Jesuit Diplomacy towards Japan. The Tenshō Embassy, the Dialogue with Hideyoshi, and the Emergence of a “Global Model” (1582–90)

Abstract

Jesuit activities in Japan were always considered from a missionary perspective and the results were examined only in terms of conversions. This article aims to bring attention to a different branch of Jesuit activities in the archipelago, with a focus on their diplomatic abilities and their mediation efforts with the Kyushu daimyōs and, above all, with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In the middle of the 1580s, the Jesuits tried to establish a dialogue with local political authorities so as to obtain ample space for maneuver. At the same time, they extended the area of their diplomatic efforts by sending an embassy to the Pope with the hope to enhance their income. These two paths represent the Jesuits’ ability to interact with political authorities in both Europe and Asia, and could be considered a part of a more complex and connected strategy to permit their diffusion all over the world.