an international team of researchers identified the remains of William Adams – the first Englishman who set foot in Japan, and the biography which inspired James Clavell to create the famous novel “Shogun”.
according to The Telegraph, the remains of the man was the prototype of the character of the novel “Shogun” by John Blackthorne, was officially identified 400 years after his death. They were extracted from the earth in July 2017 in memorial Park William Adams in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture.
for Many years the location of the grave of William Adams was the subject of extensive debate. So, for it was built a tomb in his fief in Hemi. the modern city of Yokosuka. However, he died in Hirado. According to rumors, it was there, on top of a hill Sakihata, he was buried.
the Remains were in a small urn in which they were placed in the 1930-ies. Only five percent of them remained, hampering the identification process. However, for scientists, the DNA extracted from the bones.
DNA Analysis was conducted by researchers from the University of Tokyo. He showed that the bones belonged to a native of the North of Europe, the man who at the time of death was between 40 to 59 years. Radiocarbon Dating showed that he died in the period between 1590 and 1620.
Armed with the findings, Japanese scientists using British colleagues conducted a real historical investigation and by eliminating came to the conclusion that the remains belong to William Adams.
the fact that there were eight applicants. In 1598, the 34-year-old William Adams was hired by the predecessor of the East India company as a co-driver to participate in the expedition. A flotilla of five ships was first to arrive in South America, and then go to the far East.
It was a trade mission. The trip turned disastrous. In April 1600, the 24 survivors of a sailor, including William Adams, dropped anchor off the Japanese island of Kyushu after almost 20 months spent at sea.
Only nine of them reached the Japanese land. They were all imprisoned in Osaka castle on the orders of the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who already virtually ruled Japan. A few years later, Adams became a personal friend and translator of Ieyasu. It was the first foreign samurai of Japan.
He was forbidden to visit the country, considering him a very valuable man. Adams got there family. Ieyasu gave him two swords of a samurai. Adams received a new name – Miura Anjin. He served Ieyasu as a hatamoto – a samurai who report directly to the shogun.
Adams built him ships in the Western style and has played a crucial role in negotiating the first Treaty between Japan and Britain in 1613. Only then he was allowed to leave Japan to participateI trade missions to East Asia. Adams never returned to England. He died on 16 may 1620.
According to Japanese historical records, all foreigners, died during the aforementioned period of time, was buried in a private cemetery in the port city. Adams asked to bury him on top of a hill overlooking the ocean.
Also, historical evidence indicates that around 1613, he bought a small plot of land on top of a hill Sakihata. This data is the DNA to identify his remains.
the Amazing biography of Adams was the basis for the creation of many books, films and even computer games.
