Yasuke (弥助; born c. 1555) was an African samurai who served the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga. In 1579, the Portuguese Empire brought him as a slave to the port city of Sakai. According to the Chronicle of Nobunaga, he entered into Oda's service a few years later after capturing his attention as the first African man he had ever met and impressing him with his strong stature and intelligence.
In 1581, he invaded Iga Province on behalf of his lord, devastating the region. Despite having destroyed Fujibayashi Naoe's home, Yasuke later allied himself with the young Iga Assassin, assisting her in not just intelligence-gathering but assassinations as well.
