The Samurai Who Became A Roman Citizen

Summary by Krater

This video tells the story of Hasekura Tsunenaga, a Japanese samurai who led the Keicho Embassy across the Pacific Ocean and eventually became a Roman citizen in 1615. Despite a successful symbolic reception in Rome, the embassy failed to secure trade agreements or protect Christianity in Japan as Tokugawa Hidetada instituted sweeping expulsions.

From the video

Answers: Who was the samurai that became a Roman citizen and what was the Keicho Embassy?

• Keichō Embassy
• Hasekura Tsunenaga
• Japanese diplomacy with Spain
• Christianity in Japan
• Tokugawa Ieyasu
• Tokugawa Hidetada
• Sebastian Vizcaíno
• Philip III of Spain
• Pope Paul V
• Roman citizenship of Hasekura Tsunenaga

What it concludes

• The Keicho Embassy's first goal of getting Philip III to authorize trade between Japan and New Spain was achieved before they even left Japan.
• Hasekura Tsunenaga was made an official citizen of the eternal city in Rome in 1615.
• The Pope deferred to the Spanish Crown and did not make official determinations on the embassy's requests.
• Shortly after the embassy crossed the Pacific, Ieyasu issued an expulsion edict ordering all Christian missionaries to leave Japan.
• A small group of Japanese from the mission stayed on in Seville, and their descendants live there to this day with the surname Hapon.