The sect was said to harbour dark designs to overthrow the government. Its teachers used a dead language that was impenetrable to all but the innermost circle of believers. Its priests preached love and kindness, but helped local warlords acquire firearms. They encouraged believers to cast aside their earthly allegiances and swear loyalty to a foreign god-emperor, before seeking paradise in terrible martyrdoms. The cult was in open revolt, led, it was said, by a boy sorcerer. Farmers claiming to have the blessing of an alien god had bested trained samurai in combat and proclaimed that fires in the sky would soon bring about the end of the world. The Shogun called old soldiers out of retirement for one last battle before peace could be declared in Japan. For there to be an end to war, he said, the Christians would have to die. This is a true story.

About the Author
Jonathan Clements is the author of many books on East Asian history, including biographies of Empress Wu, Admiral Togo, the statesman Prince Saionji and Coxinga, the Japanese-born 'pirate king'. He divides his time between London, England and Jyvaskyla, Finland. His website is schoolgirlmilkycrisis.com

Reviews
A concise and lucid account of a unique period in Japan's history * Japan Times *
This is history writing at its best. * Fortean Times *
Accessible and vivid . . . reads more like a novel than a work of history. -- Katarzyna Kotas * japonia-online.pl *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472137418
Author Jonathan Clements
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Robinson
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 350g
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 156mm * 22mm