Stephen Richard Turnbull (born 6 February 1948) is a British historian concentrating on Japanese military history, especially the samurai period, and has published numerous books.[1] He has worked as a historical consultant for the film 47 Ronin,[2][3] as well multiple television documentaries,[4] and the Shogun: Total War series of video games.[5][6]
Stephen Richard Turnbull | |
|---|---|
| Born | Stephen Richard Turnbull February 1948 (age 76) United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Writer, military historian, researcher, narrator |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge, University of Leeds (Philosophiæ doctor) (1996) |
Biography
editTurnbull attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree. He currently holds 2 MAs in Theology and Military History and a PhD for his research on Kakure Kirishitan from the University of Leeds, where he is presently a lecturer in Far Eastern Religions,[2] in a program of study jointly overseen by both the Departments of East Asian Studies and Theology and Religious Studies. [7]
He was on the editorial board of the short-lived Medieval History Magazine (2003–2005), which was published in association with the Royal Armouries. He was a consultant for the PC game Shogun: Total War[5] and also its sequel Total War: Shogun 2,[8] both products of Creative Assembly, as well as historical advisor on the Hollywood film 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves.[9] He also appeared as a subject matter expert for the Netflix documentary series Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan in 2021. [3]
He is semi-retired, but still holds the post of Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at Akita International University in Japan. [2]
Selected works
edit- 1979 – Samurai armies, 1550–1615. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85045-302-7; OCLC 6489751
- reprinted by Osprey, 2003: OCLC 225518299
- 1980 – The Mongols. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85045-372-0
- 1982 – The Book of the Samurai. Leicester, England: Magna Books. ISBN 978-0-948509-30-8; OCLC 15875673
- 1985 – The Book of the Medieval Knight. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 978-0-85368-715-3; OCLC 12501653.
- 1987 – Samurai Warriors.[permanent dead link] Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press. ISBN 978-0-7137-1767-9; OCLC 17551861
- 1989 – Samurai Warlords: The Book of the Daimyō.[permanent dead link] London: Blandford. ISBN 978-0-7137-2003-7; OCLC 22628902
- 1991 – Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult. Poole, Dorset: Firebird Books. ISBN 978-1-85314-109-6; OCLC 24701255
- 1996 – The Samurai: A Military History. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-873410-38-7
- 1997 – Samurai Warfare.[permanent dead link] London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-432-2; OCLC 38030598
- 1998 – The Samurai Sourcebook.[permanent dead link] London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-371-4; OCLC 60220867
- reprinted by Cassell, London, 2000. ISBN 978-1-85409-523-7; OCLC 86300034
- 2000 – Nagashino 1575: Slaughter at the Barricades.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-619-4
- 2001 – Ashigaru 1467–1649: Weapons, Armour, Tactics.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-149-7
- 2001 – The Knight Triumphant: The High Middle Ages, 1314–1485. London: Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-35971-4; OCLC 51108644
- 2002 – Samurai Heraldry.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-304-0
- 2002 – Samurai Invasion: Japan's Korean War, 1592–1598.[permanent dead link] London: Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-38638-6
- 2002 – War in Japan: 1467–1615.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-480-1
- 2002 – Fighting Ships of the Far East (1): China and Southeast Asia, 202 BC-AD 1419.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-386-6
- 2003 – The Ottoman Empire 1326–1699 Bloomsbury USA. ISBN 978-1-84176-569-3
- 2003 – Genghis Khan & the Mongol Conquests 1190–1400. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-523-5
- 2003 – Fighting Ships of the Far East (2): Japan and Korea AD 612-1639.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-478-8
- 2003 – Japanese castles, 1540–1640.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-429-0
- 2003 – Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949–1603.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-573-0
- 2003 – Kawanakajima 1553–1564: Samurai Power Struggle.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-562-4
- 2003 – Ninja AD 1460–1650.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-525-9
- 2003 – Tannenberg 1410: Disaster for the Teutonic Knights. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-561-7; OCLC 51779463
- 2003 – Samurai: The World of the Warrior. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-740-6
- 2004 – The Walls of Constantinople: AD 324–1453.[permanent dead link] Oxford:Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-759-8
- 2004 – Samurai: The Story of Japan's Greatest Warriors. London: PRC Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85648-703-0
- reprinted by Metro Books, 2013
- 2005 – Warriors of Medieval Japan.[permanent dead link] Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-220-2
- 2005 – Samurai Commanders. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-743-3
- 2007 – The Great Wall of China 221 BC - AD 1644 Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-004-8
- 2008 – The Samurai Swordsman: Master of War. London: Frontline Books. ISBN 978-1-84415-712-9; OCLC 181927617
- 2010 – Katana: The Samurai Sword. Oxford: Osprey Publishibg ISBN 978-1-84908-151-1
- 2011 – The Revenge of the 47 Ronin. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-427-7
- 2016 – The Genpei War 1180-85: The Great Samurai Civil War. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-47281-384-8
- 2017 – Ninja: Unmasking the Myth Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-47385-042-2
Journal articles
edit- "Legacy of Centuries: The Walls of Constantinople", Medieval History Magazine (MHM), Issue 2, October 2003.
- "Mongol strategy and the Battle of Leignitz 1241", MHM, Issue 3, November 2003.
- "The Teutonic Knights' battle for Riga", MHM, Issue 6, February 2004.
- "The Passing of the Medieval Castle", MHM, Issue 9, May 2004.
- "St Catherine's Monastery: Sanctuary of Ages", MHM, Issue 11 July 2004.
- "Fighting Cardinals: Henry Beaufort & Guiliano Cesarini", MHM, Issue 13, September 2004.
- "A Tale of Two Cities: Siege success and failure at Constantinople and Belgrade", MHM, Issue 16, December 2004.
- "The Blunted Arrowhead: The defensive role of the great medieval fortresses of Albania", MHM, Issue 17, January 2005.
- "The Ninja: An Invented Tradition?", Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective, Vol. 9: No. 1, Article 3, 2014.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan | Self-Historian | TV documentary [3] |
| 2013 | 47 Ronin | Historical advisor | Film [2] |
| 2013 | Samurai Headhunters | Self—Japanese historian | TV documentary [10] |
| 2012 | Ninja Shadow Warriors | Self—Historian | TV documentary [4] |
| 2011 | Total War: Shogun 2 | Historical consultant | Video game [6][8] |
| 2008 | Heroes and Villains (TV series) | Historical consultant | TV Documentary[11]
|
| 2000 | Shogun: Total War | Historical consultant | Video game [5] |
| 2004 | Samurai: The Last Warrior | Historical consultant (as Dr. Stephen Turnbull) | TV documentary [4] |
Honours
edit- British Association for Japanese Studies, Cannon Prize.[12]
- Japan Festival Literary Award (1998).[1]
Notes
edit- ^ a b "Home – Stephen Turnbull". www.stephenturnbull.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Stephen Turnbull". Thames & Hudson. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Low, Samantha. "'Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan' Sets the Story Straight For The Japanese Warriors of the Past". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "Stephen Turnbull". Plex.tv. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "Lessons on the Art of War". IGN. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ a b Younger, Paul. "Dr. Stephen Turnbull, Shogun 2 Total War Interview". PC Invasion. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ Breen, John; Williams, Mark, eds. (1996). Japan and Christianity: Impacts and Responses (1st ed.). New York, N.Y.: ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC. p. x. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-24360-0. ISBN 978-0-312-12872-2. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
He is currently taking a part-time PhD on the subject of the Kakure Kirishitan at Leeds University, working under the joint auspices of the Departments of East Asian Studies and Theology and Religious Studies.
- ^ a b Parrish, Peter. "Advisor On Shogun 2: Total War Divulges New Game Details". inc gamers. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ "Dr Turnbull Profile". University of Leeds. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "Samurai Headhunters". Watch Plex. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ "Shogun". Heroes and Villains. 29 March 2008. BBC.
- ^ Turnbull, Stephen. (2005). Samurai Commanders, p. 2.