In 1494 and 1529, Catholic Spain and Portugal signed treaties that divided territory in the New World between them. Fearing that Catholic Spain would invade Protestant England, the English joined forces with the Dutch (fellow Protestants) in their war against the Spanish Empire and the two countries sent a fleet of five ships to break Spain and Portugal’s Catholic monopoly on trade in Asia.
“Shogun” begins with the arrival of the Erasmus, the last remaining ship in the fleet, in feudal Japan in the year 1600. The few surviving crewmembers of the Erasmus, including British navigator John Blackthorne, were the first Dutch and English sailors to reach Japan. Although none of the crew spoke Japanese, Blackthorne (who later becomes known as Anjin) could speak Portuguese and Latin.
As a young man, warlord Yoshii Toranaga seemed unstoppable until he met Nakamura, the soon-to-be Taikō. Unable to best him, Toranaga joined forces with Nakamura, helping him to unite Japan and end decades of civil war. When the Taiko was on his deathbed, he appointed Toranaga to the Council of Regents, a group that would rule until his son came of age. Toranaga served loyally on the Council, but the other members slowly united against him, seeing his name and power as a threat. The Erasmus arrived in Japanese waters just as Toranaga was forced into a deadly corner, and the secrets carried by its crew offered Toranaga an unexpected opportunity to turn the tables.
After a great tragedy, Mariko, the highborn wife of one of Toranaga’s prized vassals, converted to Catholicism and became a proficient speaker of Portuguese and Latin. Toranaga ordered Mariko to translate for Blackthorne, and a bond formed between the two. Their fates intertwined as they navigated a treacherous political landscape while caught in a power struggle between two of the most powerful daimyos.
(Source: fxnetworks.com; edited by AH at MyDramaList)
~~ Adapted from the novel "Shogun" by James Clavell.
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *