Background: In 1549, Catholic Saint and Missionary of Basque descent, Francisco Xavier, arrived in Kagoshima with three japanese converts. He intended to form a church in the city and bring christianity to Japan as a whole. Once Hideyoshi took power, he began brutal suppression of Christians. He mass murdererd and exiled them from Japan.
Alternate History: By the year 1563, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, reigning Shogun, is near the end of his life. Since 1549, Francisco Xavier has massively expanded Catholicism in the Kagoshima area. As much as 43% of the local population identifies as Catholic, while 56% identify as Shinto (1% is either irreligious or other). Europeans take notice to the quick conversion of much of the city and begin funding efforts to make the city a bastion of Christianity in East Asia. Dutch and Portuguese traders begin pumping money into Xavier's conversion process. Churches begin popping up everywhere. However, it wasn't all good. With Francisco's death in 1552 and the local Daiymo's disapproval of conversion of his people, the Catholics expanded underground. But finally, in 1563, the local Daiymo removed restrictions on conversion after he met with two missionaries and came out of the meeting a Catholic. This angered many neighboring Daimyos, who saw this as a threat to their realms. In response, they invaded the Shimazu clan, hoping to overthrow the Daiymo Takehisa.
In 1564 during the siege of Kagoshima, Christians and Shintos use portuguese fire arms to deter the invading armies. Shimazu Takehisa announced the creation of the "Kingdom of Arima", the first Christian nation to ever exist in Asia.
This causes anger among the Daiymo, but Takehisa announces he will remain loyal to the Ashikaga Shogunate. To reassure this, he visits Kyoto to ensure his loyalty. While he is there, he is ambushed by two samurai, but he and the guards manage to fight them off and he survives the assassination attempt. With this trip, the shogun allows Arima to exist without intervention. This further angers the Daimyo of Kyushu, and they vow to end Takehisa's reign. In 1565, the Shogun dies of illness and a period of no shogun lasts from 1565-1568.
In 1568, tensions erupts into all out war after Portugal promises it will protect the small kingdom of Arima from "all attack, at home or abroad". The Battle of Ebino on September 8th, 1558, ends in an Arima victory.
The War ends in 1570 after forces from Arima and Portugal capture Kanoya.
Arima is now here to stay, and many don't dispute that.
In 1573, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, reigning shogun, dies and the Ashikaga Shogunate ends.
Oba Nobunaga becomes the sole leader of Japan after the death of Yoshiaki, and he decides to leave Arima be. He has much more pressing matters to deal with.
However things escalated in 1582 when Akechi Mitsuhide killed Nobunaga mid way through conquering Japan. However, Mitsuhide was killed 11 days after Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi took over the rest of Japan, leaving Arima for last.
In 1586, Hideyoshi invaded Arima. This time, their luck ran out. Portuguese forces aided the Arima army until the last man, but Kagoshima fell. Many missionaries went into hiding as Japanese forces began to loot missionaries. They left the churches and didn't care much about current individual christians, but missions were looted and destroyed.
In 1600, the Tokugawa shogunate was founded and Arima was granted autonomy. The local daiymo became Christian, and the Shogun allowed for missionaries to return. This allowed for Christianity to once again flourish in Arima. By 1647, Arima was at least 75% Christian.
TO BE CONTINUED. Leave your thoughts below and any suggestions for when I continue.
Alternate History: By the year 1563, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, reigning Shogun, is near the end of his life. Since 1549, Francisco Xavier has massively expanded Catholicism in the Kagoshima area. As much as 43% of the local population identifies as Catholic, while 56% identify as Shinto (1% is either irreligious or other). Europeans take notice to the quick conversion of much of the city and begin funding efforts to make the city a bastion of Christianity in East Asia. Dutch and Portuguese traders begin pumping money into Xavier's conversion process. Churches begin popping up everywhere. However, it wasn't all good. With Francisco's death in 1552 and the local Daiymo's disapproval of conversion of his people, the Catholics expanded underground. But finally, in 1563, the local Daiymo removed restrictions on conversion after he met with two missionaries and came out of the meeting a Catholic. This angered many neighboring Daimyos, who saw this as a threat to their realms. In response, they invaded the Shimazu clan, hoping to overthrow the Daiymo Takehisa.
In 1564 during the siege of Kagoshima, Christians and Shintos use portuguese fire arms to deter the invading armies. Shimazu Takehisa announced the creation of the "Kingdom of Arima", the first Christian nation to ever exist in Asia.
This causes anger among the Daiymo, but Takehisa announces he will remain loyal to the Ashikaga Shogunate. To reassure this, he visits Kyoto to ensure his loyalty. While he is there, he is ambushed by two samurai, but he and the guards manage to fight them off and he survives the assassination attempt. With this trip, the shogun allows Arima to exist without intervention. This further angers the Daimyo of Kyushu, and they vow to end Takehisa's reign. In 1565, the Shogun dies of illness and a period of no shogun lasts from 1565-1568.
In 1568, tensions erupts into all out war after Portugal promises it will protect the small kingdom of Arima from "all attack, at home or abroad". The Battle of Ebino on September 8th, 1558, ends in an Arima victory.
The War ends in 1570 after forces from Arima and Portugal capture Kanoya.
Arima is now here to stay, and many don't dispute that.
In 1573, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, reigning shogun, dies and the Ashikaga Shogunate ends.
Oba Nobunaga becomes the sole leader of Japan after the death of Yoshiaki, and he decides to leave Arima be. He has much more pressing matters to deal with.
However things escalated in 1582 when Akechi Mitsuhide killed Nobunaga mid way through conquering Japan. However, Mitsuhide was killed 11 days after Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi took over the rest of Japan, leaving Arima for last.
In 1586, Hideyoshi invaded Arima. This time, their luck ran out. Portuguese forces aided the Arima army until the last man, but Kagoshima fell. Many missionaries went into hiding as Japanese forces began to loot missionaries. They left the churches and didn't care much about current individual christians, but missions were looted and destroyed.
In 1600, the Tokugawa shogunate was founded and Arima was granted autonomy. The local daiymo became Christian, and the Shogun allowed for missionaries to return. This allowed for Christianity to once again flourish in Arima. By 1647, Arima was at least 75% Christian.
TO BE CONTINUED. Leave your thoughts below and any suggestions for when I continue.
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