In the Service of the Shogun: The Real Story of William Adams

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In 1600, English helmsman William Adams washed ashore in Japan, and was interrogated by Tokugawa Ieyasu, Japan's most powerful warlord and soon-to-be shogun. Far from executing Adams as a pirate, Ieyasu made him one of his most trusted advisers. This biography traces Adams's rise from humble pilot to a position of immense influence in Japan's foreign relations. It unravels the subsequent diplomatic manoeuvres of the Western powers in the shogun's empire, and Adams's eventual downfall. This is the first full biography of Adams based on original Dutch, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese sources, and includes much previously unknown information. Frederik Cryns tells the authentic story of Adams's chequered life in its historical context, taking us on a compelling journey into Adams's complex inner feelings and cosmopolitan heart.

Reviews

In the Service of the Shogun . . . is an exhaustively researched work based on a wide collection of primary sources, including letters written by Adams, as well as official journals, diaries and documents among them Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese. Students of Japanese history and culture owe Mr. Cryns a debt of gratitude for this impressive achievement. -- Robert Whiting * Wall Street Journal *
By drawing heavily on Dutch sources not widely available to other historians, In the Service of the Shogun bridges an important gap between the popular imagination and historical fact . . . Resisting the ever-tempting pull toward Western stereotypes, Cryns affords us a more accurate understanding of how a shipwrecked Englishman came to play such a unique role in shaping Japans engagement with the Western world . . . In the Service of the Shogun not only enriches our historical understanding, but also serves as a reminder of the importance of looking beyond myth, and uncovering the more compelling, if more complicated, corners of history. * NIKKEI Asia *
William Adams, the Englishman who loosely inspired James Clavells bestselling novel Shogun, comes alive in the revelatory In the Service of the Shogun . . . Carefully researched and replete with thoughtful insights, In the Service of the Shogun is a concise and enjoyable exploration of the first known Englishman to visit and fall in love with Japan. Fans of the novel Shogun and the television series would do well to pick this one up. * Washington Independent Review of Books *
In the Service of the Shogun, a biography by Frederik Cryns subtitled as The Real Story of William Adams. Most readers know Adams as the inspiration for James Clavells novel Shogun. Adamss experiences are such that one wonders why Clavell even bothered fictionalizing them: Five ships set off from Holland in 1598, but after 19 months at sea, only one ship remained and only nine men survived to set foot on Japanese soil. Arrested as pirates and sentenced to death, Adams somehow rose to be a trusted advisor of military leader Tokugawa Ieyasu. * Japan Times *
Writing in a clear, straightforward style, Cryns tells a fascinating story. Watching Shgun and reading In the Service of the Shogun proves that truth can follow storylines every bit as surprising as fiction. -- Tom Baker * The Japan News *
a very readable account with welcome additional, relevant, newly published information. In this reviewer's estimation, this book is a refreshing addition to the hallowed halls of biographical accounts of the truly remarkable William Adams, his life and many adventures and misadventures and later misfortunes. * The Japan Society *
William Adams, the real-life figure who inspired James Clavells novel Shgun, was a fascinating man, and Frederik Crynss new book explores his life in vivid terms, using untapped sources in English, Dutch, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese. This book is destined to become a classic, combining vivid prose with exemplary research, but its not just for people interested in imperial Japan. Anyone who wishes to understand the birth of our interconnected, global world will find much to enjoy and ponder. * Tonio Andrade, Professor of Chinese and Global History, Emory University *
William Adams, an English seafarer, found himself in Japan amidst monumental shifts. Frederik Cryns masterfully brings Adams's narrative to life, drawing from an unparalleled depth of primary sources and meticulous research. His laudable book sheds light not only on the life of this extraordinary individual but on its wider historical context. Through Adamss remarkable experience, the reader uncovers the dawning global age and Japan's transformative journey into modernity, making this book an indispensable read for enthusiasts of history and cultural exchange. * Rotem Kowner, University of Haifa, author of From White to Yellow: The Japanese in European Racial Thought, 13001735 *

Frederik Cryns is a master of detail. What separates this well-researched history from so much else is his unyielding pursuit of a truth far beneath the surface of mere facts. Reading Crynss work is as close as we might ever come not just to living in feudal Japan, but to feeling the human heartbeat at its centre.

* Justin Marks, co-creator and executive producer of FXs Shgun *
Frederik Cryns's treatment of William Adams's life in In the Service of the Shogun is the most thorough and focused that I have had the opportunity to read. It delves into not only the sources, but uses them to create a sensitive and thoughtful interpretation of the wider world in which Adams lived. The pace and density of content are just right, drawing both veteran and novice visitors to Adams's life and times in with ease and pleasure. Unlike many other works on Adams, it eschews speculation and hyperbole, particularly of a nationalist bent, and focuses on "The Real Story". A heartily recommended read. * Thomas Lockley, Associate Professor at Nihon University, and author of A Gentleman from Japan: The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeths Court *

Author Bio

Frederik Cryns is Professor of Japanese History at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan. He is the author of several bestselling books in Japanese on the early interaction of the Western world with Japan. In addition to his academic work, Frederik appears regularly on Japanese television history programmes and supervised the historical aspects of the television series Shgun (2024).