Biography of Lu´ıs Cabrera y Sotelo OFM, Japan mis- sionary

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Biography of Luís Cabrera y Sotelo OFM, Japan missionary
Relevance for the Japan Mission:
Luis Sotelo was an important Japan missionary and martyr. In Japan, Sotelo
also gained great merits with the erection of hospitals.
Dates of Birth and Death:
(∗) 6 September 1574 in Sevilla, Spain
(†) 25 August 1624 in Shimabara on Kyushu, Japan
Family Data:
Luís Sotelo was the son of the Spanish nobleman Diego Caballero de Cabrera
and of his wife Catalina Nino Sotelo.
Sotelo joined the Franciscan Convent “Calvario de los Hermanos Menores”
on 11 May 1597.
Education:
Sotelo made his studies at the well-known University of Salamanca. He
stopped his promising secular career to become a Franciscan.
Professional Career:
As a Spanish Franciscan of the 16th and early 17th century, Sotelo belonged
to the Spanish Patronato Real. To its sphere of influence belonged also
the Philippines, whereas Japan and China belonged to the sphere of the
Portuguese Padroado. In 1599, Sotelo travelled via Mexico to the Philippines,
where he arrived in 1600. He took care of the Japanese Christians of the
settlement Dilao, which was destroyed by the Spaniards in 1608. Sotelo
wanted to go to the Japan mission and therefore he learnt Japanese in his
parish, but his office as a preacher and lector in Manila prevented him to
travel to Japan before 1603.
In Japan, Sotelo at first worked in Fushimi, where he gained many friends,
among them the Daimyō Asano Yukinaga, and also could convert people to
Christianity. Since 1608, he was as a missionary in Osaka, then in Shikoku.
He helped the legates from the Philippines with their negotiations for a treaty
of friendship with the Tokugawa. In 1610, Sotelo worked as a missionary
in Edo (today Tokyo), where he became a friend of the Daimyō (prince) of

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Sendai, Date Masamune (1567-1636); with an edict dated 23 November 1611,
the Daimyō permitted the free preaching of the Gospel and saved him from
the starting persecution of Christianity in Japan. In 1610, Date Masamune
sent him as a legate to New Spain (Mexico), Sotelo travelled on board of the
ship “San Buena Ventura”, which had been built by the English adventurer
William Adams (1564?-1620) for the Shōgun, together with 22 Japanese. The
Vice-King of Nueva-España sent him together with the Spanish discoverer
Sebastián Vizcaíno (1548-1625) back to Japan. Vizcaíno and Sotelo arrived
in Japan in 1611, but Vizcaíno behaved quite arrogant against the Japanese.
The Shōgun had built himself a galleon in the Spanish manner, the “San
Juan Bautista” (the ship was completed in only 45 days), to bring Vizcaíno
back to Mexico, Date Masamune was made the leader of the project. The
Japan delegation was led by Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (1571-1622),
a retainer of Date Masamune, captain was the samurai Yokozawa Shogen,
Sotelo was the European companion. They started on 28 October 1613 together
with 180 persons. The purpose of this delegation was among others to
promote the trade relations between Japan and Spain, to promote missionary
work, whereas Sotelo wanted to found a diocese in Japan, independent from
Portugal and the Jesuits. First they travelled to Mexico, then via Spain to
Rome.
In Madrid, they were received in a very honorable way by king Philipp III,
Hasekura Rakuemon Tsunenaga was baptized in Madrid on 17 February
1617. They travelled via France to Rome, where they were received by pope
Paul V. A second visit in Spain did not result in the desired trade relations,
because the Spanish king had the impression that the delegation was not
sent officially by the Shōgun. The pope appointed Sotelo Bishop of Northern
Honshu, but the Spanish administration refused the necessary recognition because
of the persecution of Christians in Japan, furthermore, Japan belonged
to the sphere of influence of the Portuguese Padroado, which had a diocese
in Funai (Nagasaki). Some of the Japanese remained in Spain, the rest of the
delegation started from Sevilla to Mexico in 1617. In 1618, Sotelo arrived on
the Philippines, whereas Hasekura travelled to Japan. Hias report about Europe
and the Spanish methods of colonialism surely contributed that Japan
stopped the commerce with Spain in 1623, and the diplomatic relations with
Spain, in 1624, too.
Sotelo also failed with his plans, to found a Franciscan custody in Japan independent
from Manila, he even had to abandon the privileges he had gained
in Rome and could not receive the bishop consecration. In 1620, he was sent
back to Mexico. Only in 1622, he succeeded to return secretly from the

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Philippines to Japan together with two friends. In the meantime, Christianity
had been forbidden there, and Sotelo and his companions were delivered
to the governor of Nagasaki. Sotelo was burnt on the stake together with
the Dominican Pedro Vazquez (1590-1624) and the Jesuit Diego Carvalho
(1578-1624). In 1867, he was beatified by Pius IX.
Publications Luis Sotelo:
• “Carta del B. Luís Sotelo O.F.M. al señor Obispo del Japón sobre la
prisión y martirio de Juan Miboku y de sus compañeros, c. 1613”, in:
Lorenzo Pérez, Apostolado y Martirio del B. Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924)
127-134.
• Relacion Verdadera del recibimiento qve la santidad del Papa Paulo
Quinto, y los mas Cardenales hizieron en Roma al Embaxador de los
Japones que desta Ciudad de Seuilla partio el año passado (Sevilla
1616), also printed in: Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del
B. Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924) pp.272-274.
• Relacion Verdadera qve embio el Padre Fray Luys Sotelo de la Orden
de San Francisco... (Sevilla 1616), also in: Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado
y Martirio del B. Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924) pp. 270-272.
• “Capitulaciones. Las cosas que Fray Luís Sotelo, predicador general
y comisario apostólico del Japón, propone y pide a nuestros carisimos
hermanos Comisario de Visita y Difinidores desta sancta Provincia de
San Gregorio de Philipinas de su parte y por la de dos demas religosos
que se ocupan en la conversion del Japón, Manila, a 30 de Julio de
1618”, in: Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del B. Luís Sotelo
(Madrid 1924) pp. 194-197.
• “Relación de la persecución de la religión cristiana en el Japón, escrit
por el B. Luís Sotelo O.F.M., Dilao, 4 de Agosto de 1621”, in: Lorenzo
Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del B. Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924)
pp. 250-263.
• “Carta del B. Luís Sotelo O,F.M. al P. Provincial y demás religiosos de
la Provincia de San Gregorio, Vomura, Março de 1623”, in: Diego de
San Francisco, Relaçión (Manila 1625) cap. XXIII, p. 126-128, Juan de
San Antonio, Chronica de la Provincia de San Pablo, vol. II (Madrid
1729) pp. 241-243, Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del B.
Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924) pp. 230-233.

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• “Litterae B. Ludovici Sotelo O.F.M. ad Urbanum VIII. De hoc carcere
Iaponio Omurensi, 20. Januarii 1624”, in: Luís Sotelo, Fr. Lvdovici
Soteli Minoritae Regii ad Apostolicam sedem Legati et Regni Oxensis
Apostolici ac designati Martyris Ad Vrbanum VIII. Pont. Max. De Ecclesiae
Iaponicae statu Relatio: Imperatoris Augusti, Principum, Electorum,
omniumque statuum Imperii cuiusque Ordinis lectione digna
(Madrid 1628; Frankfurt 1634) pp. 3-26, and in: La Morale Pratique
des Jésuites, vol. II (Köln 1683) pp. 137-197, Luís Sotelo, Lettera di fra
Lodovico Sotelo Francescano legato del Re Ossense del Giappone alla
Sede Appostolica, e Missionario parimenti Apostolico in quel Regno, e
glorioso Martire di Gesu Cristo diretta a N.S. Urbano VII. Sopra lo
stato della Chiesa del Giappone (Venezia 1760), Annales de la société
des soi-disans Jésuites, vol. II (Paris 1765) pp. 766-802, Léon Pagès,
Histoire de la Religion Chrétienne au Japon, vol. II (Paris 1870) pp.
137-161, Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del B. Luís Sotelo
(Madrid 1924) pp. 295-315.
• “Carta del B. Luís Sotelo al P. Diego de San Francisco y demás misioneros
Franciscanos del Japón, in die Sancti Bartholomaei de 1624”,
in: Diego de San Francisco, Relación (Manila 1625) pp. 124-125, Juan
de San Antonio, Chronica de la Provincia de S. Pablo, vol. II (Madrid
1739) pp. 244-246, Lorenzo Pérez (ed.), Apostolado y Martirio del B.
Luís Sotelo (Madrid 1924) pp. 235-237.
• Under the pseudonym Gaspar Schoppe (Scioppius): Fr. Lvdovici Soteli
Minoritae Regii ad Apostolicam sedem Legati et Regni Oxensis Apostolici
ac designati Martyris Ad Vrbanum VIII. Pont. Max. De Ecclesiae
Iaponicae statu Relatio: Imperatoris Augusti, Principum, Electorum,
omniumque statuum Imperii cuiusque Ordinis lectione digna
(Madrid 1628; Frankfurt 1634).

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Luis Sotelo Bibliography:
• Robert Streit, Bibliotheca Missionum, vol. V (Freiburg 1929) pp. 397f.
• Bernward H. Willeke, “Biographical Data on Early Franciscans in Japan
(1582-1640)”, Archivum Franciscanum Historicum LXXXIII (1990) pp. 182-
185.
• [Sciopione Amati,] Historia del regno di Voxv del Giappone, dell’antichita,
nobilita, e vaore del svo re idate Masamvne, delli fvori, c’ha fatti alla Chrsitianità,
e desiderio che tiene d’esser Christiano, e dell’aumento di nostra
santa fede in quelle parti. E dell’ambasciata che hà inuiata alla Sta
di N.S. Papa Paolo V. e delli sujoi successi, con altre varie cose di edificatione,
e gusto spiriuale de i lettori (Roma 1615), German: Relation
und gründtlicher Bericht deß Königreichs Voxu im Japonischen Keyserthumb
gottseliger Bekehrung, vnd dessentwegen außgefertigeter Ambasciada an Päbst:
Heil. gen Rom Paulum den Fünfften, vnnd an die Cathol: May: Philip: den
Dritten König in Hispania &c (Ingolstatt 1617; other translation: Rottweil
1617).
• C.R. Boxer, The Christian Century in Japan 1549-1650 (Berkeley 1967).
• Otis Cary, A History of Christianity in Japan (Rutland, Tokyo 2000).
• P.F. Charlevoix, Histoire et déscription to Japon, vol. II (Paris 1736).
• Hubert Cieslik, “Die kirchliche Hierarchie in der alten Japanmission”, Neue
Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft XVIII (1962) pp. 42ff, 81ff, 177ff.
• Shusaku Endo, Samurai (1980), German: Der Samurai (1987, 1990).
• Neil S. Fujita, Japan’s encounter with Christianity. The Catholic Mission
in pre-modern Japan (New York 1991).
• Gerhard Huber, Der selige Ludwig Sotelo, Märtyrer aus dem Franziskanerorden
(Werl 1937).
• Félix de Huerta, Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico-religioso
de la santa y apostólica Provincia de San Gregorio Magno (1865) pp. 392-
394.
• Marcellino da Civezza, Storia universale delle Missioni Francescane, vol.
VII (Prato 1891).
• Marcellinio da Civezza, Solenne Ambasceria dal Giappone al Sommo Pontifice
Paolo V affidata al Francescanp Padre Luigi Sotelo... (Prato 1891).
• Francis Marcouin, Keiko Omoto, Quand le Japon s’ouvrit au monde (Paris
1990).
• Louis Pagès, Histoire de la religion chrétienne au Japon, vol. 1 (Paris
1869).
• Lorenzo Pérez, Apostolado y Martirio del Beato Lluis Sotelo en el Japón
(1924).
• Dorotheus Schilling, “Zwei unveröffentlichte Briefe des seligen Ludwig

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Sotelo, O.F.M.”, Antonianum XX (1945) pp. 127-148.
• Giuseppe Pittau, Da Sendai a Roma. Un’ambasceria giapponese a Paolo
V. (Roma 1990).
• Juan Ruiz-de-Medina, El Martirologio del Japón 1558-1873 (Bibliotheca
Instituti Historici S.I. vol. LI) (Roma 1999).
• Dorotheus Schilling, “Hospitäler der Franziskaner in Miyako (1594-1597)”,
Neue Zeischrift für Missionswissenschaft V (1949) pp. 1-18; 98-110; 189-202;
258-275; VI (1950) pp. 35-47.
• Dorotheus Schilling, “Die Missionen der spanischen Franziskaner in Japan
(1593-1639)”, Thuringia Franciscana 25 (1970) pp. 107-128; 261-283.
• Arcadio Schwade, “Die Frühgeschichte des Christentums in Japan im Überblick”,
in: Adrian Hsia, Ruprecht Wimmer (eds.), Mission und Theater. Japan und
China auf den Bühnen der Gesellschaft Jesu (Jesuitica 7) (Regensburg 2005)
pp. 289-353;
• Thomas Uyttenbroeck, Early Franciscans in Japan (Himeji 1958).
• Bernwardus H. Willeke, “Japonia”, in: Historia Missionum Ordinis Fratrum
Minorum. I. Asia Centro-Orientalis et Oceania (Romae 1967) pp. 197-217.
• Bernward H. Willeke, “Notizen zur Geschichte des alten Franziskanerklosters
zu Fushimi in Japan (1602-1614)”, Franziskanische Studien 68 (1987)
pp. 261-271.
• Bernward H. Willeke, “Das Franziskanerkloster im alten Edo (Tokyo)”,
Franziskanische Studien 73 (1991) pp. 208-226.
• http://www.datemasamune.com/ (07.08.2009).
• http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasekura Tsunenaga (07 August 2009).
Author(s) of this contribution:
Claudia von Collani
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