The real history that inspired Shōgun

Shōgun has landed on Disney+, giving viewers their first chance to dive into the world of James Clavell's iconic novel set in feudal Japan.

The series follows English pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) who finds himself thrust into a civil war he doesn't understand when he and his crew are shipwrecked off the coast of Japan in 1600. There, he is taken in by Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a powerful daimyo who is one of five helping lead the country until the late Taikō's heir comes of age.

Read more: Shōgun is a masterpiece that deserves every bit of your attention

But civil unrest is brewing, and the feudal lords meant to work with Toranaga are keen to get rid of him out of fear of the power and influence he holds. The series, which is helmed by FX, is fictional but is inspired by historical fact, with many aspects of the story referencing real life events in Japanese history.

The real history that inspired Shōgun

Lord Toranaga is based on one of Japan's most important rulers

While it is fictional, Clavell's story leant heavily on Japanese history to create his world, particularly the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603 after his triumph in the battle of Sekigahara years earlier.

Lord Toranaga is based on Tokugawa Ieyasu, who finished the reunification of Japan first started by his predecessors Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was one of the country's most influential rulers, and his and his descendants' rule lasted for almost 300 years.

Shōgun is set during the latter years of Sengoku period (also known as the Warring States period), an era of civil unrest that saw the different daimyos —or lords— of the country fight amongst each other. It was Oda Nobunaga who envisioned unifying Japan, and he set about making it a reality through brutal conquest at the beginning of the Sengoku period.

As viewers will see through Shōgun's fictional representation of Oda, the ruler was ruthless and willing to unleash horrifying bloodshed to achieve his goal. Tokugawa Ieyasu was one of his allies, and together they won several battles during their time together.

Oda is a controversial figure because of his brutality. At the time of his rule some of his own followers even found his actions abhorrent, particularly the killing of monks, women and children at the siege of Enryaku-ji temple in 1571.

While Oda was able to unify central Japan through his brutal warfare, and has been dubbed the "Great Unifier" in Japan because of it, he was assassinated by one of his own followers, Akechi Mitsuhide, in 1582. This event also serves as inspiration for Shōgun, and is especially important to the story of Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai).

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was Oda's successor, and he is the inspiration for the Taikō featured in Shōgun. After his death in 1598, civil unrest began brewing amongst the Council of Five Elders who were left to rule until Toyotomi's heir came of age, one of whom was Tokugawa.

Tokugawa eventually defeated his rivals at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which was one of the biggest and most influential wars waged in the feudal era. It is the crucial years leading up to this event that inspire the story in Shōgun.

There really was an English navigator who became a samurai

For those who may feel the notion of an English pilot becoming a samurai is far-fetched, or even adds to the idea of the "white saviour" in cinema, the arrival of John Blackthorne in Japan is actually based on fact. There really was a navigator who reached Japan: William Adams.

William Adams, like Blackthorne, landed in Japan in 1600, he went on to become an ally of Tokugawa Ieyasu and was a key advisor to him. Adams presided over shipbuilding in Japan and helped to establish trade in the country.

During his time in Japan he became known as Miura Anjin, a name also used for John Blackthorne in Shōgun. It was learning about Adams that inspired Clavell to write his novel.

The Black Ships, the spread of christianity and its downfall in Japan

Another aspect of Shōgun's world-building that is based on real facts was the arrival of foreigners in Japan. This began famously with the arrival of the "Black Ships", Portuguese trading vessels that landed in Japan in 1543 and established trade between the country and the West.

Following the arrival of Portuguese Catholic traders, Christianity began to take root in Japan through the work of missionaries, who worked to convert the religion among the people. In Shōgun, viewers will see the influence that Christian leaders had during this time and how many Japanese people converted to the religion, like Lady Mariko.

Christianity was eventually stamped out in Japan through brutal methods. Oda Nobunaga allowed the religion to spread, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi continued to show favour to missionaries at first. But he changed his policy towards them when he came to perceive them as a threat. Under him and the Tokugawa shogunate, Christians were persecuted across the country and Japanese converts were forced to renounce their religion, some were even crucified.

Tokugawa Ieyasu closed off Japan from the outside world in 1612, and he also outlawed Christianity during his rule. Over the next 50 years, the religion was all but eradicated in the country.

The first two episodes of Shōgun are out now on Disney+, and the series will continue to air weekly every Tuesday.

Watch the trailer for Shōgun: