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William Adams

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The Resume

    (September 24, 1564-May 16, 1620)
    First Foreign Samurai
    Known as Miura Anjin

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a pilot for the company Barbary Merchants.
    He was part of a trade expedition from Texel to the Far East. One ship, Hoop, was lost in a tsunami while the ship he was on, Liefde, had to make landfall on Japan.
    Upon arriving, he was arrested and interrogated on suspicion of piracy (the Portuguese set him up).
    He was spared by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, but he could never return to his family in England.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He studied shipbuilding, astronomy and navigation.
    He served in the English Royal Navy.
    Tokugawa Ieyasu was intrigued by him and made him a revered trade and diplomatic advisor.
    He was presented with two swords and made a Samurai.
    He was given the title Anjin-sama and a street in Yedo, Japan was named after him.

Credit: Jeff


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 26 Votes: 38.46% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 56 Votes: 39.29% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 36 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 71 Votes: 52.11% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 123 Votes: 48.78% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 188 Votes: 43.62% Annoying