Samurai and Shoguns Learning Target 7.31 Chapter 9 Samurai and Shoguns Learning Target 7.31

Learning Target 7.31 I can analyze the rise of a military society in the late 12th century and the role of the shogun and samurai in that society.

Nobles Rise to Power During the A.D. 800s, emperors ruled Japan but their power weakened. Court officials known as regents governed for them. (A regent is a person who rules for an emperor who is too young or too sick to govern.) Regents handled the day-to-day government. Emperors spent their days learning and focusing on the arts.

Other nobles took control in the provinces outside of the capital city. They were given land in return for their support. They did not have to pay taxes. They governed the land under their control. The nobles increased the taxes on the farmers who were working the land.

The Samurai and Their Code The nobles gave land to warriors who agreed to fight for them. These warriors became known as samurai. They fought on horseback with swords, daggers, and bows and arrows. Their armor was made of leather or steel scales. Their helmets had horns or crests. A few Japanese women were outstanding warriors.

The word samurai means “to serve.” The samurai lived by a strict code of conduct known as bushido, which means “way of the warrior.” Samurai must be loyal to their master. They must be brave and honorable. They were not supposed to be concerned about riches and wealth. They viewed merchants as lacking honor. A samurai would rather die in battle than betray his master. They also did not want to suffer the disgrace of being captured in battle. (This attitude lasted even until World War II when many Japanese soldiers fought to the death rather than accept defeat or capture.)

Shoguns Assume Power In 1180, a civil war broke out between Japan’s two most powerful families: the Taira and the Minamoto. The Minamoto forces won, and the emperor was afraid they would try to take over the throne. To avoid this, the emperor gave Yoritomo Minamoto the title of shogun, or commander of the military forces. This created two governments in Japan.

Japan’s Two Governments After the civil war, the emperor remained the official leader of Japan. His capital stayed in Heian-kyo. The new shogun (Yoritomo) set up his own government in Kamakura. This military government was called a shogunate. The shoguns ran Japan for about 700 years.

Mongol Attacks Mongols attacked Japan in the late 1200s. Typhoons destroyed many of the Mongols’ ships and they were also defeated on land. The Japanese named the typhoons kamikaze, or “divine wind,” in honor of the spirits they believed had saved their islands.

Society Under the Shoguns Under the shoguns, Japan produced more goods, and people in the upper ranks of society grew richer. Most Japanese, however, were farmers who remained poor. Life somewhat improved for the farmers in the 1100s due to advances in irrigation. On the daimyo estates, a variety of products were made to sell and trade in the markets. Guilds, or groups of merchants or craftspeople, were set up to protect their jobs and increase their earnings.

Women in Shogun Japan Before Shogun Rule During Shogun Rule Wealthy women had a high standing in society Could own property If abandoned, could divorce and remarry Men had complete control over family members and women lost the rights they had before shogun rule Worked long hours in the fields if married to farmers Helped run family business if married to a merchant Some became artists, writers, and entertainers