Question

Describe how the Samurai class in Japanese Shogunate society came about.

Explain their role in either the Tokugawa or Kamakura period explain what's the difference between Tokugawa and the Kamakura samurai.
(150 words)

Answer 1

Answer:

By the late eleventh century, the Minamoto (also known as Genji) clan was recognized as the most powerful military clan in the northeastern region of Japan, having defeated several other powerful local groups. In the mid-twelfth century, the Minamoto clashed with the mighty Taira (also known as Heike) clan, which commanded an important western region including the area around Kyoto. A series of clashes, culminating in the Genpei War (1180–1185), ended with the defeat of the Taira.

Explanation:

The Kamakura shogunate was overthrown in 1333 and succeeded by the Ashikaga shogunate (1338–1573), based in Muromachi, near Kyoto. Under the Ashikaga, samurai were increasingly organized into lord–vassal hierarchies. Claiming loyalty to one lord, they adhered to a value system that promoted the virtues of honor, loyalty, and courage. As in the Kamakura period, the Ashikaga shogun was supported by direct vassals and by powerful but more independent regional daimyo, who administered the provinces. These regional leaders were expected to maintain order, administer justice, and ensure the delivery of taxes.In September of 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu won a decisive victory over rival daimyo factions, including supporters of Hideyoshi’s heir, Hideyori. The Tokugawa military government, based in a new capital city at Edo (present-day Tokyo), achieved unparalleled control over the country, lasting more than 260 years, from 1600 to 1868. The regime’s unprecedented longevity was achieved through exceptional social control over the population, including the daimyo and their vassals. From 1639 until 1868, the country’s borders were closed to foreigners with the exception of a single port, Nagasaki, through which Dutch traders could operate under close supervision. For these and other reasons, the era of Tokugawa rule was a time of peace, when the warriors were increasingly called upon to fulfill bureaucratic roles.