Who are the samurai? They represent feudal class Japan, which enjoyed great respect and reverence among all other classes. Samurai were feared and respected, for their cruelty in battles and nobility in peaceful life. The great names of the samurai of Japan are written in a story that will forever remember these legendary figures.

This is a kind of analogue of European knights, who swore to serve faithfully to their master and played one of major roles in the Japanese community. Their activities and way of life were rigidly bound by a code of honor, which was called "Bushido". The great samurai of Japan fought for feudal lords or daimyo - the most powerful rulers of the country, who obeyed the powerful shogun.

The era of daimyo lasted from the 10th to the middle of the 19th century. During this time, the samurai managed to surround themselves with a kind of halo of nobility, they were feared and respected even outside the country. rising sun. Mere mortals admired them, bowing before their cruelty, courage, cunning and resourcefulness. Many feats were attributed to samurai, but the truth was actually much more prosaic - the famous samurai of Japan were ordinary killers, but what was the nature of their crimes!

Top most famous samurai in Japan

One can talk endlessly about the great samurai. Their stories are shrouded in a halo of mystery and nobility, very often they were credited with undeserved feats, but these personalities still remained the subject of worship and disinterested respect.

• Taira no Kiyomori (1118 - 1181)

He was a commander and warrior, thanks to whom the first samurai was created. administrative system governance in the history of the Japanese state. Prior to the start of his activities, all samurai were simply hired warriors for aristocrats. After that, he took the Taira clan under his protection and quickly achieved success in political activity. In 1156, Kiyomori, along with Minamoto no Yoshimoto (the head of the Minamoto clan), managed to crush the rebellion and began to rule the two highest warrior clans in Kyoto. As a result, their union turned into bitter rivals, and in 1159 Kiyomori defeated Yoshimoto. Thus, Kiyomori became the head of the most powerful warrior clan in Kyoto.

Kiyomori was able to seriously advance in career ladder. In 1171, he gave his daughter in marriage to Emperor Takakura. A little later, their first child was born, which was often used as a lever of pressure on the emperor. However, the plans of the samurai failed to materialize, he died of a fever in 1181.

• Ii Naomasa (1561 - 1602)

He was a famous general or daimyo during the period when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was in power. It was one of the most devoted samurai known to the history of Japan. He advanced significantly through the ranks and received great recognition after 3,000 soldiers under his leadership won the Battle of Nagakute (1584). He fought with such vigor that even opponents admired his behavior on the battlefield. The greatest popularity brought him the battle of Sekigahara. During the battle, he was hit by a stray bullet, after which he could not fully recover. His detachment was called the "Red Devils" for the corresponding color of the armor that warriors wore during the battle to intimidate opponents.

• Date Masamune (1567 - 1636)

The list of "The most famous samurai" continues this legendary person. The daimyo was ruthless and merciless, almost everyone said so about him. He was an outstanding warrior and an excellent strategist, and his personality became even more memorable due to the loss of one eye, for which Masamune received the nickname "One-Eyed Dragon". He was supposed to take the leading place in the clan after his father, but the loss of an eye caused a split in the family and the younger brother Date came to power. Already being a general, the samurai was able to gain a good reputation and was rightfully considered a leader. It was after this that he unleashed a campaign in order to defeat the neighboring clans. This created considerable excitement. As a result, the neighboring clan turned to the father with a request to curb his eldest son. Terumune was abducted, but he managed to warn his son about a similar outcome of events and asked him to kill all members of neighboring clans. Date Masamune followed his father's instructions.

Although this contradicts some ideas about samurai, but Date Masamune was a supporter of religion and culture. He even personally knew the Pope.

• Honda Tadakatsu (1548 - 1610)

He was a general and one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ieyasu along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. Of the four, Honda Tadakatsu had a reputation for being the most dangerous and merciless. He was a true warrior, even in the depths of his soul. So, for example, Oda Nobunaga, who, by the way, was not very happy with his followers, considered Tadakatsu a real samurai among all other samurai. It was often said of him that Honda bypassed death itself, as he never received a serious injury, despite the fact that the number of his battles exceeded 100.

• Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

He was the most famous samurai and ninja of the Sengoku era. Thanks to him, Emperor Tokugawa Ieyasu survived, and a little later became the ruler of a united Japan. Hattori Hanzo showed brilliant military tactics, earning him the nickname Devil Hanzo. He won his first battle at a very young age - Hanzo was only 16 years old then. After that, he was able to free the Tokugawa daughters from the hostages at Kaminogo Castle in 1562. The year 1582 was decisive for him in his career and in gaining a leading position - he helped the future Shogun escape from his pursuers to the province of Mikawa. In this operation, he was helped by local ninjas.

Hattori Hanzo was an excellent swordsman and his last years, as they say historical sources, he was hiding under the guise of a monk. Many often attributed supernatural abilities to this samurai. It was said that he could instantly hide and appear in the most unexpected places.

• Benkei (1155 - 1189)

He was a warrior monk who was in the service of the Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei is perhaps the most popular character in Japanese folklore. The stories about his origins are many-sided: some claim that he was born to a raped woman, while others are inclined to believe that Benkei was a descendant of a god. Rumor has it that this samurai killed at least 200 people in each of his battles. Interesting fact At the age of 17 he was over 2 meters tall. He learned the art of naginata (a long weapon that is a mixture of a spear and an ax) and left a Buddhist monastery to join a sect of mountain monks.

According to legend, he went to the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, and was able to disarm every passing swordsman. Thus, he was able to collect 999 swords. During the 1000th battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei was defeated and forced to become his vassal. A few years later, while under siege, Yoshitsune committed ritual suicide while Benkei fought for his master. Rumor has it that the rest of the soldiers were afraid to oppose this giant. In that battle, the samurai laid down about 300 soldiers, who saw with their own eyes how the giant pierced by arrows was still standing. So everyone was able to learn about the "standing death of Benkei."

• Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

He was one of the most powerful commanders of the Sengoku era in Japan. He believed in the Buddhist god of war, and his followers were convinced that Uesugi Kenshin was the incarnation of Bishamonten. He was the youngest ruler of Echigo Province - at the age of 14, he took the place of his older brother.

He agreed to go against the greatest commander Takeda Shingen. In 1561, the largest battle between Shingen and Kenshin took place. The results of the battle were mixed, as both sides lost about 3,000 men in this battle. They were rivals for more than 14 years, but even this fact did not prevent them from exchanging gifts. And when Shingen died in 1573, Kenshin could not accept the loss of such a worthy opponent.

Data on the death of Uesugi Kenshin is ambiguous. Someone says that he died from the consequences of heavy drinking, someone is inclined to the version that he was seriously ill.

• Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

This is perhaps the most famous samurai in the history of Japan. He is known, by and large, for his unique military tactics. Often referred to as the "Kai Tiger" for its distinctive characteristics on the battlefield. At the age of 20, he took the Takeda clan under his tutelage, then united with the Imagawa clan - as a result, the young commander received power over all nearby territories.

This was the only samurai who possessed sufficient strength and skill to defeat the powerful Oda Nobunaga, who aspired to power over all of Japan. Singen died while preparing for the next battle. Some say that a soldier wounded him, while others are inclined to believe that the samurai died of a serious illness.

• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 - 1616)

He is the first shogun and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. His family practically ruled the Land of the Rising Sun from 1600 until the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu received power in 1600, became shogun three years later, and two years later he abdicated, but was in power the rest of the time until his death. It was one of the most famous generals in the history of Japan.

This samurai outlived many famous rulers in his lifetime: Oda Nobunaga laid the foundation for the shogunate, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized power, Shingen and Kenshin, two of the strongest rivals, were dead. The Tokugawa Shogunate, thanks to the cunning mind and tactical thinking of Ieyasu, will rule Japan for another 250 years.

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

It is also the most famous samurai of its kind. He was a general and great politician of the Sengoku era, as well as the second unifier of Japan and the man who ended the Warring States period. Hideyoshi has made efforts to create some cultural legacies. So, for example, he introduced a restriction from which it followed that only members of the samurai class could carry weapons. In addition, he financed the construction and restoration of many temples, and also played a significant role in the history of Christianity in Japan.

Hideyoshi, despite his peasant background, was able to become the great general of Nobunaga. He failed to obtain the title of shogun, but made himself regent and built a palace. As his health began to fail, Hideyoshi began to conquer the Ming Dynasty with the help of Korea. The class reforms that the samurai carried out significantly changed the Japanese social system.

Japan is a country of brave samurai and brave shoguns. The whole world knows about the valor and courage of Japanese warriors. Samurai is an integral part of Japanese culture, its distinctive symbol. The loyalty and discipline of the samurai could be the envy of any warrior.

Who are they, servants of their state, desperate warriors or masters of their land?

Samurai means "warrior" in Japanese. This word also has several other meanings - “serve”, “support”, “servant”, “vassal” and “subordinate”. That is, a samurai is a warrior who serves his state and fiercely defends it.

From ancient Japanese chronicles it is known that the samurai was a nobleman (nothing to do with European nobles). They were not only engaged in military operations. In peacetime, samurai served the highest princes and were their bodyguards.

History of the Samurai

The first samurai appeared in Japan at the beginning of the 12th century. At that time, the state was ruled by the brave shogun Minamoto. These were quite peaceful times, so the number of samurai was relatively small. Warriors took an active part in peaceful life - they grew rice, raised children, and taught martial arts.

During the reign of the great Japanese clan of Tokugawa shoguns, the number of samurai almost tripled. They probably served their shogun, owned considerable land plots. Under Tokugawa, these warriors were considered the most prosperous people.

During the time of the Tokugawa, a large set of samurai laws was issued. The main one was considered the law "Bushido". It said that a warrior must unconditionally obey his master and boldly look death in the face. In addition, the samurai was endowed with the right to kill with impunity an ordinary peasant who was unacceptably rude to the soldiers. In times of peace, the samurai, it is true, served their shogun, and sometimes took part in the suppression of peasant revolts.

There were also such samurai who eventually moved into the class of ronin. Ronin are former warriors who got rid of vassalage. Such samurai lived like ordinary people: they conducted trade, craft and agricultural activities.

Many samurai became shinobi. Shinobi are assassins for hire, a kind of ninja.

In the middle of the 18th century, the disintegration of the samurai class began. During this period, the Japanese bourgeoisie began to actively progress. Trade, craft and manufactory flourished. Many samurai were forced to borrow money from moneylenders. The situation of the samurai became unbearable. Their role for the country has become incomprehensible even to themselves. Some tried to adapt to peaceful life, many hit the religion. Others became traders, artisans and farmers. And the samurai - the rebels - were simply killed, finally undermining their will and spirit.

The upbringing and development of the samurai

The upbringing of a samurai is a complex, multi-level process. The formation of a warrior began at an early age. From childhood, the sons of the samurai knew that they were the successors of their kind and reliable keepers of family customs and traditions.

Every evening, before going to bed, the child was told about the history and courage of the samurai, about their exploits. The stories gave examples when the legendary samurai boldly looked death in the face. Thus, courage and valor were instilled in the child from childhood.

An important aspect of samurai education was the Bushido technique. She introduced the concept of seniority, the main thing in the family. From an early age, boys were taught that a man is the head of the family, and only he can determine the direction of his child's activities. Another Japanese technique, Iemoto, taught boys discipline and behavior. The technique was purely theoretical.

In addition, boys from childhood were accustomed to severe trials. They taught various martial arts, tolerance for pain, control of one's own body, the ability to obey. They developed willpower, the ability to overcome even the most severe life situations. There were times when boys were given endurance tests. To do this, they were raised at dawn and sent to a cold, unheated room. There they were closed and not fed for a long time. Some fathers forced their sons to go to the cemetery at night. So they instilled in the boys the courage of a valiant warrior. Others took their sons to executions, forced them to do backbreaking work, to walk without shoes in the snow, to spend several nights without sleep.

At the age of 5, the boy was given a bokken. Bokken is a samurai sword. Since then, began learning the art of fencing. In addition, the future warrior had to be able to swim perfectly, stay in the saddle perfectly, be literate in writing, literature and history. The boys were taught self-defense lessons - jiu-jitsu. In addition, they were taught music, philosophy and crafts.

At the age of 15, the boy turned into a valiant samurai.

Samurai are the embodiment of stamina, courage and devotion to duty. Thanks to the Meiji revolution, followed by the massive military-political expansion of the land of the rising sun in the Asia-Pacific region, the whole world knows about them. Where did the samurai come from and who are these knights of the ancient East who, following the laws of that time, managed to hold power in their hands for seven hundred years?

The origin of the samurai

Samurai were representatives of the military-feudal class, including large princes, referred to as daimyo, and petty nobles. The very word "samurai", formed from the form of the verb 侍ふ "saburau", which means "serve", is translated as a service person.

The duty of true samurai is to act as a support for the loyalty of their master. The opinion that they served exclusively as warrior knights is erroneous. Brave men were both the bodyguards of their overlords and their servants in Everyday life. In fact, they were the police forces of the authorities. As a reward for their devoted service, the samurai received land allotments from their overlords.

Samurai originated in 646 in the land of the rising sun - Japan. But as a separate estate, it was singled out only during the reign of the richest Minamoto clans (1192-1300). new system management - shogunate. It was a pyramid, at the top of which stood one of the large feudal lords, one step below them were representatives of the middle and low classes. Differences between estates were conditionally built only on the amount of wealth.

The military component played a huge role in the life of Japanese society. Two factors contributed to this: frequent intra-state conflicts between princes and feudal fragmentation in general. Since the need for warriors was great, their influence gradually grew. So by the X-XI centuries, the heads of the samurai clans turned into military commanders who commanded huge armies and owned vast territories.

During the reign of the Tokugawa shoguns (1603-1867), the samurai class already had a clear design:

• Hatamoto - representatives of the most privileged layer, in fact, who were vassals of the shogun;
• Daimyo - vassals of the princes, leaving the bulk of the samurai.

In addition to the samurai who served their overlords, there were also the so-called ronin - "servants" who lost their master. The name "ronin" is translated as "man-wave". It is completely justified. After all, ronin turned into wandering warriors, aimlessly wandering here and there. They took part in armed conflicts and were hired as bodyguards for wealthy nobles.

Over time, part of the ronin moved into the position of citizens and began to engage in crafts, while the other part joined the ranks of hired killers, called ninjas.

Components of a samurai costume

The main weapon of the samurai and the key component of the costume was the daisho - a pair of Japanese iron swords with a characteristic curved shape. In fact, the daisho acted as a class certificate of a warrior, endowed with a sacred meaning. Therefore, he was treated properly - they kept him at the head even during sleep and carefully monitored his condition throughout his life.

A pair of daisho includes:

• the first is daito, the product has a length of 60.6 cm;
• the second is a seto, a product 30.6 cm long.

Instead of a short sword, it was allowed to use a tanto dagger with a blade length of 30.3 cm. Usually only one of the swords was used in battle. Fighting with two swords at the same time was used exclusively in the performance of the exotic Ryomou technique taught in ancient school martial arts of Japan - Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu.

The etiquette of that time demanded that at the entrance to the dwelling always leave the daito on a special stand, or entrust its savings to a servant. Shoto could always be carried with him, using as a personal weapon.

The katana is another classic warrior weapon. The Japanese sword is shaped like a saber, the blade length of which reaches 70-75 cm. The katana was used in tandem with the wakizashi, a shorter sword with a blade length of 30.3-30.6 cm.

A true samurai also had to wield a yumi longbow. A two-meter asymmetrical weapon was used for firing from a sitting position on horseback. He, like the daisho, was treated with great respect, because they believed that the object was endowed with great power. Warriors carefully kept it from cold and heat, treating it like an inspired object.

Samurai armor was made from metal plates. The total weight of the "suit" is about 12-15 kg, which did not prevent the soldiers from maintaining maneuverability and speed in combat conditions.

To protect against rust, they were pasted over with leather. The elements of the costume were interconnected by lacing. Due to the abundance of silk threads covering almost the entire surface of the plates, metal elements was practically invisible.

Features of education and training

The title of samurai in feudal Japan was passed down from generation to generation. The upbringing of future warriors was carried out in accordance with bushido - a code of honor. It was a set of rules and norms of the "ideal" warrior.

Already in early childhood the boy was given two swords as a symbol of belonging to the class, teaching him to take care of weapons. The methods of education used were very cruel. For example: in order to develop perseverance and perseverance in boys, they were forced to stay awake at night, walk without shoes in winter, and sometimes do backbreaking work. To develop courage, the father could force his son to go to the cemetery at night or be required to attend a public execution.

Future warriors were brought up in strictness, taught to respect their parents and be devoted to the emperor. All efforts were aimed at strengthening the character of the young man, developing in him endurance and stamina, fearlessness and courage. That is why incredible legends circulated about the unprecedented prowess of the samurai.

By the age of 15, the preparation was considered complete. The young samurai was given real combat swords, with which he was obliged not to part until the end of his days.

From an early age, warriors were brought up with the idea that honor is more valuable than life. This explains the world-famous tendency of the samurai to self-sacrifice. Ritual killings have wide use in Japanese society, and therefore parting with life was considered more preferable than losing honor.

Seppuk or hara-kiri was considered a worthy end to the path of a true samurai. A vivid example of this is the fact that, when the Second World War was lost in 1945, a huge number of suicides were noted in Japan. They were committed by both military and civilian officials of various ranks and ranks.

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Japanese samurai- in feudal Japan, in a broad sense, secular feudal lords, ranging from large sovereign princes (daimyo) to petty nobles; in the narrow and most frequently used sense - the military-feudal class of petty nobles. Although the words "Japanese samurai" and "bushi" are very close in meaning, but still "bushi" (warrior) is a broader concept, and it does not always refer to the Japanese samurai. Also, in some definitions, it is a Japanese knight. The very word "Japanese samurai" comes from the verb "saburau" - in literal translation it means: to serve a superior person.

Japanese samurai- not just knights, they were also the bodyguards of their daimyo (see below), and at the same time were servants in the universal life. had the most honorable position - the guardian of the sword of their master, but there were also such positions as the guardian of the umbrella or the "giver" of water in the morning, after sleep.

Bushido is the ethical code of conduct for the Japanese samurai in medieval Japan. The Japanese samurai code appeared in the period of the 11th-14th centuries and was formalized in the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate.

japanese samurai origin

According to the most common opinion, they "originated" in the VIII century in the east, northeast and far south Japan. On the outskirts of the empire, the Ainu tribes that settled here from ancient times fiercely defended their lands from the imperial troops. The basis of the Japanese samurai was made up of runaway peasants and free hunters who were looking for "land and freedom" on the borders of the empire. Like the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks, Japanese samurai spent their lives in constant campaigns and skirmishes with warlike aborigines, protecting state borders.

Until the end of the 9th century, primarily in the north of the current territory of Japan, war raged. To counter the danger lurking at every turn, they built fortified settlements and waged a bloody struggle for existence, participating in punitive expeditions on the territory of the natives.

The life of Japanese samurai was also dangerous in other provinces of what was then Japan. For several centuries, pirates have hunted in coastal waters. In the interior, in the forests and mountains, gangs of robbers were outraged. Peasant uprisings broke out all over the country. Under these conditions, the governors and the nobility of the provinces, especially the border ones, did not want, and could not, rely on the imperial government and troops, but preferred to restore order on their own. To do this, they created small military formations from combat-ready men, which were under their direct command.

Military detachments were commanded by representatives of the nobility, owners of large estates, that is, private lands, which they were endowed with by the imperial government. The owners of the estates did their best to expand their allotment, capturing new lands in military campaigns and cutting down forests.

In the X-XII centuries. in the process of feudal civil strife, sovereign families finally took shape, leading significant military forces, which were only nominally in the imperial service. By that time, the foundations of the unwritten moral code of the Japanese samurai "The Way of the Bow and Horse" ("Kyuba no Miti"), which later turned into the set of precepts "The Way of the Warrior" ("Bushido"), had also developed.

They began to stand out as a special estate, usually dating from the period of rule in Japan by the feudal house of Minamoto (1333). The protracted and bloody civil war that preceded this (the so-called "Trouble Gempei") between the feudal houses of Taira and Minamoto created the prerequisites for the establishment of the shogunate - the rule of the samurai class with the supreme commander ("shogun") at the head.

japanese samurai golden age

The golden age of the Japanese samurai is considered the period from the first Shogunate to the Onin War. On the one hand, it was a peaceful period (not counting the attempt Mongol invasion), on the other hand, the number of Japanese samurai is not as large as under the Tokugawa (when almost every fifth Japanese was a Japanese samurai), which allowed the Japanese samurai to have a high standard of living.

After defeating the house of Taira, Minamoto no Yoritomo forced the emperor to give him the title of shogun, and turned the fishing village of Kamakura, where his headquarters was located, into his residence. From now on, the shogun became the most powerful person in the country: the highest ranking Japanese samurai and chief minister all rolled into one. Although officially sovereignty in the state belonged to the emperor, and his court retained a certain influence, they lost their dominant position - the emperor was forced to agree with the decisions of the shogun under the threat of "voluntary" abdication.

Yoritomo created a new governing body of the empire, called the "field headquarters" ("bakufu"). Like the shogun, most of his ministers and their assistants were Japanese samurai. Thanks to this, the spirit of the samurai class penetrated into all spheres of public life in Japan.

An experienced commander, Yoritomo appointed Japanese samurai to all important posts in the provinces, who won his trust in the Gempei war. In addition, two new positions of military governor and land head were established in each province, reporting and reporting directly to the bakufu, of which the shogun himself was head. Thus, the shogun and his ministers were well aware of what was happening in the country, and could, if necessary, take decisive action in time.

The Kamakura shogunate, which existed for about a hundred and fifty years, opened a new chapter in the history of Japan and the Japanese samurai.

The era of internecine wars among Japanese samurai

Over time, the military governors became increasingly independent of the shogunate. They turned into large feudal lords, concentrating rich land plots in their hands. The houses of the southwestern provinces of Japan were especially strengthened, which significantly increased their armed forces.

In addition, thanks to the lively trade with China and Korea, the feudal lords of the western and southwestern provinces, from where it was mainly conducted, were significantly enriched. The Kamakura shogunate, not wanting to put up with the strengthening of individual houses of Japanese samurai, interfered with the trading activities of the feudal lords, which was one of the reasons for the emergence of opposition sentiments towards the Kamakura shogunate among the houses of Japanese samurai.

As a result, the Kamakura shogunate was deposed, and the title of shogun passed to the representatives of the Ashikaga house. The first shogun of the new dynasty was Ashikaga Takauji. The head of the new shogunate left the former headquarters of the bakufu - Kamakura - destroyed during the civil strife, and, together with the entire government, moved to the imperial capital of Kyoto. Once in Kyoto, the shogun and influential Japanese samurai, in order to catch up with the arrogant court nobility, began to build magnificent palaces for themselves and gradually mired in luxury, idleness, intrigues of the imperial court and began to neglect state affairs.

The military governors of the provinces immediately took advantage of the weakening of centralized power. They formed their own detachments of Japanese samurai, with whom they attacked their neighbors, seeing each as an enemy, until, finally, a full-scale civil war broke out in the country.

The last phase of this war is referred to in medieval chronicles as the "era of the fighting provinces" (Sengoku Jidai). It lasted from 1478 to 1577.

In the middle of the 16th century, it seemed that the empire, shaken civil war, will fall apart into separate states, but the daimyo of the province of Owara (in the central part of the island of Honshu) Oda Nobunaga managed to start the process of a new unification of the country. Having made several successful military campaigns against large feudal lords and defeated some Buddhist monasteries that participated in internecine wars, Oda Nobunaga was able to subjugate the center of the country with the imperial capital of Kyoto. In 1573, he overthrew Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the last shogun of the Ashikaga family. In 1583, in one of the temples of Kyoto, Nobunaga committed seppuku in order to avoid being captured by the army of the general who had betrayed him.

The cause of unification of the country was continued by one of the most capable generals of Nobunaga - Toyotomi Hideyoshi, an uneducated, conceited, but smart and strong-willed native of the peasant classes. He continued the work of his patron with ruthless determination, and by 1588 he had actually united the country.

In the era of internecine wars, there was some blurring of the boundaries of the Japanese samurai class, since a successful commoner could, like Toyotomi Hideyoshi, not only become a Japanese samurai, but make a dizzying career (Toyotomi Hideyoshi himself, being the son of a simple peasant, could not become a shogun, but he was one no title). The blurring of the boundaries of the Japanese samurai class was also facilitated by the fact that many commanders in that era used non-professional soldiers recruited from peasant families. The system of traditional Japanese samurai was further undermined by the laws on recruitment duties introduced by Oda Nobunaga.

However, already under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the erosion of the class of Japanese samurai was temporarily suspended. Hideyoshi, by special edicts, confirmed the privileges of the Japanese samurai and imposed a ban on seasonal seasonal work for peasants. By decree of 1588, commoners were strictly forbidden to own weapons. The so-called "hunt for swords" began, during which the peasants were disarmed.

In 1598, Hideyoshi died, leaving power to his minor son, instead of whom the regency council was to manage state affairs. It was from this circle that the man who completed the unification of the country by establishing autocracy soon emerged - Tokugawa Ieyasu. He chose the city of Edo (now Tokyo) as his residence, eliminated Hideyoshi's son by cunning and force and proclaimed himself shogun, laying the foundation for the Tokugawa shogunate, whose era lasted more than two hundred and fifty years.

sunset

The class of Japanese samurai received a clear design during the rule of the shoguns from the Tokugawa feudal house in Japan (1867). The most privileged layer of the Japanese samurai were the so-called hatamoto (literally - "under the banner"), who were the direct vassals of the shogun. Hatamoto for the most part occupied the position of a service layer in the personal possessions of the shogun. The bulk of the Japanese samurai were vassals of princes (daimyo); most often they did not have land, but received a salary from the prince in rice.

And their code of conduct "Bushido" was imbued with the spirit of unquestioning obedience to the master and contempt for death. Tokugawa law allowed the Japanese samurai to kill with impunity on the spot "a commoner who behaves indecently towards members of the military class." During the reign of the Tokugawa house, when internal feudal wars were stopped, the military units of Japanese samurai were used mainly to suppress peasant uprisings.

At the same time, the daimyo did not need such large detachments of Japanese samurai that existed earlier, during periods of feudal wars, and the number of Japanese samurai in their military detachments was reduced. Part of the Japanese samurai turned into ronin (declassed Japanese samurai, whose vassal dependence on the princes ceased; ronin often moved to the position of townspeople, engaged in crafts, trade and other activities). Others joined the ranks of ninja - hired killers.

The process of internal disintegration of the Japanese samurai class has intensified noticeably since the middle of the 18th century. The development of manufacturing production and the strengthening of the urban bourgeoisie led to the gradual economic degeneration of the Japanese samurai. More and more Japanese samurai and even powerful daimyō fell into debt dependence on moneylenders.

A kind of inferiority complex, generated in the Japanese samurai by their strange position, found expression in a heightened craving for traditional spiritual values. Various schools of martial arts sprang up everywhere. Interest in Zen philosophy, the tea ceremony, painting and engraving, and belles-lettres, which had faded during the internecine wars, flared up with renewed vigor.

Many, without even moving to the position of ronin, were engaged in trade, crafts, etc. Ordinary Japanese samurai (especially in the principalities of Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa and Hizen), closely associated with the bourgeoisie, played a significant role in the unfinished bourgeois revolution of 1867-1868 (see Meiji Isin). After it, the class of Japanese samurai, like other feudal classes, was abolished, but the Japanese samurai did not lose their privileged position.

A significant part of them, even under Tokugawa, who actually owned the land (goshi), after the agrarian laws of 1872-1873 became the legal owner of this land, becoming part of the so-called "new landlords". From the environment of the former Japanese samurai, the cadres of officials were replenished, they consisted mainly of the officers of the army and navy. The Bushido code, the glorification of samurai prowess and traditions, the cult of war - all this became an integral part of the ideology of militaristic Japan before the start of World War II. The term "samurai" is sometimes used to refer to members of the Japanese army.

The Japanese samurai had an almost mythical reputation. The idea of ​​warriors wielding a katana and adhering to a noble code is incredibly romantic. In addition, it was backed up by legends and films. But in fact, many real facts about the samurai are hushed up, because this would destroy the romantic flair created by cinema and literature.

1. Capes "horo"

Samurai wore massive 2-meter "horo" capes, which were stuffed with light materials and soared around the samurai's body with the slightest wind. The horo were supposed to protect the samurai from arrows. And the horos were the main symbol of the status of the war. An enemy killed in battle, who was wearing a horo, was buried with honors.

2. Samurai swords

In the XIII century, when the Mongols attacked Japan, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun first encountered an army equipped with heavy armor. Their swords at that moment did not withstand any criticism. Thin Japanese weapons got stuck in Mongolian leather armor, and often simply broke in half. These slender samurai swords broke so often that they had to be abandoned and made into larger, heavier swords to counter the Mongols.

3. Samurai-"sissies"

In feudal Japan, it was believed that a man who spends the night with a woman is a sissy. Samurai believed that sex with women had a "feminizing" effect on a man's mind and body. The samurai married if it was necessary for him to procreate, but he never allowed himself to be carried away by his wife. If a samurai was seen kissing his wife in public places, then his masculinity was in question. At the same time, homosexual relationships were perceived as something ordinary.

4. Surety-lover

When the boy studied the art of the samurai, he often lived in a pair with a mature man. The elder taught the boy martial arts, etiquette, the code of honor, and in return used him to satisfy lust. It was called "sudo", which means "the path from a boy to a teenager." When the boy turned 13, he usually swore allegiance to the teacher and lived with him for the next six years. This was considered completely normal. One Japanese poet wrote: "A young man without a senior lover-guarantor is likened to a young girl without a groom." It really was treated like a marriage.

5. Immediately and with a witness

If a samurai was treated disrespectfully by someone from lower class, then he could kill this man on the spot. There were a few rules though. The samurai had to do it immediately and in front of witnesses. Moreover, it was considered shameful not to do so.

6. Right leg only

The samurai became paranoid about their bathroom after the case of the daimyo Uesugi Kenshin, who was killed in the toilet in the 16th century. The assassin sneaked into the bathroom and hit Uesugi Kenshin with a spear, taking him by surprise with his pants down. After that, his rival Takeda Shingen became worried that someone might do something similar to him and took action. Since then, all martial artists began to teach adepts to go to the toilet with the right leg completely down in order to give themselves freedom of action. Samurai bathrooms were designed to be assassin-proof.

7. Posthumous smell

A legendary samurai named Shigenari Kimura fought his last fight in 1615 defending Osaka Castle. He boldly led his troops onto the battlefield, carefully cutting his hair and fumigating his helmet with incense. Kimura knew that he would not survive and decided to "take care" of his future assassin by leaving him a fragrant corpse. He knew that his head would become someone's trophy and wanted it to smell good.

8. Dog in armor

At least one set of custom-made samurai armor for a dog survives today. Details are no longer known as to how the dog armor was used, but scientists believe that the armor was probably not intended for combat, but rather it was used during parades or was simply ordered by one of the collectors. However, at one point in history, a samurai walked the streets of a Japanese city with a dog dressed in full combat armor.

9. Shakuhachi

One of the strangest types of samurai weapons are shakuhachi - bamboo flutes. Initially it was just musical instruments played by Buddhist monks. Over time, flutes were transformed when a group of Buddhists called komusos began to walk around with baskets on their heads, playing the flute and preaching. The samurai realized that these people with baskets on their heads were simply the perfect disguise and began to pretend to be. The spies of the samurai, who were sent to suppress the uprisings, looked like monks in komuso. At the same time, samurai flutes had spikes for use as self-defense weapons.

10 Samurai Devotion

The samurai code didn't really exist until the 1600s, and before that, samurai constantly betrayed their masters. Even after that, the loyalty of the samurai existed only on paper, not in real life. If the owner did not take care of the samurai and did not adequately reward the warrior who protected him, then the samurai, as a rule, used every chance to slaughter him and go to serve the one who pays more. When Western missionaries first came to Japan, they were shocked by the amount of betrayal and killing they saw behind the scenes.

And in continuation of the Japanese theme, we publish.