I always say that reading a book or a comic set in a past time is the best incentive to learn a little more of history so... ^^ Here you are!

New! : Information added about the Date Family.

SPAIN -- The Setting.

The story starts in the Spanish city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. This city was the center of the oceanic trade of Spain in the XV-XVII ct. (by the XVII ct. the city was in decadence already). Most big expeditions parted from there, including the one that took Cristobal Colon to America. Besides this, Sanlúcar is famous for their Jerez wine (sherry).
The city is located in the south of Spain, near the famous city of Jerez.

The Facts:
In 1614 the King of Castilla and Aragón ("Spain" as a country was created later on) was Felipe III (Philip the third), who followed some of his predecesors' politics (Philip II, the one with the Armada and other equal stupidities) but basically was a pretty useless person as a king. He appointed a main minister but this man spent his time playing trick or treat with the rest of the nobility than any other thing so... you get the picture (^^; ). He reigned from 1598 to 1621 and by the time this story happens, he was pretty busy expulsing the non-converted muslins left from the muslin invasion out of the territory.
However, this was a time where Spain was still the main force in Europe (thanks to that the rest of the countries weren't too strong), this is the time of the Renaissance and such lovely and glamorous things ^^ As most of you probably know, Spain is a very christian country (and even more so in those times), so it's no wonder why anybody would want to get Spain's help to avance their cause for Christianity.

JAPAN -- The Facts.

1603 marked the start of the Edo Shogunate and also the start of the Tokugawa times. Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the capital to Edo (Tokyo) and started the very rigid 4-class system (samurai, farmers, craftsmen and merchants). He also put in action some measurements to make the daimyo lords much less powerful (and so much less threatening to him, as well).

At the start of his reign, Ieyasu was more than friendly to Christianity as he thought it would open the doors to even more trade with Japan, but then the Protestant part of the English and Dutch came by telling him that it wasn't quite the thing to do as they weren't Christians and he was trading with them all the same. So about 1613/14, he started to persecute Christians and after his death in 1616, his successors started a reversed inquisition that ended up with the expulsion (or killing) of all europeans and especially, anybody who was a christian. (Which also lead to the prohibition of any Japanese to leave the country and the radical anti-anything-western feelings that stayed there until Perry decided to make some sightseeing in the Tokyo bay.)

"Date" Family:
Date Masamune was given Sendai to rule as a daimyo after helping Tokugawa Ieyasu. He died in 1636.

All images © Ueda Rinko, Shueisha (except backgrounds).