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It's just so beautiful. Oh yeah, nice. The onion. Get a commercial auto insurance quote today@geico.com and see how much you could save. It feels good to Geico. This is the story of the One as the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, she knows the only thing more important than having the right safety gear is having it there when you need it. That's why she partners with Grainger for auto reordering, so her team members can count on her to have cut resistant gloves on hand and each shift can run safely and efficiently. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. It's midnight on December 14, 1702, in Edo, Japan. Almost two years after Asano Naganori committed seppuku outside Kira Yoshihisa's mansion, 43 year old Oishi Yoshio signals his men to divide into two groups. Snow crunches softly beneath their boots as they move into position. When no one speaks, their dark armor blends into the shadows. There's no sign that anyone has noticed their approach, and Ishi intends to keep it that way. Until Asano's death, Oishi was his most trusted lieutenant. And when news of Asano's downfall reached Oishi, he formally petitioned for leniency on his master's family. But the Shogun refused to install Asano's adopted son as his successor. And that left Oishi with no choice but to surrender the family's lands to the Shogun's forces. This meant that Oishi and the other samurai who had served Asano did not get the chance to serve a new master and instead seem doomed to live out their days in disgrace as ronin. Oishi quickly reached a grim conclusion. There was only one way to restore their honor. They must avenge Asano's death by killing Kira Yoshihisa. So over the next few months, oishi quietly gathered 46 other former samurai and led them to Edo. There they waited, making homes across the city. They lived modest lives and spread rumors that they had accepted their fate. But it was all just a ruse to throw off any Suspicion about their plans. Now, at last, the time has come, and tonight Oishi and the other ronin will reclaim their honor or die in the attempt. As some other ronin hurry into the rear of the compound, Oishi helps raise two ladders against the mansion's gates. Four scouts quietly climb up and vanish over the top. A few moments later, the gates swing open. The ronin creep inside, and Oishi pauses to close the gates behind them. There can be no easy escape for their target tonight. With his plan finally in motion, Oishi removes a drum from his back. He strikes it hard, the beat echoing through the silent night. At this signal, the ronin surge forward, smashing through the mansion's doors. They tear open sliding partitions, sweeping every room, shouting for Kira to reveal himself. Terrified servants cower in corners. Kira's white robed guards draw their swords and try to fight back. But they've been caught unprepared and are swiftly cut down. Eventually, Oishi reaches Kira's private quarters and throws open the doors. But the room is empty. He crouches and places his palm on the bedding. It's still warm, so Kira can't have gone far. Oishi orders his men to spread out and search for an old man with a scar on his face. Minutes later, a sharp whistle pierces the air from the courtyard. Oishi runs across the snow to find three ronin standing over the bodies of two slain guards, but kneeling between them, trembling in thin robes, and is a pale old man. Oishi raises a lantern and holds it close. The light reveals a deep scar carved across the man's cheek. It's Kira. Yoshihisa. Oishi takes a breath to settle himself. Then he kneels in the snow until he's eye to eye with his enemy. He explains that they are here to avenge their master, whose death Kira was responsible for. But he is prepared to allow Kira to die with honor. Oishi presents the same dagger Asano used to kill himself and invites Kira to do the same. But Kira only sneers, refusing to take orders from men. He calls dishonored ronin. Shaking his head at the old man's intransigence, Oishi stands and draws his sword. Realizing that escape is impossible, Kira lowers his head. Ishi then swings his blade. With a single stroke, Kira's head drops into the snow, his frail body crumpling to the ground beside it. At last, Asano Naganori is avenged. As dawn breaks, the 47 Ronin carry Kira's head through the city of Edo. But despite the early hour. The streets are far from quiet. Word of the attack has already spread. Kira was not a popular man, and many of Ito's citizens cheer as the ronin pass by brandishing his head. Then, just outside the city, the ronin reach Sengakuji Temple. There they place their gruesome trophy on the tomb of their dead master. Oishi then sends one of the younger ronin to Asano's widow, Inako, to inform her of the success of their mission. From the temple grounds, Oishi gazes out over the city's snow covered rooftops and exhales slowly. Unlike the messenger, he knows he will never return to his home again. The south the Shogun will not forgive what they've done today. All that remains for the ronin is to wait for the authorities to find them and punish them, and hope that they will be granted the same final honor as their master. History Daily is sponsored by Quince. The difference between stuffing a closet and building a wardrobe is all about pieces that work together and hold up over time. That's what Quince does best. Premium materials, thoughtful design, and everyday staples that feel easy to wear and easy to rely on even as the weather shifts. And boy, can the weather shift. Here in Dallas, we went from 50 to zero in just two days, so layers are important. Organic cotton sweaters, Polos for every occasion, lighter jackets and thicker coats. Quince has them all, working directly with top factories and cutting out the middlemen. So you're not paying for brand markup, just quality clothing like the pieces we outfitted our daughter with. A new hoodie, some wide leg, fleece pants, and even a bracelet that she's yet to take off. So refresh your wardrobe with Quint's. Go to Quint's.comhistorydaily for free shipping on your order. And 365 day returns now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.comhistorydaily free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comhistorydaily. It's February 4, 1703, at Edo Castle, Japan. A month after the 47 Ronan killed Kira. Yoshihisa, the 57 year old Shogun of Japan, summons a counselor to his great hall. Beneath towering wooden beams and gleaming golden arches, this man bows and delivers his report. Oishi Yoshio, the leader of the ronin, has just carried out his sentence and committed seppuku. The Shogun nods his head in acknowledgment. Reaching the decision to condemn the ronin was not easy. All across Edo, many commoners openly praised the ronin for avenging their master. But at court, Kira's allies argued just as fiercely that the nighttime raid was lawless violence, not honorable conduct. The shogun weighed the arguments carefully. The ronin broke imperial law, and punishment was unavoidable. Yet condemning them as ordinary criminals would have undermined the code that sustained samurai rule. In the end, the shogun chose a middle path. By ordering the ronin to commit seppuku, he upheld the law while granting them an honorable death, one that satisfied tradition, political necessity, and public sentiment. And now the matter is settled. All the ronin are dead except one. The man who carried word of the mission's success to Asano's widow has been spared. Because of his young age and low rank, the shogun has granted him a pardon. And by the time this last ronin dies four decades later, the story of his comrades will be famous all across Japan. In the years that follow, their tale of honor and sacrifice will be retold on stage again and again. But even in the modern world, this story will find an eager audience, with dozens of television shows and movies bringing the dramatic events to new generations long after the deaths of all but one of the Ronin on February 4, 1703. Next on History Daily, February 5, 1985. The mayors of Rome and Carthage sign a treaty of friendship, officially ending the third Punic War after more than 2,000 years. From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily. Hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham. Audio editing by Mohamed Shazi Sound design by Molly Bach Music by Thrum. This episode is written and researched by Angus Gavin McClark. Edited by Scott Reeves. Managing producer, Emily Burke. Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.
