but a
century later friendly relations were restored with China. In 1543, two
Portuguese, Antonio Moto and Francesco Zeimoto, landed in Japan,
exciting great interest among a mercantile people, trading at that time,
it is said, with sixteen foreign nations. The Portuguese taught new
arts, they brought new wares, and they were welcomed eagerly; some of
them settled, and were married in Japan. The Jesuits came, too, with
Christianity, and their preaching was abundantly successful. Now, it so
happened that about the same time, when the Portuguese first arrived, a
civil war was waged between two brothers, for the dignity of Ziogoon.
Both brothers perished in this war, and then the vassal princes fought
over the fallen bone. Nobunaga, the most powerful of these, was aided
by a person of obscure birth, named Hide-yosi. Nobunaga became Ziogoon,
favored the Christians, and invested Hide-yosi with high military rank.
An usurper murdered Nobunaga, was then himself murdered, and left vacant
a seat which Hide-yosi was now strong enough to seize. He took the name
of Tayko, and is the great hero of the annals of Japan. He it was who
continued the robbery of the Mikado's power, and secured himself against
revolt by establishing a system of check over the princes, which
prevails to this day. He left a son bearing the name of Hide-yosi, six
years old, and to secure his power, married him to the daughter of
Jyeyas, a strong papa. Jyeyas played the usurper, of course, and a large
faction supported the young Hide-yosi, whom he had sworn to guard. The
boy was Christian at heart; his cause, also, was just; the Jesuits,
therefore, and the great body of the Christians warmly took his part.
Had he maintained his right successfully, Christianity would have become
the state religion in Japan. Jyeyas conquered, and the Christians,
persecuted, afterwards rebelling, they were rooted out--regarded as a
sect politically hostile. Their rebellion broke loose in the
principality of Arima; the Prince of Arima drove the insurgents, seventy
thousand in number, to the peninsula of Simabara, where they stood at
bay. Since they were not to be dislodged, the Dutch, then settled at
Firato, were desired to aid the government; accordingly they sent a
man-of-war, which fired upon the Christians and sealed their fate. To
this service the Dutch were indebted for their permission to retain one
factory. All other Christians were destroyed or expelled, and since
those da