{"product_id":"acta-consistorii-publice-exhibiti-s-d-n-gregorio-papa-xiii-itwhc9wu","title":"Acta consistorii publice exhibiti a S.D.N. Gregorio Papa XIII. regum Iaponiorum legatis Romae die XXIII. Martii, M.D. LXXXV.","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe very rare Milan edition of the official account of Pope Gregory XIII’s (1502-1585) reception of the first Japanese embassy to Europe, the so-called \u003cem\u003eTensho\u003c\/em\u003e Embassy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe delegation was comprised four young envoys: Mansho Ito (c.1569-1612) and Miguel Chijiwa (1569-1632) were the ‘ambassadors’ representing three daimyo (Otomo Sorin, Omura Sumitada, and Arima Harunobu); accompanied by two nobles Julian Nakaura (ca. 1568-1633) and Martino Hara (ca. 1569–-1629). All were 14 years old when they left Japan. The legation also included two Japanese Jesuit brothers, Costantino Dourado (1567?-1620) who spoke fluent Portuguese (possibly because his father was Portuguese), and Jorge de Loyola (1562-1589). Both acted as translators and servants to the other four, and they had been specifically selected to learn printing techniques on a press which they in fact brought to Japan on their return journey in 1590.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe embassy had the four-fold aim of obtaining exclusive rights for the Jesuits to expand the mission in Japan, to raise the profile of the mission in general and obtain funds, and furthermore to make Europe known to the Japanese and to impress them with the fruits of western civilisation. Not only was it the first time that Japanese culture became visible in Europe, it demonstrated to both Monarchs and the Catholic hierarchy that the Jesuits were essential conduits for influence and power. Meanwhile, the Pope was able to claim that his reach had expanded into the furthest ccorner of the Far East. On a popular level the Japanese visits to Portugal, Spain and Italy created enormous interest and the streets were crowded with people trying to catch a glimpse of them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book includes the text of the three letters of the Japanese daimyo mentioned above (from Bungo, Arima, \u0026amp; Omura) which were presented by the envoys at the public audience with the Pope on March 23, 1585. This is followed by a long speech by the Portuguese Gaspar Gonzalvez (c. 1540-1590) praising the faith of the three daimyo who had risked the lives of their relatives on the long journey in order to pay homage to the Pope, the guarantor of the Christian faith worldwide. He goes on to describe Jesuit successes in Japan and the Far East in general. The closing remarks were made by Antonio Boccapaduli (1530-1593) in the name of the Pope. He formally accepted the letters of allegiance by the daimyo, and in return promised spiritual guidance and Papal protection (!) for the Christian community in Japan. Upon their return to Japan the four envoys were ordained as the first Japanese fathers by Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606) who had originally planned the journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExceedingly rare. Boscaro 5; not in Streit; not in Cordier; not in Maruzen (exhibition catalogue, 1932); \u003cstrong\u003eno copy in OCLC.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a detailed description of the embassy see Lach: Asia in the making of Europe, vol. I, 2, p. 688ff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Maggs Bros.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48833685586077,"sku":"263356","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0045\/9677\/files\/263356_01.jpg?v=1787574003","url":"https:\/\/store.maggs.com\/products\/acta-consistorii-publice-exhibiti-s-d-n-gregorio-papa-xiii-itwhc9wu","provider":"Maggs Bros.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}