The Elite Japanese Samurai History

Japan, being an island with a treacherous coast, very defensible and uncertain weather inclined to typhoons, has had an extraordinary pattern of seclusion and the exemption of foreign incursions throughout the course of its history. All your problems, to modernization, were largely related to the internal power struggles between the various large families. The Japanese emperor, the Mikado, who, as a descendant of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, was considered a supreme divine autocrat, very often, in fact, a helpless puppet while respected in the hands of these families. There was, in fact, central government until about 593-622 when Taishi Shotuku Soga family, the first family of Great recorded in Japanese history, became the regent of his aunt, Empress Suiko, and brought the various clans under the imperial flag. Some degree of stability has been achieved through their efforts, especially by the announcement in 604 of the Constitution of seventeen articles, which were influenced by Confucian principles of rational government. The first official Japanese embassy in China was also sent during the Regency Shotuku, but the Soga family in disgrace after his death.
















In 645, Prince Naka-no-Imperial Oe, who became the Emperor Tenchi, and Nakatomi Kamatari, the founder of the family next to a large extent, the Fujiwara, took control of the Soga family and introduced the Taika (Great) Reform of the improvement of the Governing Body also by strengthening the central government and the establishment of the imperial capital in Otsu. He remained there until 672 when the outcome of the war of succession between two Emperor Tenchi Otama Oama children Prince and Prince decided in favor of the former, who ascended the throne as Emperor Temmu and the decision until his death in 686, moved the capital back to the Asuka region. The newly established City Fujiwara became the imperial capital from 694 to 710, during which, along with the issuance of the first Japanese copper coins, new government reforms in the form of administrative and criminal Taiho Code were also introduced. In 710, the imperial court moved from Fujiwara to the first permanent capital of Japan Nara (Heijo), a model city in China's capital, and began the Nara period. One of the main characteristics of this period is to weaken China's influence and the growing popularity of indigenous movements in Japan's place in art, literature and religion. The great Buddhist monasteries were built during this time in Nara soon became politically very powerful, and in fact there was an attempted mutiny against the emperor in 766 by the Buddhist monk Dokyo.



Although this was thwarted by the Emperor Kammu 770 and able to ascend the imperial throne in 781, the capital was moved to Nagaoka in 784 to reduce the influence of the monks, and finally to Heian (Kyoto) in 794 where he stayed for over a thousand years. Over the years 700 to the north of the country were occupied at the expense of the original inhabitants barbarians Emishi, and for his efforts in this regard, Otomo Yakamochi was the first to have the range Sei shogun (barbarian-submit-general ).




During the next 200 years, the influence of the emperor became nominal, while the Fujiwaras rose to power through marriage alliances calculated with the imperial family and by the acquisition of major political offices in government. The first Fujiwara regent Fujiwara was Yoshifusa, who took over the management of the affairs of the boy-emperor Seiwa in 858. It was followed in 884 by Fujiwara Motosune was regent of the Emperor Koko, and in 996 the most important of them all, Michinaga Fujiwara. During this period, two other large families, the Minamoto and the Taira, he also made their presence felt, and there was much mutual conflict between them. In 1068, with the ascension of Emperor Go-Sanjo strong mind and the withdrawal of important minister, Fujiwara Yorimichi, the absolute authority of the Fujiwaras came to be questioned. The new emperor, although it was made to abdicate in favor of his son Sadahito (the emperor Shirakawa) within four years, continued the scheme to gain power over Fujiwaras behind the scenes. Thus began the practice of Insei, in which successive emperors abdicated turn to regain its lost glory and for their continued interference in the government led to the decline of the influence of the Fujiwara. Soon closing emperors, and it became known that exercise real influence in Japan. Alongside these emperors recalcitrant Fujiwara also had to face the growing power of 'Daimyos "or" big names "that they had created to collect taxes from the government. The daimyo, who were large landowners with their personal armies, often engaged in mutual war between them and, as each grew in strength and territories, the need or desire to pay homage to the weak central government declined. The Head of Family Daimyo, the Taira and Minamoto, joined forces with the Emperor Go-Shirakawa in overthrowing the Fujiwara in 1156. Soon after, however, a power struggle erupted between the two that led to the Heiji disturbance of 1159 in Kyoto, where the captured Minamoto Sanjo Palace and the Emperor Go-Shirakawa. The Taira, under Taira Kiyomori, counterattacked and defeated the Minamoto, killing all but four children were saved, as consequences, including the future Yoritomo and Yoshitsune. As it turned out, were these two very Yoritomo, in particular, who were looking after a bloody revenge against the murderers of his family and final touch of the Taira. Gempei War between these two families, which lasted from 1180 to 1185 resulted in the complete destruction of the Taira clan at the Battle of Dan no Ura and the resurgence of the power of the Minamoto. Minamoto Yoritomo, who emerged as the leader, the emperor received the hereditary title of Shogun and became the real ruler of Japan. One of his first acts as Shogun, and he was opposed to the softness of luxury of the capital, was to establish his military capital at Kamakura. Thus began the shogunate First known as the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. It lasted from 1185 to 1333 and during this period, despite a number of civil and political changes, the office of Shogun was kept constant and the feudal system developed. Then, along with the typical decrease in the power of the ruling family, conflict with the emperor was still struggling to reassert itself. The Emperor did not, but what finally made the Kamakura shogunate. Hojo regents in Kamakura came to power and there was peace for several decades until the Mongols tried to invade in 1274.



The Mongols, who had conquered China 1259, Japan attempted to conquer the next by sending a naval fleet to invade the island of Kyushu, which, except for bad weather conditions, which have surpassed the Japanese. The latter used the fiasco to make a better prepared and able to withstand a strong defense against the next invasion attempt in 1281. Here too, however, was the time that finally forced the Mongols to retreat. There were no further attacks of the Mongols, but costly war preparations, and also the inability to pay was the bane Kamakura military government and facilitated the rise of imperial power under the Emperor Go-Daigo. However, the ineptitude, outdated policies and lack of support from the daimyo led to the fall, in turn Kemmu Restoration of 1334. The emperor was forced to flee and another was appointed in his place, and for the next 50 years, until 1392 when one of them finally got tired of it, had two Imperial Courts antagonistic in Japan.

In 1336, the Ashikaga shogunate, under the direction of Takauji, Shogun was proclaimed in 1338, came to power and continued for 238 years, ie until 1574. He moved the capital to Kyoto, contemporary contacts with the Ming dynasty in China, and encouraged China influenced the cultural development in Japan. One of the shogun Ashikaga, in fact, tried to curry favor with the Ming emperor proclaimed a vassal of the Ming. The art forms of Ikebana and Bonsai became popular, so the famous Japanese tea ceremony. Poetry, painting, architecture also flourished. The two known monuments Japanese Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) were built during this period. However, from 1467 until 1568, was also a time of constant civil war and there was a resulting decrease in the authority of the Shogun and the Emperor. The deteriorated state of affairs until the Central Government was left with almost any kind of authority outside the capital. Among the general population, the peasants were the worst since they were heavily taxed and had to bear the brunt of civil wars. The Portuguese arrived in 1542 during the course of these wars, and brought with them the first firearms ever seen in Japan. Despite his efforts to spread Christianity suffered, were courted for military reasons. The hundred-year-old civilian, the struggle was finally ended by the separate efforts of three of the most charismatic and colorful in the history of Japan - Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The Samurai

The Japanese samurai warriors or elite status had a very distinguished medieval Japanese society. They were an intellectual combat force - not only expert swordsmen, archers, cavalry and martial artists, but also well versed in things like philosophy, poetry and fine arts. Known as either Samurai or Bushi, rose to prominence during the power struggles between factions Taira-Minamoto-Fujiwara. Many of these soldiers were members of large families and therefore had a personal interest in the struggle for power. Others were hired mercenaries. Both however were emphatically true to their Daimyo and adheres to a strict moral code of conduct called "Bushido", according to which the courage, honor and personal integrity were confirmed even before life itself. This has been detailed in the book "The Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi. "Bushido" was the soul of the samurai caste and was influenced by Zen philosophy, Confucius and Hagakure. Samurai who transgressed or dishonored their principles generally committed suicide Seppuku or Hara-Kiri, a practice to disembowel himself with his own sword, often in the presence of an assistant known as "Kaishaku" which facilitated the torment of the artist beheading him immediately on completion of the act. Seppuku could be performed by a person of exceptional value and this was the hallmark of the Samurai.

In exchange for his unswerving loyalty, the samurai were given land, status, money, and the most privileged positions in the administration and the army. Only samurai were allowed to wear two swords, one longer than is taken out, and a short film that was used constantly. They also carried other weapons such as Spears and 'Naginata. At one time they were also free of any liability and could put to death at will any commoner who had offended knowingly or unknowingly, his sense of decorum. During the Tokugawa period, the samurai class became even clearer. They were no longer allowed to marry other sections of Japanese society such as farmers, artisans, merchants. They were transferred also to the peoples of the castle and began receiving a stipend from the government. However, since this period was relative peace, many samurai found themselves unemployed and some were forced to choose and engage in other occupations that are less honorable. Those who did not become shopkeepers or farmers toured the country offering their services where needed. These came to be called 'Ronin'. The government tried to help the Samurai participating as teachers of the country's youth. However, urban development is, there were major changes in Japanese social structure and the importance of the Samurai, including his own observance of 'Bushido', began to decline.