Warrior Rule In Japan

Japan was ruled by warriors for the better part of a millenium. From the twelfth to the nineteenth century its political history was dominated by the struggle of competing leagues of fighting men. This paperback volume, comprised of chapters taken from volumes 3 and 4 of The Cambridge History of Japan, traces the institutional development of warrior rule and dominance. Fourteenth-century warfare weakened the aristocratic and clerical control over provincial estates, and the power of military governors grew steadily. By the eighteenth century, however, warrior rule had come full circle. Centuries of peace brought a transformation and bureaucratization of the samurai class. Although samurai malcontents resisted the Meiji Restoration, many of the Meiji government's leaders were former samurai, and warrior values remained central to the ethical code of modern Japan.

Samurai Warriors illustrates the truth about the fighting men that are iconic in Japanese culture. Comprehensive historical text on the samurai separate myth from fact in chapters detailing their history, from formation to decline, their political role and social structure, and their warfare. Photographs, artwork, and maps illustrate their fighting style and strategy, and depict battles, weapons, and armor. For a period of over fifty years, the samurai helped rule Japan, but these fighter still represent the power and prestige of the warrior.

Investigates some historically important political and social issues raised by the Genpei War (1180-1185). This epic civil conflict, which ushered in Japan's age of the warriors, is famously articulated in the monumental narrative Heike monogatari (The Tale of the Heike).

The samurai are among the most iconic warriors in history. The fighting elite of feudal japan, they have played a dominant role in the country's life for over a thousand years. Even today, a century and a half after the rule of the samurai has formally ended, they remain a powerful symbol of martial might, and the embodiment of the stoic warrior. Like the knights who fought in europe during the same era, the samurai were a feudal aristocracy. Militarily, politically, socially, and economically, they were the most powerful, the most influential, and the most privileged members of society. Though not all samurai were equal in power and status, they were almost always better off than the rest of japanese society. You will discover: How the samurai were born - and the core of their being The type of training that helped them resist the emotions that could hinder them from winning a battle How these professional fighters were trained to endure pain and misery Who minamoto yoritomo is - and how he gained political authority to establish japan's first warrior government The event that resulted in the collapse of the samurai in the late 19th century Armed with faith and steel, experimental weapons and new tactics, he must lead the way into the depths of the dungeon through swarms of horrific abominations and countless traps. But the dungeon itself is changing. And at the bottom floor, the demon ruler of the world awaits. The final campaign begins. A desperate, gruelling crusade to win through the dungeon and find a way home. Now is the time for seisen.

Examines the samurai tradition, which encompasses seven hundred years of Japanese history, and describes the armor, weapons, traditions, and famous battles of the samurai.

Traces the development of the samurai, both in the way they regarded themselves and their role in society.

Bushido: The Soul of Japan is a book penned by Inazō Nitobe investigating the way of the samurai and their traditions. It plunges into the seven qualities most revered by his people: morality, courage, kindness, good manners, sincerity, dignity and loyalty.

An examination of a formative period in medieval Japanese history, this study analyzes the origins and consequences of the Jokyu War of 1221, a struggle of modest military proportions but of major political and legal importance. In defeating the traditional Court at Kyoto, the warrior government at Kamakura became the dominant national power; it subsequently created a highly efficient administration that gave Japan a century of social and political stability. Crucial to the success of Kamakura rule was the development of a system of justice that has long been recognized as one of Japan's outstanding achievements. The author studies this system in detail, describing the forms and techniques for arbitrating disputes and showing exactly how suits were brought, expedited, and resolved. The book includes annotated translations of 144 documents, a selection from the materials on which the book is based. These documents illuminate the changing power relationships after the Jokyu War and the developing stages of the judicial process.