Well, conquest is a form of colonisation; but I agree with the spirit. Japan will be looking to secure trade routes and even monopolise them. If it's going down the naval route, then south and west is the direction to go, into the East Indies and the Straits of Malacca towards India. It doesn't need to conquer land and people and establish Raj's all over Asia, just secure privileges and be strong enough to compete with the Europeans when they come knocking. If it manages to grab that wealth early on this is certainly achievable.
Nobunaga’s Ambition Realized: Dawn of a New Rising Sun
- Thread starter Ambassador Huntsman
- Start date
Chapter 39: The Downfall of Catholicism in Japan
Chapter 39: The Downfall of Catholicism in Japan
The mobilization in Japan had been undertaken with relative ease, with the various daimyo levying peasants and training them as arquebusiers or spear ashigaru in anticipation of their own armies sailing to Bireitou or Philippines. Indeed, Nobutomo would order the raising of the second wave, consisting of 50,000 troops from the Shimazu clan, Shikoku daimyo, and Oda vassals in central Japan and led by the daijo-daijin’s cousin once removed Miyoshi Yasutaka. However, events in Kyushu would interrupt the process of sending out more troops.
Unlike Spain, Japan did not pursue the forceful purging of all Spanish and Portuguese and only implemented the removal of Iberians from daimyo fief bureaucracies, although many left voluntarily due to the suspension of trade relations. Nevertheless, many long-term residents and Catholic priests continued to live in local Japanese communities. However, the actions of the Arima and Omura clans would cause Azuchi to reverse course. Due to their effectiveness and influence amongst not only the samurai but also the local populace, Arima Naozumi secretly kept many Jesuits and Franciscan priests in his service and influenced his juvenile relative Omura Suminobu to do the same. It didn’t take long before this act of defiance caught the eye of Azuchi, and in August 1631 both lords were summoned to the Oda capital. Both would be charged with treason and subsequently sentenced to death. As Catholics, they refused to commit seppuku so were instead beheaded.
Unlike Spain, Japan did not pursue the forceful purging of all Spanish and Portuguese and only implemented the removal of Iberians from daimyo fief bureaucracies, although many left voluntarily due to the suspension of trade relations. Nevertheless, many long-term residents and Catholic priests continued to live in local Japanese communities. However, the actions of the Arima and Omura clans would cause Azuchi to reverse course. Due to their effectiveness and influence amongst not only the samurai but also the local populace, Arima Naozumi secretly kept many Jesuits and Franciscan priests in his service and influenced his juvenile relative Omura Suminobu to do the same. It didn’t take long before this act of defiance caught the eye of Azuchi, and in August 1631 both lords were summoned to the Oda capital. Both would be charged with treason and subsequently sentenced to death. As Catholics, they refused to commit seppuku so were instead beheaded.
Portrait of Arima Naozumi
Both the Arima and Omura clans were abolished, their lands redistributed to the non-Catholic Tachibana Muneshige (立花宗茂) and Hori Chikayoshi respectively. In response, many Catholic Arima and Omura vassals, now ronin, colluded with the remaining Jesuits and Franciscans and rebelled, joined by local Kirishitans across the countryside of northern Kyushu. They hoped to cripple the war effort against their Catholic brethren and restore the clans in the name of Christ. In what is now referred to as the Catholic Rebellion (カトリックの乱), the rebel army of 10,000, led by ex-Arima vassal Masuda Yoshitsugu (益田好次) [1], quickly secured his former master’s lands before marching on and capturing Nagasaki in early 1632. Upon news of the rebellion and the fall of Nagasaki, the second wave originally preparing for landfall in Bireitou would instead be directed at crushing the rebellion before more Kirishitans joined.
The Shimazu army of 12,000, led by the 19 year old clan head Norihisa (島津則久) came onto the scene first. Upon entering enemy territory, they experienced guerrilla warfare conducted by organized bands of Catholic peasants, many armed with arquebuses, and the Shimazu army found difficulty advancing towards Nagasaki. Certain vassals, in response to this resistance, urged Norihisa to wage total war against rebellious Catholics and pillage the homes of those whom they viewed as heretics. These retainers, led by Komagine Tomofusa (駒木根友房) [2], were actually among the handful of Calvinists in southern Kyushu, a small minority that had taken interest in the Dutch faith and voluntarily converted despite lack of Dutch interest in spreading Calvinism. Against the advice of more senior advisors, Norihisa decided to employ scorched-earth tactics against the local populace, laying waste to the region and demoralizing the enemy. This lasted a month before Miyoshi Yasutaka’s main force arrived on the scene and ordered the end of this devastating strategy.
The Shimazu army of 12,000, led by the 19 year old clan head Norihisa (島津則久) came onto the scene first. Upon entering enemy territory, they experienced guerrilla warfare conducted by organized bands of Catholic peasants, many armed with arquebuses, and the Shimazu army found difficulty advancing towards Nagasaki. Certain vassals, in response to this resistance, urged Norihisa to wage total war against rebellious Catholics and pillage the homes of those whom they viewed as heretics. These retainers, led by Komagine Tomofusa (駒木根友房) [2], were actually among the handful of Calvinists in southern Kyushu, a small minority that had taken interest in the Dutch faith and voluntarily converted despite lack of Dutch interest in spreading Calvinism. Against the advice of more senior advisors, Norihisa decided to employ scorched-earth tactics against the local populace, laying waste to the region and demoralizing the enemy. This lasted a month before Miyoshi Yasutaka’s main force arrived on the scene and ordered the end of this devastating strategy.
Portrait of Shimazu Norihisa
The damage had been done, however, as the remaining rebel holdings filled with refugees escaping the destruction and became strained in resources. By April, the Shimazu navy had defeated the rebel ships and occupied the waters of Nagasaki, eventually forcing Yoshitsugu and the main army to retreat. On May 12th, they were defeated by Yasutaka’s main army of 40,000 at the Battle of Isahaya Plains (諫早平野の戦い). The rebel leaders were eventually captured and executed. Pockets of resistance remained, however, and for the rest of the year scattered Kirishitan riots would occur periodically throughout northern Kyushu.
The impact of the rebellion would be significant and far-reaching. Fearing the internal threat Catholicism presented to the realm, Nobutomo issued an edict with resounding support from the Sangi-shu that ordered the execution of all Spanish and Portuguese Catholic priests as well as collaborators. The edict also mandated the closure of all churches in Japan and prohibited organized Kirishitan activities, effectively banning Catholicism in the realm. Churches that refused to close were torched by local authorities, their priests put to death. In some instances, mass persecutions were even carried around. The rest of the 1630s would be marked by this Catholic suppression.
The impact of the rebellion would be significant and far-reaching. Fearing the internal threat Catholicism presented to the realm, Nobutomo issued an edict with resounding support from the Sangi-shu that ordered the execution of all Spanish and Portuguese Catholic priests as well as collaborators. The edict also mandated the closure of all churches in Japan and prohibited organized Kirishitan activities, effectively banning Catholicism in the realm. Churches that refused to close were torched by local authorities, their priests put to death. In some instances, mass persecutions were even carried around. The rest of the 1630s would be marked by this Catholic suppression.
1632 execution of Catholic priests in the outskirts of Yamaguchi
However, Nobutomo would make an ecclesiastic exception in the shutdown after the churches in Azuchi and Gifu collectively petitioned the daijo-daijin and promised to formally separate from the Roman Catholic Church and no longer recognize the authority of the pope. Instead, the new Church of Yamato (大和国教会) would recognize a new patriarch in Azuchi, Takayama Sensaemon (高山洗左衛門) [3] as its new pontiff. The churches in central Japan were by now predominantly run by Japanese priests in sharp contrast to the more privileged and influential status of European priests in Kyushu. As a political compromise, these churches would also hand over non-Japanese priests to Azuchi.
Thus, despite the crackdown on Catholicism, a Japanese Christian denomination with nearly identical beliefs was born. Additionally, the edict did not apply to Calvinism. While many Kirishitan churches would join the new Church of Yamato, others, especially in Kyushu, rejected the Azuchi patriarch’s authority over the perceived betrayal of the Jesuits and other European priests and would face Azuchi’s crackdown and brutal repression. The Religious Control Edict (宗教抑制令), as it was known as, changed the religious landscape, virtually wiping Catholicism out institutionally and fragmented the rural Kirishitan population, with many even converting to Pure Land Buddhism. It would take a few decades before the new Church of Yamato put the pieces of a broken Christian faith back together with renewed fervor. However, the fracturing of Christianity in Japan also sowed the seeds for a new syncretic faith in the 17th century, one taking inspiration from the teachings of both Jesus Christ and Amitabha.
[1]: IOTL Amakusa Shiro’s (天草四郎) father
[2]: A Kirishitan general in the Shimabara Rebellion IOTL
[3]: Takayama Ukon's grandson
Thus, despite the crackdown on Catholicism, a Japanese Christian denomination with nearly identical beliefs was born. Additionally, the edict did not apply to Calvinism. While many Kirishitan churches would join the new Church of Yamato, others, especially in Kyushu, rejected the Azuchi patriarch’s authority over the perceived betrayal of the Jesuits and other European priests and would face Azuchi’s crackdown and brutal repression. The Religious Control Edict (宗教抑制令), as it was known as, changed the religious landscape, virtually wiping Catholicism out institutionally and fragmented the rural Kirishitan population, with many even converting to Pure Land Buddhism. It would take a few decades before the new Church of Yamato put the pieces of a broken Christian faith back together with renewed fervor. However, the fracturing of Christianity in Japan also sowed the seeds for a new syncretic faith in the 17th century, one taking inspiration from the teachings of both Jesus Christ and Amitabha.
[1]: IOTL Amakusa Shiro’s (天草四郎) father
[2]: A Kirishitan general in the Shimabara Rebellion IOTL
[3]: Takayama Ukon's grandson
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Considering the Japanese catholics basically got forcibly cut off from mainline Catholicism I could see a lot of Buddhist and shinto gods becoming saints long before it becomes more syncretised even but the more egalitarian and equality focused bits of Christianity gets retained to make it easy to spread amongst the peasantry.
There should also be a minority of calvanists amongst the merchants before the new religion spreads as I could see the new religion being good to both merchants and peasants and allow it to spread far and wide in Japan and even beyond Japan.
There should also be a minority of calvanists amongst the merchants before the new religion spreads as I could see the new religion being good to both merchants and peasants and allow it to spread far and wide in Japan and even beyond Japan.
This can make for a good topic for a "commoner" Taiga drama similar to Hana no Ran.
That said - I believe that the Calvinists and Church of Yamato will be rather theologically disciplined for their brethren, especially where the latter, totally not Catholic Church is more established in Central Japan. Ditto for Calvinism due to its and other Protestant literature and its importation being left largely unmolested for its devout to freely review and print.
This will leave Northeast Kyushu as having somewhat of a reputation even among Japan's Christians, especially in regards to its syncretics.
That said - I believe that the Calvinists and Church of Yamato will be rather theologically disciplined for their brethren, especially where the latter, totally not Catholic Church is more established in Central Japan. Ditto for Calvinism due to its and other Protestant literature and its importation being left largely unmolested for its devout to freely review and print.
This will leave Northeast Kyushu as having somewhat of a reputation even among Japan's Christians, especially in regards to its syncretics.
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I do think Kyushu will be the weird one religiously speaking but I could see central Japan and Kanto having a new religion pop up and spread like wildfire there, and there'll be multiple sects that syncretise Buddhism, Shinto and Christianity together into new religions.
Considering how these religions prob are bottom up religions I could see them using more katakana and using spacing and punctuation marks to not write kanji which would be a fun thing to see.
Well that was a stupid thing to do. Despite the Church Of Yamato forming, I can still see all versions of Christianity being looked upon with suspicion. Especially considering, this happened while Japan is at war with Spain.
Could this incident lead to Japan adding a missionary element to Shinto and trying to gain believers in other places as a counter to Christianity?
Could this incident lead to Japan adding a missionary element to Shinto and trying to gain believers in other places as a counter to Christianity?
Is Buddhist Christian hybrid religion something like https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caodaism?
Vedanta Shinto!
To be honest, I don't think - Firstly, Shinto is still in the shadow of Buddhism, and secondly, it is too archaic.
I get that. But I was thinking that if Christianty (or maybe just Catholicism) is seen as a religion that makes people betray their country (obviously it doesn't work like that, but with certain events, some people will get that opinion in this tl) for another. Then someone may reach the idea of doing something similar in other areas. Despite the obvious thing being that it doesn't work like that, I can see people in this tl coming to that conclusion.
Since the times of Nobunaga, the Oda clan has been watchful towards the political power of organized religion, best highlighted outside of Catholicism by Honganji and the Ikko-ikki. That's actually a contributing factor towards the policy of religious freedom as to have enough religions around to prevent one from just taking over. Nobutada and Nobunori have dispensed patronage towards Shintoism and Buddhism and those two religions are shielded from persecution by the preferences of the imperial court and tradition, but the Oda clan is definitely not interested in creating a new mass religion that one day could organize a revolt. Not to mention Shintoism isn't really the type of religion to develop a missionary element in the 17th century.
It will be similar to Caodaism actually, when it comes time I'll delve into more detail.
Catholicism was seen more suspiciously on average already because it's seen as the religion of the foreigners and not of the Japanese people, so ironically the Church of Yamato breaking off will in the long term give greater domestic appeal to Christianity and Christian-inspired doctrines. Calvinism also kinda has that "foreign" association but as of now, it has only a small following among samurai and merchants in the Shimazu domain and is too inconsequential in the grand scheme of things to attract substantive attention.
Will Church of Yamato transform into hybrid faith or it will be separate from that?
Hmm interesting so I guess amateratsu would be the main female goddess? It does make sense that a syncretic Buddhist Christian religion would focus on equality and that leaving samsara would be seen as going to heaven with earth being the neutral point of their cosmology.
Considering that they have three quarters of a century being familiar with its doctrines, alongside the continuing religious freedom for competing non-Catholics, I doubt that it will grow too heretical from its roots in the Latin Church.
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Chapter 40: Iberian-Japanese War Part VI - Setbacks in Mindanao
Chapter 40: Iberian-Japanese War Part VI - Setbacks in Mindanao
The same month the Japanese attacked Aparri in Luzon, the Spanish-Tidorese fleet assaulted Lamitan in Mindanao. Lamitan was the capital of the Maguindanao sultanate and with Muhammad Kudarat occupied in Karasungay and the VOC seemingly busy in Malacca, Manila hoped to quickly capture the city and knock the sultanate out of the war. On March 12th, the fleet approached the city, which lay on the small island of Basilan, and fended off the Maguindanao fleet, mostly consisting of fast-moving penjajaps as well as heavier juangas. The heavier Spanish galleons proceeded to bombard the city while smaller warships and transports focused on landing infantry and conquering the jungles and villages surrounding Lamitan on Basilan. In anticipation of an invasion, Kudarat had constructed small fortifications scattered across the beaches and dispersed fighters across the island. The first few weeks of the siege was dominated by Spanish efforts to capture these fortifications and secure complete control over the beaches of Basilan. Using naval bombardments, land artillery, and infantry charges, this would be accomplished by the beginning of April. However, Basilan still contained thousands of warriors and armed villagers stalking the Spanish-Tidorese forces’ every move from the jungles and villages standing between Lamitan and the beaches. At Lamitan itself, gunfire continued to be exchanged between the besieging fleet and the city’s defenders, with every amphibious landing by the Spanish pushed back.
Salmon=Maguindanao, light orange=Spanish
Back in Karasungay, Muhammad Kudarat had received word of his capital being besieged, throwing his military campaign into a predicament. If he retreated now to save his capital, the sultan risked losing his gains in northern Mindanao, including the rebel-controlled Caraga, to the well-supplied Figueroa, whom he had been engaging with in skirmishes and unsuccessful attempts to take Cagayan de Oro throughout the previous winter. On the other hand, he risked losing his capital if he stayed. Kudarat therefore decided to launch a full siege upon Cagayan de Oro at the end of March, hoping to also force a pitched battle with the Spanish.
Despite Kudarat’s superior numbers, he was outmatched in artillery, only carrying a handful of bronze cannons alongside numerous but largely ineffective culverins, and Figueroa was able to withstand the sultan’s siege. On April 13th, he organized a night assault of elite, heavily armored Spanish conquistadors and indigenous skirmishers and dealt a heavy blow on Kudarat’s army, even taking control of some of the cannons. While the sultan’s army resisted and eventually repelled the Spanish, they sustained pyrrhic losses and retreated back to Kalasungay the next morning. Taking the initiative, Figueroa led an army of 6,000 out of Cagayan de Oro and caught the sultan and his army of 7,000 in front of Kalasungay. In this pitched battle, Kudarat’s arquebusiers in the center matched Figueroa’s in the center but ultimately, a Spanish cavalry charge from Figueroa’s right wing successfully outflanked the sultan’s army, forcing the sultan out of the river basin completely.
Despite Kudarat’s superior numbers, he was outmatched in artillery, only carrying a handful of bronze cannons alongside numerous but largely ineffective culverins, and Figueroa was able to withstand the sultan’s siege. On April 13th, he organized a night assault of elite, heavily armored Spanish conquistadors and indigenous skirmishers and dealt a heavy blow on Kudarat’s army, even taking control of some of the cannons. While the sultan’s army resisted and eventually repelled the Spanish, they sustained pyrrhic losses and retreated back to Kalasungay the next morning. Taking the initiative, Figueroa led an army of 6,000 out of Cagayan de Oro and caught the sultan and his army of 7,000 in front of Kalasungay. In this pitched battle, Kudarat’s arquebusiers in the center matched Figueroa’s in the center but ultimately, a Spanish cavalry charge from Figueroa’s right wing successfully outflanked the sultan’s army, forcing the sultan out of the river basin completely.
Defeated, Muhammad Kudarat nevertheless was able to quickly march south and oust Spanish reinforcements in Zamboanga, kilometers north of Lamitan. Coordinating with a VOC fleet sent from Batavia after the Dutch capture of Malacca, he retaliated against the Spanish-Tidorese besiegers in the seas, beaches, and jungles. In the Battle of the Takut Tangug Bay, the VOC-Maguindanaon fleet decisively defeated the Spanish-Tidorese fleet and by the end of May, Basilan had been wiped clean of its invaders. Kudarat now prepared for a tough, inevitable showdown with Figueroa, who had reversed nearly all of the former’s gains in northern Mindanao and now marched towards Caraga, and was in the middle of negotiating a joint military effort with VOC forces.
Events outside of Mindanao, however, would change everything. Kudarat would be unable to receive the Dutch support he needed as in the same month, Malacca fell back into Portuguese hands with the support of Antonio de Oquendo’s grand fleet from Spain and Portuguese reinforcements from Goa, forcing Batavia to once again shift focus back west. Meanwhile, a victorious Figueroa was on the cusp of retaking Caraga when in late July, he would be recalled back to Manila upon the death of Philippine governor-general de Tabora on July 22nd. Left in charge was his deputy Bartolome Diaz Barrera, a capable soldier who was nevertheless a step below Figueroa. These developments would inject uncertainty into the southern theater of the war.
Most significantly, de Oquendo’s fleet had finally arrived in Manila, and for the first time the Spanish and Portuguese could take on the full might of the Japanese navy. The admiral and his combined fleet would face off against the naval magistrate himself, Kuki Moritaka, at the Battle of Cape Bojeador.
Coming up: The Battle of Cape Bojeador + war map for year 1 of the Iberian-Japanese War
Events outside of Mindanao, however, would change everything. Kudarat would be unable to receive the Dutch support he needed as in the same month, Malacca fell back into Portuguese hands with the support of Antonio de Oquendo’s grand fleet from Spain and Portuguese reinforcements from Goa, forcing Batavia to once again shift focus back west. Meanwhile, a victorious Figueroa was on the cusp of retaking Caraga when in late July, he would be recalled back to Manila upon the death of Philippine governor-general de Tabora on July 22nd. Left in charge was his deputy Bartolome Diaz Barrera, a capable soldier who was nevertheless a step below Figueroa. These developments would inject uncertainty into the southern theater of the war.
Most significantly, de Oquendo’s fleet had finally arrived in Manila, and for the first time the Spanish and Portuguese could take on the full might of the Japanese navy. The admiral and his combined fleet would face off against the naval magistrate himself, Kuki Moritaka, at the Battle of Cape Bojeador.
Coming up: The Battle of Cape Bojeador + war map for year 1 of the Iberian-Japanese War
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