It’s good and interesting to see the Japanese make relations with other powers such as the Mughals and Ottomans.
I'll definitely try to get my hands on it, thanks for the recommendation.I think you can check the book
The Idea of Ancient India Essays on Religion, Politics, and Archaeology by Upinder singh particularly last two essays aka gifts from other lands and Politics, piety and patronage. Also for assimilation of Buddha in Indian fremework check Buddhist visnu by John Holt.
That is strange, considering Japan society itself is still stratifiedThe embassy’s land journey to Delhi was filled with exotic sights and displays of the empire’s wealth and prosperity, although in his journal Yasubee would express his dislike for the subcontinent’s caste system
Possibly not as much ITTL as it was OTL. It used IRL to be possible for peasants to become samurai via merit - ji-samurai was the term used IIRC. It was the Tokugawa I think who ended that and set the class lines in stone. ITTL, without that, things are likely more fluid.That is strange, considering Japan society itself is still stratified
The dynamics of the Mughal Empire’s social structure fell in between that of a feudal system and a centralized system. It can be broken down in to four distinct groups that, just like most cultures, seemed to depend on wealth as the deciding factor of social class. Members of the Mughal population could move to a higher social class; however, this was extremely difficult, especially for those at the lowest echelons of society.Possibly not as much ITTL as it was OTL. It used IRL to be possible for peasants to become samurai via merit - ji-samurai was the term used IIRC. It was the Tokugawa I think who ended that and set the class lines in stone. ITTL, without that, things are likely more fluid.
Though they’d still have the eta as ‘untouchables’ of course…
And there was also the added complication of the caste system.snip
It had been Toyotomi Hideyoshi who first promulgated it.Possibly not as much ITTL as it was OTL. It used IRL to be possible for peasants to become samurai via merit - ji-samurai was the term used IIRC. It was the Tokugawa I think who ended that and set the class lines in stone. ITTL, without that, things are likely more fluid.
Though they’d still have the eta as ‘untouchables’ of course…
It is indeed to an extent but ITTL the “four classes” structure doesn’t really get entrenched due to the rising mercantile power of merchants and craftsmen and the lessened influence of Confucianism. The countryside, however, is still more stratified. Also Yasubee is a globe-trotting merchant from Sakai, the most cosmopolitan city in Japan, so someone like him would express distaste. If it was someone like a noble or even samurai, not so much.That is strange, considering Japan society itself is still stratified
Correct.Possibly not as much ITTL as it was OTL. It used IRL to be possible for peasants to become samurai via merit - ji-samurai was the term used IIRC. It was the Tokugawa I think who ended that and set the class lines in stone. ITTL, without that, things are likely more fluid.
Though they’d still have the eta as ‘untouchables’ of course…
Yeah Nobunaga doesn’t ITTL due to his meritocratic tendencies like promoting farmers and non-Japanese.It had been Toyotomi Hideyoshi who first promulgated it.
This is definitely the same as OTL.Japanese also have untouchable aka https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin
That's a definite possibility. A lot of it is gonna depend on the reaction of the Mughals. Also, the syncretic Catholic-Buddhist faith will also be in the mix pretty soon.@Ambassador Huntsman I think Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism which originally patronized the lower castes and Burakumin in japan have best chance to convert dalits in india. In 1922, when the National Levelers' Association (Zenkoku-suiheisha) was initiated in Kyoto, Mankichi Saiko, a founder of the society and Jodo Shinshu priest, said, critiquing aggressive postures on the denouncement of acts of discrimination: "We shouldn't disgrace our ancestors and violate humanity by our harsh words and terrible actions. We, who know how cold the human world is, and how to take care of humanity, can seek and rejoice from the bottom of our hearts in the warmth and light of human life." Other buddhist sects are not so pragmatic and support untouchablility of butchers, gravedigger, tanners etc.
Have you read about Christian Ashram movement? Also mughals more or less hands on approach regarding religion. Dara particularly very interested in vedanta and universalist approach and religious Synthesis. Other than Aurangzeb there no one among Mughals were much interested in imposing orthodoxy upon religious fremework and even he followed pragmatism for his benefits while forsaking orthodox approach. For example when he tried to conquer golconda he informed his kazi to write a fatwa against them. Kazi refused as they are fellow muslims thus it will be unprovoked attack against them and against laws of Islam. Aurangzeb told him to write it anyway because they are heretic so it does goes against islam. He allows followed letter of law rather than spirit and even bend the law according to his needs.That's a definite possibility. A lot of it is gonna depend on the reaction of the Mughals. Also, the syncretic Catholic-Buddhist faith will also be in the mix pretty soon.
Just looked it up, definitely very interesting. The future syncretic faith will be in some ways similar in concept in a different cultural context. However, it will be much more of a distinct faith rather than just an adaptation of one religion in a different cultural context.Have you read about Christian Ashram movement? Also mughals more or less hands on approach regarding religion. Dara particularly very interested in vedanta and universalist approach and religious Synthesis. Other than Aurangzeb there no one among Mughals were much interested in imposing orthodoxy upon religious fremework and even he followed pragmatism for his benefits while forsaking orthodox approach. For example when he tried to conquer golconda he informed his kazi to write a fatwa against them. Kazi refused as they are fellow muslims thus it will be unprovoked attack against them and against laws of Islam. Aurangzeb told him to write it anyway because they are heretic so it does goes against islam. He allows followed letter of law rather than spirit and even bend the law according to his needs.
I hope that would happen, maybe the Mughals wouldn't get the bad idea to conquer the whole of India nowWell since Japan has expanded it's trade to the Mughals, I could see Dara Shikoh or one of Shah Jahan’s sons, that isn't Aurangzeb, becoming the next shah as to not discourage the Japanese from trading with them but who knows.
Hopefully since it'll keep the East India Company from destabilizing them.I hope that would happen, maybe the Mughals wouldn't get the bad idea to conquer the whole of India now
When did the EIC destabilise the Mughals?Hopefully since it'll keep the East India Company from destabilizing them.
Honestly the impetus was the succession crisis after the death of Bahadur Shah I.I'm pretty sure it was less EIC but moreso the Marathas and Nader Shah that caused the Mughals to terminally decline.