logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
29m 30s

Yasuke: The First African Samurai

History Hit & Assassin's Creed
About this episode

Yasuke is one of the most captivating and yet mysterious figures within Japanese history. In 1581, at the height of the civil war, he crossed paths with the country’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Their meeting bound the two men together and set Yasuke on a path to becoming the first known samurai of African descent in Japan.


Delving into the history behind one of the two main characters in the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Matt Lewis and Thomas Lockley examine the few surviving historical sources to reveal what we know about Yasuke, Japan’s first African samurai.


Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 


Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Anisha Deva

Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett


If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 16
Why Did The Great Wall Of China Fail To Keep Out The Mongols?
How long is the Great Wall of China? When was it built? Are there really skeletons buried inside it?Matt Lewis poses these questions and many more to Dr Jeremiah Jenne, co-host of the Chinese history podcast, Barbarians at the Gate. Together they recount the storied development o ... Show More
50m 29s
Oct 2
What Happened To The French Crown Jewels?
What really happened to the French crown jewels? On the 19th October, 2025, a gang of thieves disguised as construction workers broke into the Louvre. Their target: the Gallery of Apollo, where the French Crown Jewels were on display. They made off with eight pieces of the crown ... Show More
52m 32s
Sep 18
Life During The Russian Revolution
What were the main causes of the Russian Revolution? Why were the Romanovs murdered?Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia transports us to the tense atmosphere of World War One as Russia made the difficult transition from an imperial state to a socialist republic. But what was it l ... Show More
55m 47s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2019
Yasuke, the African Samurai
Japanese Daimyo Oda Nobunaga was fascinated by the mysterious, towering slave of a visiting Jesuit missionary, and soon this man, Yasuke, joined Nobunaga's court, eventually becoming a full-on samurai. Join the guys as they explore the strange life of the African-born samurai, Ya ... Show More
28m 25s
Jan 2023
Episode #171- Who Was The African Samurai? (Part I)
Near the end of Japan's "Warring States" period a remarkable visitor arrived in the country with a group of European Jesuit missionaries. He was a soldier originally from East Africa acting as a bodyguard for the ranking Jesuit in Japan. The Japanese would come to know this man a ... Show More
1h 8m
Apr 2025
Hattori Hanzo: The Medieval Demon Samurai
<p>Matt Lewis presents a special episode from his podcast Echoes of History on the medieval 'Demon' Samurai.</p><br><p>In the world of <em>Assassin's Creed Shadows</em>, the legendary Hattori Hanzo embodies both samurai and shinobi warriors, and earned himself the nickname "The D ... Show More
43m 8s
Feb 2025
Samurai
The samurai—warriors of honor, discipline, and legend. As well discover, they were much more than warriors. They shaped the history and culture of Japan forever. Who were these iconic figures, and what was life like for them beyond the battlefield? Tonight, step into the world of ... Show More
59 m
Feb 2021
Samurai
Kyota Ko, mastermind behind the website Metro Classic Japanese, Joins Helen and Matt to discuss the long and fascinating history behind Samurai. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
26m 59s
May 2021
Samurai: everything you wanted to know
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, Professor Michael Wert responds to listener questions and internet search queries about Japan’s famous warriors, the samurai. He explains when the samurai emerged, how they evolved from warriors to ... Show More
1h 10m
May 2021
Yasuke The Black Samurai Overview | The Anime Podcast
Yasuke The Black Samurai Overview | The Anime Podcast 
3m 26s