Nobunaga’s Ambition Realized: Dawn of a New Rising Sun
- Thread starter Ambassador Huntsman
- Start date
Tbf Japan has to have some allies in the space to be able to expand too tho, and I think they should probably ally with other powers like the Dutch and the English when they get there too.
I do think Japan has a good chance of siezing the spice trade too.
Chapter 25: Autonomy and Growth in the Subtropics
Chapter 25: Autonomy and Growth in the Subtropics
Amidst Saito Yoshioki’s tyranny, less oversight and care was given to the more peripheral regions of the realm, including Bireitou. For the newest extension of Japan, though, this proved to be beneficial as it was able to avoid having its affairs constricted by the anti-expansionist, trade skeptic tendencies of the new Azuchi government. Ironically, Azuchi’s few demands would result in long-lasting gains for the island territory.
The turn of the 17th century would see the beginning of expansion into the northwestern and central coastal plains of Bireitou as well as the formation of a stable, permanent presence on the island. Throughout the 1590s, scores of unemployed samurai, or ronin (浪人), merchants, and ex-wokou pirates emigrated to Iriebashi and surrounding areas, resulting in a predominantly male population that was militarized but lacked in agricultural expertise. Many of these former warriors/mercenaries transitioned into lifestyles of farming and fishing through pressure and pure necessity while Iriebashi began booming as a trading hub, but Bireitou remained overly dependent on imports of rice from Oda lands and the goodwill of aboriginal tribal leaders whom they bartered for goods and produce with.
Upon his arrival in Iriebashi in 1604 after Oda Nobutaka’s death in 1604, Oda Tadataka focused on creating settlements in the interior and subjugating the aboriginal tribes through military and diplomatic means in order to address these issues. He hoped to not only encourage the development of self-sustaining agricultural colonies in the interior that were capable of holding down the inland plains and project Japanese influence but also exact sufficient tribute, resources, and even auxiliary levies from the native tribes.
The turn of the 17th century would see the beginning of expansion into the northwestern and central coastal plains of Bireitou as well as the formation of a stable, permanent presence on the island. Throughout the 1590s, scores of unemployed samurai, or ronin (浪人), merchants, and ex-wokou pirates emigrated to Iriebashi and surrounding areas, resulting in a predominantly male population that was militarized but lacked in agricultural expertise. Many of these former warriors/mercenaries transitioned into lifestyles of farming and fishing through pressure and pure necessity while Iriebashi began booming as a trading hub, but Bireitou remained overly dependent on imports of rice from Oda lands and the goodwill of aboriginal tribal leaders whom they bartered for goods and produce with.
Upon his arrival in Iriebashi in 1604 after Oda Nobutaka’s death in 1604, Oda Tadataka focused on creating settlements in the interior and subjugating the aboriginal tribes through military and diplomatic means in order to address these issues. He hoped to not only encourage the development of self-sustaining agricultural colonies in the interior that were capable of holding down the inland plains and project Japanese influence but also exact sufficient tribute, resources, and even auxiliary levies from the native tribes.
Portrait of Oda Tadataka
With only a gradual flow of people from the main islands, the latter progressed more initially. Tadataka gained legitimacy and trust of many minor tribes in northern Bireitou through a marriage alliance with the prosperous native kingdom of Tatuturo further to the south arranged in 1605, and the governor would use this to encourage Bireitoan samurai to marry aboriginal women and settle down. Many would do so, directly linking the new Japanese inhabitants with the natives. Despite such peaceful overtures, armed disputes between the natives and Japanese that had intermittently occurred did not cease. If anything, the further Japan expanded into the island, the bigger these broke out into small-scale conflicts.
Although Bireitou possessed a well-trained core of samurai to deal with such conflicts, the numbers and terrain unfamiliarity often put the Japanese at a disadvantage. The lack of a peasant base to levy spear-wielding ashigaru and arquebusiers forced a change in the equipment and fighting style of Bireitou samurai forces. Over several years, cavalry contingents largely disappeared as they were useless in the jungles and forests samurai traversed through and arquebus usage and proficiency dramatically increased, with an infantry-friendly variant of the bajouzutsu becoming widespread in particular. One-on-one skill with the sword also became highly prized compared to the main islands, and even the bow made a comeback as a reliable and respected ranged weapon under humid and rainy conditions. Aguro Yasuke, the main military magistrate on the island, even owned an antique Genoese crossbow he had received from a Spanish merchant. These adaptations would transform the samurai in Bireitou into an elite core of fighters that would come to firmly make their prowess in history.
Meanwhile, the 1607 rekindling of direct Sino-Japanese trade relations saw a sharp increase in trade interactions between Bireitou and Ming China, and soon the Bireitou provincial government would see itself incentivizing masses from the mainland to emigrate to the island and found agricultural settlements under the jurisdiction of Iriebashi. The surge in immigrants from mainland China and the clearing of land to establish rice paddies and farming villages gave the Japanese the agricultural underclass they had been looking for, and with time rice production dramatically increased, increasing the self-sufficiency of the island. However, while Bireitou offered economic opportunities for destitute peasants and commoners in China, the immigrants would largely be relegated to the bottom of the new social hierarchy on the island, below merchants, the Japanese, and even many tribal allies and subjects.
Although Bireitou possessed a well-trained core of samurai to deal with such conflicts, the numbers and terrain unfamiliarity often put the Japanese at a disadvantage. The lack of a peasant base to levy spear-wielding ashigaru and arquebusiers forced a change in the equipment and fighting style of Bireitou samurai forces. Over several years, cavalry contingents largely disappeared as they were useless in the jungles and forests samurai traversed through and arquebus usage and proficiency dramatically increased, with an infantry-friendly variant of the bajouzutsu becoming widespread in particular. One-on-one skill with the sword also became highly prized compared to the main islands, and even the bow made a comeback as a reliable and respected ranged weapon under humid and rainy conditions. Aguro Yasuke, the main military magistrate on the island, even owned an antique Genoese crossbow he had received from a Spanish merchant. These adaptations would transform the samurai in Bireitou into an elite core of fighters that would come to firmly make their prowess in history.
Meanwhile, the 1607 rekindling of direct Sino-Japanese trade relations saw a sharp increase in trade interactions between Bireitou and Ming China, and soon the Bireitou provincial government would see itself incentivizing masses from the mainland to emigrate to the island and found agricultural settlements under the jurisdiction of Iriebashi. The surge in immigrants from mainland China and the clearing of land to establish rice paddies and farming villages gave the Japanese the agricultural underclass they had been looking for, and with time rice production dramatically increased, increasing the self-sufficiency of the island. However, while Bireitou offered economic opportunities for destitute peasants and commoners in China, the immigrants would largely be relegated to the bottom of the new social hierarchy on the island, below merchants, the Japanese, and even many tribal allies and subjects.
17th century drawing of a majority-Fujianese village in Bireitou by an Englishman
Meanwhile, back in Azuchi, annual ceremonial tributes from the island had begun under Nobutada in order for the central government to maintain proper oversight, lay down orders and regulations, and appoint or remove top officials. However, starting in 1609, the yoriaishu demanded greater returns from the island in the form of imports of Bireitoan goods and resource, as the more conservative-minded bureaucrats wanted Bireitou less as a trade expansion opportunity and more of a resource extraction territory and disliked the fact that rice imports, albeit at decreasing rates, went to the island with no return. Ikeda Terumasa, by now Tadataka’s senior councilor, decided on a new exotic export: natively-grown mangos. With permission from Tadataka, he mandated the growing of mango trees and set strict quotas in every inland settlement, and this led to an unexpectedly profitable enterprise, expanding even beyond the realm with Bireitoan mangos overtime appearing in every corner of the Japanese trade network. They would even become a common dessert on the island.
Modern day mango orchard in Bireitou
With that exception, the 1610s saw Bireitou attaining more autonomy from Azuchi as the latter became increasingly enamored with the machinations and tyranny of Saito Yoshioki. Mamezaki, the Shimazu holding in Bireitou, also grew in prestige and prosperity, albeit not as much as the Oda-Azuchi holdings. It also saw the passings of Bireitou’s other two grand founders, senior councilor Ikeda Terumasa and military magistrate Aguro Yasuke in 1613. Their successors would continue their lineages as among the highest ranking samurai families on an island with an ever-brighter outlook buoyed by increasing immigration and expansion.
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Great update, would Bireitou see increased amounts of settlers in the form of people escaping from Yoshioki’s tyranny?
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Wonder if the Chinese settlers in Bireitou will assimilate into Japanese culture or if they'll remain separate.
Why am I reminded of this?
In all seriousness, I’m wondering how far Japanese ships can go? Maybe we can get Japanese merchants sailing straight to Europe in a century.
I do wonder how much of the new agriculture in the island will be composed of rice terraces. It may not be as dramatic as the OTL ones in Ifugao provinces - but there must still be enough people fleeing from the productive lowlands and onto the highlands and even the territories controlled by dissident aboriginals.
EDIT: Considering that Bireitou is much more rich in iron than the Japanese home islands ever was - isn't it high time for them to adopt the Western Sabre and Longswords?
EDIT: Considering that Bireitou is much more rich in iron than the Japanese home islands ever was - isn't it high time for them to adopt the Western Sabre and Longswords?
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I'm wondering which ethnic Chinese is immigrating to Bireitou since IOTL the Hans been forcing other ethnic groups to be Hans, so... yeah. Also I hope they start focusing on science research so they start advancing in their military, economics, agriculture, aquaculture, hygiene, and the like.
Not really, Yoshioki's tyranny isn't negatively affecting the realm's economy and hasn't conducting huge purges really.
Most likely eventually, but it'll take a while for the Iriebashi authorities to fully control all majority-Chinese agricultural settlements, let alone the entire island. As of now, Japan has no control over the southern half of the island or in the northern highlands, and in addition to Japanese authorities setting up farming villages for Chinese immigrants to settle, other Chinese immigrants are settling along the southwestern coast. Also, the Japanese are heavily outnumbered on Bireitou and also have to deal with Ming China diplomatically so it's a really complicated situation.
I might be wrong but sabres are still restricted to Eastern Europe at this time. Also at least on Bireitou, the katana is a lot better in fighting in heavily forested areas and jungles.
Speaking of jungle fighting - the bolo and kukri knives are much more purpose-built than Katana ever was.
Given the importance of the katana sword to samurai, it's gonna take a lot for them to be abandon katanas but I could see similar knives becoming a supplement in certain instances in combat.
It can be retained for ceremonies and officers at the magistrate level - but those knives are just too damn convenient to skip, especially for the aforementioned rangers. Why bother to carry katana into combat when you already have your hands full with arquebus and pistols? Well, at least it'll be so decades after adjusting themselves more to the island by familiarising themselves with those blade designs coming from South East Asia.
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Probably same as otl which is the Hokkien ppl who live in the south/the mainland right next to Taiwan.
Hmm it'd be interesting to see Beiritou Japanese have some Hokkien words and Taiwanese Hokkien to use some Japanese words and write in a Japanese script.
On the weapons side of things I definitely see the Japanese using tanto and wakazashi first due to the close quarters combat, and I can see them switching to use atayal weapons, but blade length wouldn't change that much depending on who they fight since some longer Taiwanese aboriginal blades are close to sword length. On tools for survival in the forest nata and other utility knives would be used. Bolo originate in the Philippines and kukri originate in India so the Japanese wouldn't have gotten them yet. I could see the Japanese adopting western guards or making the length of the handle shorter into a bastard sword like handle where one can hold the sword in one hand comfortablely but be able to switch to a two handed style when needed.
Interestingly, this actually brought the situation back to the Kamakura period - when the Shogun, like the Emperor, could be the puppet of an influential courtier.
And in turn - that supposed puppeteer - the Shikken/Hōjō Tokusō - was led by the nose in turn by their Naikanrei (inner clan administrator).
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A European researcher is trying to understand Japanese politics - "So you have a monarch who is a figurehead for the first minister who is de facto a monarch, but who is a puppet of a minister who in turn is subordinate to other administrators. Wise Aristotle - help!"
The ghost of Aristotle looks up and says, "I'm too dead for this shit."
Chapter 26: The Heir in Gifu Strikes Back
Chapter 26: The Heir in Gifu Strikes Back
Azuchi under Saito Yoshioki’s tyranny had looser control and influence not just in Bireitou but also in the Kanto region where Kamakura Tandai Oda Nobumasa overcame factional squabbles in the wake of the deaths of Hojo Ujinao and Takigawa Kazutada in 1610 and 1615 and centralized regional power in Kamakura, in southern Kyushu where the politically exiled Shimazu Nagahisa independently strengthened ties with the rising Dutch and English, and in Ezo where Kakizaki Yoshihiro’s grandson and successor Kinhiro (柿崎公広) continued to exert his clan’s prestige throughout the north. It is all the more surprising, therefore, that the person who would end his tenure as inspector-general came not among the ambitious from afar but from Gifu, regionally where theoretically Yoshioki was strongest in given his clan's origins in Mino province.
Oda Nobutomo, born in 1601, was raised in a very different environment than his father had been. Whereas Nobunori was born in a Gifu prosperous but preceding Nobunaga's policies of rapid trade expansion and political unity in the constant presence of his father and his retinue until the age of 21, Nobutomo became a castle lord at the age of 8 and experienced a Gifu flush with the riches and knowledge of the entire Japanese realm, Europe, Ming China, and other parts of east and southeast Asia, only less cosmopolitan than Azuchi or Sakai. His guardian was his great-great-uncle and retired lord of western Izumo province, Oda Nagamasu, with Inaba Michishige (稲葉通重) serving as his senior councilor. The yoriaishu certainly focused on controlling Gifu almost as much as regulating governmental affairs in Azuchi, but while Nagamasu paid sufficient lip service to the trio he privately disliked the way they controlled Nobunori and established a much looser environment in Gifu for the young lord.
Oda Nobutomo, born in 1601, was raised in a very different environment than his father had been. Whereas Nobunori was born in a Gifu prosperous but preceding Nobunaga's policies of rapid trade expansion and political unity in the constant presence of his father and his retinue until the age of 21, Nobutomo became a castle lord at the age of 8 and experienced a Gifu flush with the riches and knowledge of the entire Japanese realm, Europe, Ming China, and other parts of east and southeast Asia, only less cosmopolitan than Azuchi or Sakai. His guardian was his great-great-uncle and retired lord of western Izumo province, Oda Nagamasu, with Inaba Michishige (稲葉通重) serving as his senior councilor. The yoriaishu certainly focused on controlling Gifu almost as much as regulating governmental affairs in Azuchi, but while Nagamasu paid sufficient lip service to the trio he privately disliked the way they controlled Nobunori and established a much looser environment in Gifu for the young lord.
Family tree of the main line of the Oda clan [1]
Therefore, in addition to being tutored on Confucian, Japanese, and other Chinese classics, practiced rulership at Gifu castle, and trained martially any young samurai was, Nobutomo also freely rode the plains of Gifu and Owari provinces in his spare time with few attendants and gained his own individual understanding and perspective on the lives of everyday farmers and commoners. He also had regular exchanges with merchants operating in Gifu and under the tutelage of Nagamasu even became a beginning practitioner of tea ceremonies.
As he became older, especially after the death of Nobukane, Nobutomo developed a personal hatred towards Yoshioki and how the latter controlled his father and the government in general. The breaking point occurred in 1618 when Yoshioki appointed his cousin Inoue Yoritsugu (井上頼次) as the new Gifu magistrate and complete the precedent of consulting with the senior Oda member in Mino province, in order to better control Nobutomo and dole out political patronage in the Saito clan’s home province. Nobutomo, with the support of the Inaba clan under its new head and his close aide, Inaba Michishige's son Michikatsu (稲葉通勝), began scheming a proper response.
In September 1619, Nobutomo with his entourage including Michikatsu traveled to Azuchi Castle to pay respects to his father. He used his status as the Oda clan heir to gain a private audience with his father without Yoshioki where he persuaded the weak-willed Nobunori to take back power and had him stamp his approval of Nobutomo’s following actions against Yoshioki. Once this was done, Nobutomo carried out his plan: on the night of September 25th, his men and the Inaba clan overtook Saito Yoshioki’s residence and eventually fought their way into the inspector general’s bedroom. Mizuno Tadakiyo (水野忠清), whose clan had also become close with Nobutomo, was stationed in the vicinity of Saito Motonobu’s residence and took into custody a messenger of Yoshioki. In what would become known as Nobutomo’s Coup (信朝の政変), the Oda heir laid out charges of political treachery and corruption with Nobunori’s stamp of approval before the inspector general along with a sentence of death, and forced Yoshioki to commit seppuku in his bedroom before much of his family, with the written charges forced into his mouth. His 17 year old son Norioki (斎藤則興) took the tonsure, as did the rest of Yoshioki’s immediate family.
As he became older, especially after the death of Nobukane, Nobutomo developed a personal hatred towards Yoshioki and how the latter controlled his father and the government in general. The breaking point occurred in 1618 when Yoshioki appointed his cousin Inoue Yoritsugu (井上頼次) as the new Gifu magistrate and complete the precedent of consulting with the senior Oda member in Mino province, in order to better control Nobutomo and dole out political patronage in the Saito clan’s home province. Nobutomo, with the support of the Inaba clan under its new head and his close aide, Inaba Michishige's son Michikatsu (稲葉通勝), began scheming a proper response.
In September 1619, Nobutomo with his entourage including Michikatsu traveled to Azuchi Castle to pay respects to his father. He used his status as the Oda clan heir to gain a private audience with his father without Yoshioki where he persuaded the weak-willed Nobunori to take back power and had him stamp his approval of Nobutomo’s following actions against Yoshioki. Once this was done, Nobutomo carried out his plan: on the night of September 25th, his men and the Inaba clan overtook Saito Yoshioki’s residence and eventually fought their way into the inspector general’s bedroom. Mizuno Tadakiyo (水野忠清), whose clan had also become close with Nobutomo, was stationed in the vicinity of Saito Motonobu’s residence and took into custody a messenger of Yoshioki. In what would become known as Nobutomo’s Coup (信朝の政変), the Oda heir laid out charges of political treachery and corruption with Nobunori’s stamp of approval before the inspector general along with a sentence of death, and forced Yoshioki to commit seppuku in his bedroom before much of his family, with the written charges forced into his mouth. His 17 year old son Norioki (斎藤則興) took the tonsure, as did the rest of Yoshioki’s immediate family.
Ukiyo-e of Yoshioki’s seppuku, with his written death sentence in his mouth as according to legend
Political upheaval briefly followed, with Nobunori and the Sangi-shu retaking control of the government and dismissing many officials appointed by Yoshioki. Yoritsugu was replaced as Gifu magistrate with Tsumaki Yoritada (妻木頼忠) while Mori Naritoshi was brought back from political exile. Sakuma Morimasa was forced to retire from the Sangi-shu and as head of his clan for being a big ally and beneficiary of Yoshioki's regime, while Saito Motonobu’s southern Shinano fief was confiscated and the Saito clan in general was dissolved. Motonobu’s old lands would be divided between Inaba Michikatsu and Mizuno Katsunari (水野勝成), Tadakiyo’s older brother, while Hori Chikayoshi (堀親良), son of the late Nagasaki magistrate Hidemasa. Nobutomo himself would become a member of the Sangi-shu, and a new and proper governance by Oda Nobunori of the realm would commence.
Portrait of Oda Nobunori
[1]: Youngest generation individual portraits to be revealed later
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