, and loyalty. 53 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: He asks the priest if he may have Yusuke become 54 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: part of his household, and it's agreed. As months go by, 55 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: nobu Naga takes the unprecedented step of making Ysuke a samurai, 56 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: a position of honor and privilege almost never given to foreigners. 57 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: Right away, Yasuke is given a house, a ceremonial sword 58 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: called it katana, and the incredibly important role of Nobunaga's 59 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: personal retainer and bodyguard. Ysuke is ascending to the top 60 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: in no time, from foreign servant to samurai, a testament 61 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: to his character and intelligence and the unique bond he 62 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: was able to form with Nobunaka. Now is fifteen eighty two. 63 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: Nobunaka has gotten into a fierce territorial battle with Yusuke 64 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: by his side again. After being betrayed by one of 65 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: his generals. Surrounded and clearly facing defeat, Nobunaga commits seppuku, 66 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:31,119 Speaker 1: a ritual suicide to preserve his honor. Ysuke continues to fight, 67 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: but is finally captured. His life, however, is spared, and 68 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: he's handed over to Jesuit missionaries in Kyoto. At that point, 69 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: Isuke's trail completely fades from history, leaving his fate unknown. 70 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: He was just twenty seven years old, but what an 71 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: incredible life. I hope you like the backstory with Patty Steele. 72 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: I would love it if you'd subscribe or follow or 73 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,039 Speaker 1: free to get new episodes delivered automatically, and feel free 74 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: to dm me if you have a story you'd like 75 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele and on 76 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. The Backstories a 77 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis Durand Group, and 78 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 1: Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. Our writer 79 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. 80 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: Feel free to reach out to me with comments and 81 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty Steele and 82 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening to the 83 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: Backstory with Patty Steele, the pieces of history you didn't 84 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: know you needed to know.