Yasuke
Yasuke (Japanese: 弥助 / 弥介, pronounced [jasɯ̥ke]) was a man of African origin who served as a samurai to Oda Nobunaga between 1581 and 1582, during the Sengoku period, until Nobunaga's death.
There are few historical documents on Yasuke. From the fragmentary accounts, Yasuke first arrived in Japan in the service of Jesuit Alessandro Valignano. Nobunaga summoned him out of a desire to see a black man. Subsequently, Nobunaga took him into his service and gave him the name Yasuke. He was granted a sword, a house and a stipend, indicating samurai status Yasuke accompanied Nobunaga until his death and fought at the Honnō-ji Incident. Afterwards, Yasuke was sent back to the Jesuits. There are no records of his life afterwards.
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