A brief history of Masamasa Yamada, the most legendary Japanese in Thai history

Friends who have been to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, may know that there is a memorial hall of Japanese village ruins by the Chao Phraya River. In addition to tracing back and restoring the history of Japanese visits to Thailand during Ayutthaya, the museum also has a special exhibition room to commemorate a Japanese who played an extraordinary role in the early relationship between Japan and Thailand, namely Yamada Yongzheng.

Ruins of Japan Village in Ayutthaya City

Ayutthaya, one of the ancient cities in the world 16.

Masayoshi Yamada is the most famous Japanese in Thai history and the core representative of Japan among overseas adventurers. Shusaku Endo and Renzabur? Shibata, famous contemporary Japanese novelists, have both created adventure novels based on his stories. In 20 10, Thailand also filmed a historical action blockbuster named Samurai Ayutthaya with Masayoshi Yamada as the leading role, and Boxiu, the boxing champion known as "the strongest monk on the ground", also participated in this movie. His life can be said to be endowed with a strong legend.

Movie "samurai" poster

However, does Masayoshi Yamada really exist in history? Who is Masamasa Yamada?

Although the historical records of Masamasa Yamada are vague, they can roughly outline his life.

Masamasa Yamada, formerly known as Renshimen Yamada, 1578 was born in Hejun. Some people say that he is nobunaga's grandson, but his credibility is not high. However, he should be an authentic Tokugawa samurai. His birthplace, Suruga, is the territory of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is said that he was once a samurai famous for his sedan chair.

There are many stories about how Yamada is coming to Siam. One theory is that in 16 15, Japan's domestic politics was turbulent, and many people left Japan to take risks overseas in order to avoid the disaster of war. Yamada is following the ship Athena Chu, leaving Osaka for Taiwan Province Province. After staying there for a few days, he came to Siam with the fleet and settled there. There is also a saying that Governor Yamada came to Siam not to avoid the disaster of war, but to participate in the escort of Zhu Yinchuan trade since he was a child. 16 12 came to Siam with the fleet, but Zhu Yinchuan had a fever when he returned to China and was forced to stay.

At that time, the king of Siam was King Sontan and King Intoracha II. As early as 30 years before Masayoshi Yamada came to Thailand, there was already a "Japanese Volunteer Corps" in the Siam court. After Masamasa Yamada stayed, he joined a volunteer group. Because of his upright roots, strong martial arts and courage, he soon became famous among the Japanese and became the Japanese leader of Siam.

Japanese volunteer groups in Siam Palace

Yamada's loyalty and fearlessness won the trust of the king. During the reign of King Tan Song, Yamada was changing from a nobody to a great man. King Tan Song appointed him as the head of the "Volunteers Against Japan" and enjoyed a fief of 65,438+0,000 Lai.

After Masamasa Yamada took charge of the "Japan Volunteer Group", he vigorously strengthened military training and equipment construction. He carefully selected a guard of about 500 troops, which he personally commanded. In war, these guards usually act as pioneers in front of the royal elephant that the king rides. Yamada himself rode an elephant and took command at the last minute. At the same time, he also sent people to buy a large number of western-style guns to deal with the Portuguese spearmen hired by the Burmese army.

162 1 year, Burmese troops invaded Siam. As an elite unit of Siam Army, Yamada "Japanese Volunteers" defeated a large number of Burmese troops with tenacious fighting spirit and strong fighting capacity, and made great achievements. King Tan Song promoted Masamasa Yamada to "Oyashenapim”(Oya was the highest title of Siam at that time, which was later" Zhaopiye "), and married a princess from Yamada.

In the later period of King Tan Song's rule, Yamada was becoming the spokesman of the king to some extent. Especially during the king's illness, many government affairs were handled by Yamada. The trust and honor he gained inevitably met with envy and hatred from all, which also laid the groundwork for his tragic fate.

Wang is very kind to Yamada, and Yamada knows how to repay him. After the death of King Tan Song, Prince Seto and his brother competed for the throne. Yamada is firmly supporting Cetuo and finally helping him ascend to the throne.

King Ceto was still young, and the state power was actually held by Minister Yamada and the then Minister of Military Affairs, and later became the King of Siam. As early as the late reign of King Tan Song, Barcelona had a bowel movement and coveted the throne, but due to Yamada's loyal protection of the Lord, it has not been able to do so. Therefore, when the young Ceto ascended the throne, Barcelona, who was in charge of military power, began to have no scruples and became the absolute monarch. On one occasion, Ceto publicly reprimanded Bassatong for his intention of rebellion. Barcelona was furious, threw out cruelty, deposed Cetuo, and wanted to stand on his own feet as king.

Although Masahiro Yamada was very dissatisfied with Bassatong's abolition of the king, because Bassatong was in charge of military power, it could not be countered by the strength of the Japanese Volunteer Corps alone. Yamada can only sit back and watch Barcelona dethrone Ceto. However, Masayoshi Yamada also made it clear to Bassatong that as long as King Tan Song is still alive, no outsiders will be allowed to take his place, and the son of King Tan Song must inherit the throne. At the same time, in order to reach a compromise with Bassatong, Yamada said that Bassatong could be the regent.

King Bassaton

So Atiye Weng, another son of King Tan Song, became king. Although Yamada agreed that Bassatong should be the Regent, Bassatong still regarded Yamada as a thorn in his side and a thorn in his flesh. During the reign of Atiye Weng, Bassatong, in the name of the Regent, appointed Governor Yamada as the prefect of Luo Kun (then Tangjiali House). The reason given by Bassatong is very reasonable. Luo Kun is the central city of southern Thailand, with many Japanese businessmen and great influence. Yamada is the most suitable satrap. Moreover, the relationship between Pattani and Siam, a subsidiary country of Siam in the south of Luo Kun, is sometimes good and bad, and sometimes even refuses to pay tribute, which needs powerful people to deal with.

Therefore, Yamada is becoming the only foreign satrap in Thai history. Although he knew it was dangerous to go there, he did as he was told. After taking office, he found that Pattani refused to pay taxes and ordered his son to collect taxes in Pattani. But King Pattani put all the responsibilities on western businessmen, but the fact is that King Pattani himself is unwilling to pay taxes. After Yamada learned the inside story, he dispatched troops to attack Pattani.

At this time, Bassatong launched a military coup, deposed King Atiye Weng and became king on his own. In order to avoid complications, he decided to get rid of Masamasa Yamada. Therefore, Bassatong sent cronies to dress up as bandits of Pattani and ambushed Yamada on the way to attack Pattani. In the dark, Yamada was injured and led his troops back to Luo Kun.

Just as Masahiro Yamada was healing, Barcelona ordered snake venom to be mixed with herbs, falsely claiming that it was a good medicine for treating wounds and sent it to Luokun House in southern Thailand. He was worried that Masahiro Yamada wouldn't use this medicine to apply the wound, so he secretly had this medicine applied to Yamada's bandage. Finally, Yamada died of poison at the age of 55.

After Masamasa Yamada's death, Barcelona ordered people to expel the Japanese who had settled in Ayutthaya and burn down their villages. The relationship between Japan and Thailand has come to an end.

During the period of 1639, the Tokugawa shogunate implemented the most severe closed-door policy, and all overseas Japanese returned overseas and Portuguese-Spanish mixed-race children were executed. Only ships from China and the Netherlands can trade with Japan, which is limited to Nagasaki Port, and Athena Chu's ship trade is abolished. Since then, Japan has been completely isolated from the outside world.

As a representative of Japanese adventurers during the "Great Navigation" period, Masamasa Yamada wrote a colorful page in the history of Japan-Thailand relations. However, as Japan closed its doors to the outside world, he also became the swan song of Japanese overseas explorers.

Siam (2) Yamada (1) Barcelona (1)