Japan and the Japanese

96 JAPAN. A. D. 15fi2 1588.
Aquichi now aspired to succeed the master he had betrayed and
overthrown ; but he was defeated by Ueondono, another general, a
nephew of the Vatadono, who had played so conspicuous a part in
previous revolutions, and a convert to the Catholic faith, who united
with Faxiba to revenge their master's death, the latter marching
upon Miako in the name of the late emperor's third son, whom he
proclaimed as Kubo-Sama, reserving, however, to himself all real
authority ; and thus again was Japan, as during part of Nobunanga'.s
reign, furnished with two " idle kings,"
a Duiri and a titular
Kubo-Sama, while the real power was in the hands of a third party.
Faxiba's own very humble birth made him the more willing
to
begin, at first, with ruling in the name of another. Originally
he was but a mere private soldier, who, having attracted
the attention of Nobunanga, as well by his wit and drollery as
by his courage and sagacity, had been gradually raised by him
to the highest commands. This founder of the Japanese imperial
authority, as it now exists, is described as having been short, but
quite fat, and exceedingly strong, with six
fingers on each hand,
and something frightful
in his face, his eyes protruding in a
strange manner. It was he who completed what Nobunanga
had begun, and who first gave to Japan, at least in modern times,
a real and effective emperor, ruling supreme over the whole
territory.
The son of Nobunanga, being restless under the humiliation to
which he was reduced, was deprived of his place as Kubo-Sama, and
obliged to be satisfied with the island of Sikokf, the smaller of the
three larger Japanese islands which his father had assigned him as an
appanage, while Faxiba declared himself the guardian of an infant
child of Nobunanga's eldest son, whom he set up as titular Kubo-
Sama.
He showed at first the same favor to the Catholics as his predecessor
had done, and the more so as Ueondono, his confederate
against the rebel Aquichi, was himself a convert, as were others of
his great vassals and principal oflBcers of his court and army.
As the son of Nobunanga could not keep quiet, he was presently
stripped of all authority, though his life was spared, and F;ixiba,
assuming to himself the high title ofKambakundono, strengthened
nimself still further by marrying a daughter of the Dairi.