Samurai
Samurai were elite warriors in Japan who emerged during the tenth and eleventh centuries as a response to the power struggles among aristocrats. Their name translates to "one who serves," reflecting their role as retainers to feudal lords known as daimyo. Samurai were distinguished by their martial skills, bravery, and a strong code of ethics called bushido, which emphasized honor, loyalty, and self-discipline. This warrior class developed a unique cultural identity, setting them apart from the common populace of farmers, artisans, and merchants, and they held significant power during periods of conflict.
As Japan transitioned into the Tokugawa Era (1603–1867), characterized by relative peace, the samurai adapted to new roles as bureaucrats and managers of their lords' estates. While they maintained cultural significance, their political power and influence diminished, culminating in the abolition of feudalism in 1871. The samurai legacy remains prominent in Japanese culture, signifying not only martial prowess but also the complex interplay of honor and duty that defined their existence throughout history.
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Samurai
Date: c. 1100–1871
Location: Japan
Principal military actions: Gempei War, Japanese Civil Wars of 1331–1392, Japanese Civil Wars of 1450–1550, Japanese Wars of Unification
Military significance: The samurai enabled feudal barons to wage war on and gain power over other barons.
During the tenth and eleventh centuries in Japan, powerful aristocrats came to control most of the country’s wealth. Lower ranking aristocrats dissatisfied with the monopoly would assume posts in the provinces where they were free to acquire land and broaden their power base. Armed conflicts were commonplace as armies of highly trained soldiers vied with each other to amass power and property. The nucleus of these armies were warriors, known as samurai (meaning “one who serves”), who fought in armor on horseback. As retainers of the daimyo (feudal barons), samurai were totally dependent on their lord for a meager allowance.
During the centuries of almost continual warfare, the samurai evolved into a distinct and revered caste characterized by physical courage, immense prowess, and a strong sense of honor. A great gulf separated the samurai from the common castes of farmers, artisans, and merchants; peasants who did not show great respect to a samurai could be cut down on the spot.
The samurai followed a rigid code of ethics known as bushido. It stressed honor, moral virtue, bravery, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, self-control, and unswerving loyalty to the daimyo. The warrior recognized the impermanence of life and always presented a quiet submission to the inevitable—stoicism in the face of physical or mental suffering and scorn for the ever-present threat of death.
During the peaceful Tokugawa Era (1603–1867), Japan became a highly bureaucratic state functioning within a feudal framework. With no battles to fight, the samurai became stewards and chamberlains of the daimyo’s estates and the samurai’s cultural dominance progressively waned until 1871, when feudalism was officially abolished and they lost their privileged status.
Bibliography
Dunn, Charles. Everyday Life in Imperial Japan. New York: Dorset Press, 1989.
Nitobe, Inazo. Bushido: The Soul of Japan. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle, 1994.
Sadler, A. L., trans. The Code of the Samurai. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle, 1994.
Samurai! Documentary. A&E Televison Networks, 1997.
Samurai Warrior. Documentary. A&E Home Video, 1997.