Hasekura Tsunenaga

He was a vassal of Date Masamune and was sent as an envoy to the Vatican during the Keicho and Genna eras. He is generally referred to as "Tsunenaga," but his handwritten documents state that he is "Hasekura Rokuemon Nagatsune," and foreign historical documents such as his Roman citizenship certificate also state that he is "Rokuemon," with "Tsunenaga" only appearing in later genealogies of the Hasekura family. There are some mysteries surrounding the origins of the "Keicho European Embassy," in which Rokuemon is said to have played a leading role, but we know almost nothing for certain about the first half of Rokuemon's (Tsunenaga) life and later years. In any case, in October 1613 (September 18th year of the Keicho era), he crossed the Pacific Ocean with Spanish missionary Luis Sotelo on a Japanese ship built in the Sendai domain, carrying a letter from Date Masamune, and then crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Mexico to Spain. The Spanish government was perplexed by the treatment of the envoys, but Sotelo's enthusiasm and skill impressed the King of Spain, and the group was allowed to proceed to Rome under his auspices. Prior to that, Rokuemon was baptized under the name of Philip Francis at the convent church in Madrid. Witnesses praised him for being short in stature but dignified, good-looking, calm, wise, and humble.

In November 1615, he was granted an audience with Pope Paul V (reigned 1605-1621) and accomplished his mission, but the journey home was full of hardships, and he returned to Sendai in 1620 (Genwa 6). However, just before that, Date Masamune had begun his persecution of Christians, and Rokuemon presented many items of clothing to Masamune before passing away in July 1620 at the age of 52.

[Koichi Matsuda March 19, 2018]

"Dai Nihon Shiryo 12-volume 12" (1909), compiled and published by the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo ; "Keicho Embassy: The First Japanese to Cross the Pacific Ocean" by Takekazu Matsuda (1969, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha) ; "A Long Journey to Rome" by Yukihiko Takahashi (1981, Kodansha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

伊達政宗(だてまさむね)の家臣で、慶長(けいちょう)から元和(げんな)年間に、ローマ法王庁に使節として派遣された。一般に「常長」と称されているが、自筆の文書には「支倉六右衛門長経」とあり、ローマ市民権証書など外国の史料も「六右衛門」で、「常長」は後世の支倉家の系譜類にみられるにすぎない。六右衛門が主役を演じたといわれる「慶長遣欧使節」の発端については不可解なこともあるが、六右衛門（常長）の前半生と晩年についても確実なことはほとんど何もわからない。ともかく彼は1613年10月（慶長18年9月）に伊達政宗の書状を携え、スペイン人宣教師ルイス・ソテロとともに、仙台藩で建造された日本船で太平洋を渡り、さらにメキシコから大西洋を横断してスペインに至った。スペイン政府はこの使節の処遇に困惑したが、ソテロの熱意と敏腕はスペイン国王を感動させ、一行はその援助のもとにローマに向かうことをえた。それに先だち、六右衛門はマドリードの修道女院の教会で、フィリポ・フランシスコの教名で洗礼を受けた。目撃者は、彼は背丈は低いが威厳あり、容姿整い、沈着、賢明、謙譲だと賞賛している。

　1615年11月、法王パウルス5世Paulus Ⅴ（在位1605～1621）に謁見がかない、使命を果たしたが、帰路は苦難の連続で、1620年（元和6）に仙台に帰ったが、その直前に伊達政宗はキリシタン宗門に対する弾圧を始めており、六右衛門は数々の将来品を政宗に献じたあと、元和8年7月52歳の生涯を終えた。

［松田毅一　2018年3月19日］

『東京大学史料編纂所編・刊『大日本史料　12編之12』（1909）』▽『松田毅一著『慶長使節――日本人初の太平洋横断』（1969・新人物往来社）』▽『高橋由貴彦著『ローマへの遠い旅』（1981・講談社）』

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