Shogun: The Life and Times of Tokugawa Ieyasu: Japan's Greatest Ruler

(Paperback)

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Uncover the true story of the man who unified medieval Japan.

For 700 years, Japan was ruled by military commanders with absolute authority, while the emperor remained a figurehead. This book tells the fascinating story of Tokugawa Ieyasu the greatest of all Japanese Shoguns, who unified and pacified Japan in the early 1600s. He established a new central government at Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and his descendants went on to rule the nation for the next 260 years, during which Japanese society as we know it today was created.

The dramatic episodes of Ieyasu's life include:

• His crushing victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. It was the largest battle ever fought in Japan and facilitated his rise to absolute power over the nation
• His creation of a new government centering on the magnificent castle at Edo (present-day Tokyo), with a system of control that allowed his descendants to rule Japan peacefully for 15 generations
• His attempts to control the spread of Christianity in Japan, ultimately banning the religion and massacring tens of thousands of ardent believers

During his rule, Ieyasu subdued Japan's warring clans and unified the nation, successfully founding a dynasty that would rule Japan peacefully after centuries of near-constant warfare. The Tokugawa Shogunate, as it came to be known, was medieval Japan's greatest dynasty and ushered in the longest period of prosperity in the nation's history.

This new edition of Shogun features 32 pages of colour images highlighting the drama and pageantry of Ieyasu's life as well as a new foreword by leading Japanese historian Alexander Bennett. The story of the Tokugawa founder is also the story of the foundation of a conflict-ridden country that during peacetime would develop a glittering culture that is now the envy of the world.

Author Bio

A. L. Sadler was Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Sydney from 1922 to 1948. Among his published works are: The Japanese Tea Ceremony: Cha-no-yu, and translations from Japanese literature, including The Ten Foot Square Hut and Tales of the Heike.

Stephen Turnbull is the author of over 75 books of military history on Europe and the Far East, including The Samurai Swordsman: Master of War. He was the historical advisor for the motion picture 47 Ronin and is currently visiting professor of Japanese studies at Akita International University in Japan.

Alexander Bennett is a professor of Japanese history and Budo theory at Kansai University. He co-founded and continues to publish Kendo World, the first English-language journal dedicated to Kendo. He holds black belts in several martial disciplines including Kendo Kyoshi 7-dan, Iaido 5-dan, and Naginata 5-dan. His published works include The Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works, and Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai.