Role Of Feudalism In Ancient Japan

How did the rulers of shogunate Japan gain and maintain their political power? The Shogun were very advanced for their time. They had some great leaders throughout their period, who started and fought some important wars/battles. Minamoto no Yoritomo was a very important figure as he was the very first shogun, started the feudal system which gave all the people of Japan their place in society.

Samurai’s were next in the system, they are in the warrior class. Samurais’ were paid by daimyos, they were paid domains. The job of the samurai was to collect taxes and keep order between the peasants. The warrior class was called shi. Shi included daimyos and

This period between 1603 (when Tokugawa Leyasu became the great “Shogun” of the Tokugawa Shogunate) and 1867 (when Tokugawa Yoshinobu formally returned political authority to the emperor) is also called the Edo Period. Edo is the former name for what is now Tokyo. This period was named after Edo castle, where the emperor

They had a code for the way they lived their lives this code was called bushido which said: a true warrior must hold that loyalty, courage, veracity, compassion, and honour as important, above all else. The Samurai had arranged marriages from the daimyos (As most had few opportunities to meet women anyway). In the tokugawa period Samurai’s often became government officials because there wasn’t much warfare. Samurais carried two swords (not wielding them at the same time) these swords were called katanas it was curved and thin blade, which created a clean cut through foes.

Japan then enters its feudal phase called the Kamakura period, from 1185 to 1333. The emperor was not playing much than a passive role in the management of the country, mainly present for ceremonies. Civilian and military functions were in the hands of the samurai. The most powerful of these is the samurai shogun... It was the first military government called Bakufu.

Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate, was a very influential leader to the eastern warriors of Japan since they had little to no jurisdiction in Japanese politics. Thanks to the support he received from his warriors in the eastern side of Japan, Yoritomo extended the Kamakura Shogunate throughout the rest of Japan. After his gain in power in other parts of Japan, Yoritomo made sure to have all rewards, calls to serve, or any matters involving discipline with his jitô, also known as a land steward, or honorable housemen appointed by his regime, be acknowledged and approved by him. According to chapter 13, page 339, of Hansen and Curtis’, “Voyages in World History”, all jitô or gokenin, the noble housemen of Japan, were appointed by the shogun or general in

Though the Kamakura period marked the beginning of warrior class rule in Japan, events in the late Heian period provided the means for samurai clans to rise to positions of power. The increase in the number and size of shoen (private estates exempt from government taxation) resulted in a significant decline of the imperial government’s authority. “By the twelfth century, it was estimated that only about one-tenth of land remained in the public domain under the authority of the provincial governors.” (Hane Perez p. 76) The lack of taxable land prevented the government from acquiring the financial resources necessary to maintain a national military. As the central government’s military

The word “daimyo” means great lord and daimyos were warlords in the feudal period. Samurai either belonged in a feudal domain, bakufu, or ronin. Domains were ruled by feudal lords, but the ronin were lordless samurai. The samurai were the elite military class, at the time. The samurai also influenced politics in Feudal Japan.

This was very similar to the feudal system in medieval Europe where the lords protected the vassals in return for their services In medieval Japan the relationship between warriors and clan chiefs was very intense An outcome of this feudal arrangement was a strict code of warrior behavior emerged known as Bushido (way of the warrior) which called upon warrior to sacrifice his life for his master Such an act was thought of as the highest from of honor and respect It was during the twelfth century that these warriors became known as samurai meaning those who serve Although the samurai were mainly soldiers many excelled in the arts and philosophy In these pursuits the samurai normally showed the same type of discipline that characterized their

The Meiji government realized they needed to defend themselves and look stable in the western world’s eyes because they knew they would be judged. So they created a stronger

They were the strongest classes of military in Japan till 17th century, as they were declined. Their appearance was due to the need of secure in Japan during the generation of conquer. The lords of Japan used these well-trained fighters to defend their lands against enemies. Because of the good strategic fighting skills, since the samurai was a kid, he was already a fine fighter. They were miraculously strong warriors, their skills with the sword fighting were amazing. While this, landowners, also known as Daimio, hired samurai warriors both to protect themselves and to attack other daimyo.

Emperor's personal name is Mutsuhito. Outside of japan the emperor is either called by this name Mutsuhito or emperor Mutsuhito. In japan when an emperor dies they are referred only by their posthumous names. Meiji means “enlightened rule”. After the rebellion of Satsuma and Choshu, Mutsuhito 15 years old was to ascend the throne as the new head of the established Meiji government. While he was a crown prince he continued his studies but it did not involve politics. The Emperor had an only a representational role in the Westernization of Japan. Everything Meiji did was fastly adopted and copied, like for instance wearing Western clothes. Empore main concern was the education systems or general education. While he was ruling an obligatory school system was

Samurai used a code called Bushido. The business of the samurai consists in discharging loyal service to his master if he has one, in deepening his fidelity, loyalty in associations with friends, and in devoting himself to duty above all (Doc E). The Knights used a code called Chivalry. With great ceremony each knight took the vows of true knighthood, solemnly promising to do no wicked deed, to be loyal to the King, to give mercy to those asking it, always to be courteous and helpful to ladies, and to fight in a wrongful quarrel for worldly gain, upon pain of death or forfeiture loss of knighthood and King Arthur's favour (Doc E). The codes were put in place by leaders in power. In Japan the power was merchants being at the bottom and Emperors at the top. They had symbolic power only though (Doc A). In Europe, the Pope was at the top and Peasant Serfs on the bottom (Doc A).

The Samurai were soldiers for the Japanese army. They were outfitted with armor from head to toe. They would Carry 2 swords, one being a short and the other long.Samurais were skilled with the sword as well as archery and horseback. They Followed a code That could end their lives. And they were always humble to the Emperor.

Japan faced many internal and external struggles in its unification. The nation's daimyo held a great amount of power, and often battled for land. This made it difficult for a singe administrative system to control the entire country. The Ashikaga Shogunate was also weakened from the Onin War, making it more difficult for it to maintain its place in Japan. These factors combined made it uniquely difficult for a ruling system to control all of