Japan and Daifusama

Faranda Quiemon and his supporters incited Taicosama to send a fleet against Manila.

Taicosama was afterwards seized with a severe sickness in Miaco and died.

His only son was only 10 years old at that time.

So he assigned Yeyasudono, the greatest tono in Japon lord of Kanto in the north.

After the death of Taicosama in 1599, [126] the 5 governors kept his son carefully watched in the fortress of Osaka while they remained at Miaco at the head of the government.

Consequently the pretensions of Faranda Quiemon to make an expedition against Manila ceased altogether.

Since the affairs of Japon are never settled, but have always been in a disturbed condition, they could not last many days as Taico left them.

The new administration allowed the tonos, lords, captains to return to court.

• Previously, these were busy in the wars with Korea and China, preventing them from destabilizing local affairs.
• The men returned and became restless and corrupt.

The 4 governors feared that Yeyasudono would seize the empire for himself, and exclude Taico’s son, who had been married to his granddaughter.

Many tonos and lords wanted disorder so that each one could act for his own interest.

Taicosama was a tyrant, feared rather than loved. They persuaded the governors to oppose Yeyasudono and check his designs.

Yeyasudono had to leave Miaco and return to his lands of Kanto.

The governors put 200,000 soldiers in the field.

They were joined by most of the tonos and lords of Japon, [127] both Christian and pagan.

They fought with 100,000 men from Kanto.

Finally, a number of men had deserted the governors to that of Yeyasudono, who won in the end.

The 4 governors, surrendered to Yeyasudono.

After he had beheaded the majority of the tonos, and deprived others of their seigniories and provinces, which he granted again to men devoted to his party.

He crucified the governors immediately, and cut their ears off. Then they were carried through the streets of the principal cities of Usaca, Sacay, Fugimen, and Miaco, in carts until they died on the crosses in the midst of other tortures.

He changed his name to Daifusama for the sake of greater dignity.

Fray Geronymo de Jesus, associate of the martyrs, stayed hidden in Japon because of Taicosama’s persecution.

He revealed himself to one of Dayfu’s servants.

He told the servant of many things about:

• the Filipinas
• the king of España
• Spain’s kingdoms and seigniories, especially those of Nueva España and Peru, of which the Filipinas were a dependency and with whom they had communication
• the importance to Daifu of gaining the friendship and commerce of the Spaniards.

The servant related all these things to Daifu who wanted to have the trade and commerce, which the Portuguese had established in Nangasaqui, to be established in Kanto.

So he summoned Fray Geronymo.

Fray Geronymo told him about:

• the king of España
• Spanish territories which included Nueva España, Piru, Filipinas, and India,
• conservation of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God

Daifusama was more interested in profit and benefit from friendship and commerce than religion.

He asked only of:

• friendship with the governor of Manila
• the Spaniards’ coming yearly with ships from Manila to trade at Kanto port
• an established commerce with the Spaniards

His Japanese were to sail thence to Nueva España, where they were to enjoy the same amity and trade.

Daifu said that Japan had silver mines which were unexplored because no one knew how.

Daifu proposed that:

• the governor of Manila send him masters and workmen to build ships.
• some Spanish should establish their house and dwelling to mine silver, just as the religious of the Society of Jesus had theirs with the Portuguese in Nangasaqui.

Thereupon Daifu appeared favorable and more inclined to the affairs of Manila than Taico, his predecessor, had been.

Daifu assured the religious that:

• he would give the Spaniards a good reception in Japon, and
• the ships in distress in Japon would be equipped and despatched with all necessities
• he would not allow any Japanese to plunder or commit any injury to the Filipinas.
• the annual ships from Nangasaqui to Manila laden with flour and other goods:
  • should not be so many, but only enough to supply Manila
  • should have the permission and sanction of its governor, so that they might not be the cause of loss or injury to that place.

Daifu pressed Fray Geronymo more and more every day to fulfill this.

So the Fray told him that he had already written.

He requested Daifu to send a servant of his household with these letters and the message, in order that they might have more credit and authority.

Daifu despatched them through Captain Chiquiro, a pagan Japanese servant of his/

There was no special letter from Daifu, except that Fray Geronymo said that he wrote and petitioned in the name of Daifu.

He explained the better condition of peace and friendship now existing between the Filipinas and Japon, and what Daifu promised and assured.

He wrote that, in order to facilitate the above, Daifu had promised him that:

• the Spaniards could go with their ships to trade at Kanto
• the governor should send him masters and workmen to build ships for the voyage from Japon to Nueva España
• commerce and friendship with the viceroy of that country.

He said that:

• Daifu had already:
  • given leave for religious to go to Japon, to christianize and to found churches and monasteries
  • given him a good site for a monastery in Miaco, where he was
• the same would be done in other parts of Japon where they might wish to settle.

Fray Geronymo insidiously and cunningly added this last to Daifu’s promise to incite the religious of the Filipinas to push the matter more earnestly before the governor and Audiencia.