Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/408

 396 THE MODERN NATIONS invasion at the close of the thirteenth century was destroyed partly in battle but chiefly by a tremendous storm. There was a nominal emperor, called the Mikado, but he had no effective power. The real rulership passed into the hands of the ministers called Shoguns, of whom there were successive dynasties. In the sixteenth century the Portuguese and the Jesuit missionaries first brought Europeans in contact with Japan. At Japanese this period great prominence attaches to the Samurai, Isolation. a military class corresponding to the knights of European feudalism. Japan, however, remained in almost en- tire seclusion from the rest of the world, retaining what may be called its exaggerated mediaevalism, till a new spirit of inquiry and progress began to awake in the nineteenth century. The Dutch were the only foreigners who had been allowed some sort of permanent foothold on the islands, and through them adventurous Japanese began to acquire some knowledge of western science and history. But other western nations were endeavouring to persuade Japan to open her gates. In 1854 the Japanese government was induced to sign a treaty, admitting the United States to enjoy commercial privileges at two ports. Similar treaties followed in rapid succession with Great Britain, Russia, and Holland. In 1862 a Japanese embassy was de- spatched to Europe and America, which brought back much enlightenment to the hitherto secluded nation. But it was the still unenlightened whose violent aversion to the foreigners caused outbreaks which in turn compelled the European powers to con- certed action and a naval demonstration whereby submission Tne was enforced. But again these events led to a union Japanese of the great clans for the overthrow of the Shogun, Revolution. the elevation of the Mikado to be in fact the real head of the state, and the total ejection of the foreign barbarians. But the wise among them were turning to account what they saw of European drill discipline and armament, and were gradually acquiring a predominant influence. The accession of a new Mikado, young and vigorous, aided their cause. The hatred of the foreigner declined among them. By 1869 a complete re- volution had been effected, not indeed without bloodshed, but