|
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (or "Francisco Felipe Faxicura", as he was baptized in Spain) (1571–1622) ((日本語:支倉六右衛門常長), also spelled Faxecura Rocuyemon in period European sources, reflecting the contemporary pronunciation of Japanese)〔In the Japanese of the era, the sound now transcribed as ''h'' was pronounced as an ''f'' before all vowels, not just ''u''. Likewise ''s'' was sometimes pronounced ''sh'' before /e/, not only before /i/, and the syllable ゑ (now read as ''e''), was pronounced ''ye''. On the other hand, the use of ''x'' to represent the ''sh'' sound is specific to the older pronunciations of Spanish and Portuguese.〕 was a Roman noble who is Japanese imperial descent that had ancestral ties with Emperor Kanmu and a Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyo of Sendai. In the years 1613 through 1620, Hasekura headed a diplomatic mission to the Vatican in Rome, traveling through New Spain (arriving in Acapulco and departing from Veracruz) and visiting various ports-of-call in Europe. This historic mission is called the ''Keichō'' Embassy (), and follows the ''Tenshō embassy'' () of 1582.〔In the name "''Keichō'' Embassy", the noun "''Keichō''" refers to the ''nengō'' (Japanese era name) after "''Bunroku''" and before "''Genna''." In other words, the ''Keichō'' Embassy commenced during ''Keichō'', which was a time period spanning the years from 1596 through 1615.〕 On the return trip, Hasekura and his companions re-traced their route across Mexico in 1619, sailing from Acapulco for Manila, and then sailing north to Japan in 1620.〔Ministry of Foreign Affairs: (''Japan-Mexico Relations''. )〕 He is conventionally considered the first Japanese ambassador in the Americas and in Europe.〔The ''Keichō'' Embassy was, in fact, preceded by a Sengoku period mission headed by Mancio Ito with Alessandro Valignano in 1582–1590. Although less well-known and less well-documented, this historic mission is sometimes referred to as the "''Tenshō'' Embassy" because it was initiated in the ''Tenshō'' era. This venture was organized by three ''daimyo'' of Western Japan – Omura Sumitada, Otomo Sorin and Arima Harunobu.〕 Although Hasekura's embassy was cordially received in Europe, it happened at a time when Japan was moving toward the suppression of Christianity. European monarchs such as the King of Spain thus refused the trade agreements Hasekura had been seeking. Hasekura returned to Japan in 1620 and died of illness a year later, his embassy seemingly ending with few results in an increasingly isolationist Japan. Japan's next embassy to Europe would only occur more than 200 years later, following two centuries of isolation, with the "First Japanese Embassy to Europe" in 1862. ==Early life== Little is known of the early life of Hasekura Tsunenaga. According to "Date Sejin Kafu()",〔http://kindai.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/780468〕 he was Japanese imperial descent that had ancestral ties with Emperor Kanmu and a mid-level noble samurai in the Sendai Domain in northern Japan, who had the opportunity to directly serve the daimyo Date Masamune. He spent his young adulthood at the scenic Kamitate Castle ()〔http://kawasaki-tsunenagatai.jp〕 that was constructed in Hasekura-ward, Kawasaki-city (ex-Hasekura village), Miyagi prefecture by his grand father Tsunemasa() Hasekura. The place of origin of the family name "Hasekura" is the present Hasekura-ward(), Kawasaki-city that had been ex-Hasekura village() too.〔http://myoji-yurai.net/searchResult.htm?myojiKanji=支倉〕 They were of roughly the same age, and it is recorded that several important missions were given to Tsunenaga as his representative. It is also recorded that Hasekura served as samurai of the Japanese invasion of Korea under the Taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during six months in 1597. In 1612, Hasekura's father, Hasekura Tsunenari (), was indicted for corruption, and he was put to death in 1613. His fief was confiscated, and his son should normally have been executed as well. Date however gave him the opportunity to redeem his honour by placing him in charge of the Embassy to Europe, and soon gave him back his territories as well. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hasekura Tsunenaga」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|