![]() The Emperor sat at the top of the hierarchy in the Japanese Feudal System but in reality he was only a figurehead. Although he technically served the Emperor, in reality the Shogun was the one with the power. ![]() Next in the hierarchy was the Shogun who was the military dictator of Japan. The Daimyo were noblemen who governed land, and normally had samurai under their rule. They also followed a code of conduct called Bushido. They would use a multitude of weapons, the most famous of which being the Katana. ![]() The samurai were soldiers who worked for a lord. The equivalent of the knight in Japanese society was the samurai. Ronin were originally samurai, but no longer served a lord. In Japanese society, peasants were respected for doing the important job of providing food for the nation. Because of this, merchants were seen as the lowest of the low. It was considered that merchants, who bought and sold goods were prospering from money that rightfully belonged to the farmers. The Japanese Feudal System is similar but has some interesting differences to the western way.At the bottom was the merchant. This is because knights would usually be right handed. Spiral staircases are iconic of Medieval times, but not many people know that they were always clockwise. They would often clash at speeds of 60mph. Their lances would be measured beforehand to make sure neither party had an advantage. It was a game that often ended in death or serious injury, and was meant to train them for combat. Jousting was an iconic sport during the middle ages. A variety of hammers were developed to counter this armor, but if you were armed with a spear like so many peasants were it was hard to defeat one. Most of all, a knights armour was so sturdy that edged weapons were very ineffective against them, and would normally just bounce right off. They were also mounted usually which is a huge advantage. Knights on the other hands, lead healthier lifestyles, trained for years, and carried great equipment. Especially since most soldiers would just have been peasants who were recruited only recently, had little training and poor diets. Knights were a pretty indomitable foe in medieval times. Someone without a title who worked for the nobility, and was essentially a slave. The lowest position in the Feudal System in Europe was the serf (peasant). Over time, however, it became a prestigious title that was given by a monarch or lord in exchange for military service. Knights were normally skilled soldiers, who engaged in mounted combat. These titles were normally hereditary, and passed down from generation to generation. The count worked for the Duke, and provided him with resources.Although sometimes there were counties that were independent of Duchy’s. Within the Dukes land there would be counties, and the person who ruled over these were known as counts. They would provide the monarch with resources, and armed forces to help defend the land, or conquer other nations. These Dukes had pledged loyalty to the King in return for the land he had given them. These were men who owned land, known as a Duchy within the King’s kingdom. Immediately below the King were the Dukes. However, it was much more complicated than this. You’re most likely familiar with its structure, for instance at the top of the hierarchy was the King, below the monarch were the nobles, and below them were knights. It was the the system that governed the Medieval Period.
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