What role did the samurai play, both militarily and otherwise? Was it unique to

Samurai were military retainers of the Japanese feudal barons (daimyo practicing the ethical code of conduct of Bushido . It was the warrior aristocracy of Japan . Bur what role did the samurai play in society Were they only a military power ? Or did they have more social functions Was this social phenomenon unique to Japan ? To answer for all these questions we should review some important questions of samurai existence

The key to understanding samurai 's role in Japanese society is the code of Bushido . The main sense of this code is valuing

honor above life and loyalty to his suzerain . Samurai were very similar to medieval European knights . They were military power of feudal society , they were adhering to a strict moral code , and they were nobles . In XII-XIV centuries samurai were on the top of the social hierarchy . Samurai practice Zen Buddhism , which influenced upon moral code of bushido

In this period around 8 of the overall population of Japan belonged to the samurai class . In the contemporary military system of rule so called shogunate samurai were divided into three groups : kenin , foot soldiers and mounted samurai . The duties of the samurai were to act as military retainers for his master (daimyo . But there was an exception - some samurai had no masters and they were free lances (ronins

Like European knights samurai were not only men of war . Philosophy poetry and art were important elements in the education of samurai . As a noble samurai were patrons of the arts and traditions . Thus samurai 's code of ethics , so called bushido ( way of warrior ) was very similar to European knights ' idea of chivalry . Samurai were more dedicated and disciplined than knights , they have some differences in armor and techniques of martial arts , but they both , Japanese samurai and European knights , represented very important class of feudal society

References

World History , by Duiker W .J . and Jackson J .S . Vol . 1 Fourth Edition Wadsworth Publishing 4 edition 2003 576 pp...