Medieval Warrior Cultures
Clicking on the image or highlighted words
will present you with various facets of warrior
culture (assignment).
The medieval era saw the rise of a warrior class in Japan. Originially
descendents from the tribal family clans (uji) these warriors acted as retainers
to greater lords, fighters, and the enforcers of policy and morality.
The development of the samurai occurred when the centralized aristocratic
government lost power to the local landowners who employed their own armed
forces. The heads of these armed forces were known as the "bushi"
or "samurai", and were for the most part descended from the old
ujis. By the eleventh century, this warrior class was heriditary and passed
down various fighting skills in conjunction with religious
beliefs.
Note that the samurai has a quiver of arrows on his back, he carries a sword in his hand and is wearing armor and helm The horse, while adorned is not actually armored.
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