Medieval Europe and Japan
European and Japanese soldiers and their code of conduct played a big role in the middle ages. The knights and samurai used the code of conduct, bushido and chivalry, to stay in order and be good to their leaders. Japan had samurai warriors who used bushido. Europe had knights who used chivalry.
If you lived in the middle ages and wanted to become a knight, first you had to go through a long tough process. Most knights were born as nobles. Kids could start training to be a knight at age seven. When the children started training, they were called Pages and they would start by serving a knight then learn how to fight and ride horses using a quintain. A quintain is a wooden sword the kids used to train. When the Pages became fifteen years old, they became known as a squire and the squires had more advanced jobs than the pages. When the squires became 21 years of age they became knights, but only if they had proven themselves in battle first.
If a knight has proven that they are worthy to be a knight, the squire goes through a Dubbing Ceremony. A dubbing ceremony was held in a church or chapel. The night before the ceremony, the squires had to bathe to be thoroughly cleansed as a sign of purification. The squire wore a white vesture to symbolize purity with a red robe, which symbolized nobility. A sword and shield was placed on the altar, Then the knight would kneel in silent prayer for ten hours. The knight was then presented to his lord and then took his vows and swore and oath of allegiance to the lord. Once the ceremony was over, they would feast and have music and dancing. A tournament was often arranged the next day for the new knight to show their skills.
If you lived in the middle ages and wanted to become a knight, first you had to go through a long tough process. Most knights were born as nobles. Kids could start training to be a knight at age seven. When the children started training, they were called Pages and they would start by serving a knight then learn how to fight and ride horses using a quintain. A quintain is a wooden sword the kids used to train. When the Pages became fifteen years old, they became known as a squire and the squires had more advanced jobs than the pages. When the squires became 21 years of age they became knights, but only if they had proven themselves in battle first.
If a knight has proven that they are worthy to be a knight, the squire goes through a Dubbing Ceremony. A dubbing ceremony was held in a church or chapel. The night before the ceremony, the squires had to bathe to be thoroughly cleansed as a sign of purification. The squire wore a white vesture to symbolize purity with a red robe, which symbolized nobility. A sword and shield was placed on the altar, Then the knight would kneel in silent prayer for ten hours. The knight was then presented to his lord and then took his vows and swore and oath of allegiance to the lord. Once the ceremony was over, they would feast and have music and dancing. A tournament was often arranged the next day for the new knight to show their skills.
Samurai were bands of professional soldiers used to protect the land and keep order in the countryside. Samurai were used from the 12th century to the mid-19th century. They believed that they had to obey their masters, and that allegiance comes before anything else like friendship or family ties. Samurai were trained in archery and sword fighting, and also experted at unarmed combat like Jujutsu. If a samurai thought that they had behaved dishonorably, they sometimes would take their own life using a ritual known as Seppuku. They demanded perfection in matters of honor, in battlefield, and in daily life.
The code of chivalry is the system of values that knight in the middle ages were expected to follow. The main parts of the pledge are to be loyal to their liege lord, promised to be brave in battle and protect the church. They also had to be loyal, humble, fair, And Christian and have good manners. Not all knights follow this code though, some knights would do very bad things to other people without fear of being punished. Chivalry emerged around the 10th century in France when the Christian church began attempting to regulate violence in Frankish society. It was documented in the “Song of Roland” written from 1098-1100. The Song of Roland describes how 8th century knights and battles of the emperor Charlemagne and was described as Charlemagne’s code of chivalry.
The code of chivalry is the system of values that knight in the middle ages were expected to follow. The main parts of the pledge are to be loyal to their liege lord, promised to be brave in battle and protect the church. They also had to be loyal, humble, fair, And Christian and have good manners. Not all knights follow this code though, some knights would do very bad things to other people without fear of being punished. Chivalry emerged around the 10th century in France when the Christian church began attempting to regulate violence in Frankish society. It was documented in the “Song of Roland” written from 1098-1100. The Song of Roland describes how 8th century knights and battles of the emperor Charlemagne and was described as Charlemagne’s code of chivalry.
To be a Samurai, you had to be able to write, understand poetry, and perform traditional dances. Also, they had a specific set of armor that must be worn. A Menpo was worn to protect the wearer’s face, and presented a bold façade to the enemy. A Kabuto, a helmet, was attached to the Menpo. Ni-Mai-Do was two breastplates that were hinged on the wearer’s left side with ties. A Sode was the shoulder guards that were attached to the Kote, or the sleeves. A Gusok Bitsu, or wooden box, was carried on with shoulder straps or backpack style that stored the whole assemblage, and a Sashimmono was each Samurai’s personal flag. They had swords that were not made with one solid piece of metal, but were many different metals fused together. The Daito, or long sword, was 24 inches or more. The Shoto, or short sword was 12 to 24 inches. According to legend, it was said that Samurai believed that their swords had spirits of their own.
Japanese Samurai followed their code of conduct, Bushido. Bushido means “Way of the Warrior”. Bushido was the basis of ethical training fort the whole society, but it wasn’t used until the 16th century. The idea was developed during the Kamakura period (1192-1333). In the Tokugawa period, Bushido was thought to be infused with Confucian ethics. Also, it was thought that it was shaped into a comprehensive system that stressed obligation or duty.
Japanese Samurai followed their code of conduct, Bushido. Bushido means “Way of the Warrior”. Bushido was the basis of ethical training fort the whole society, but it wasn’t used until the 16th century. The idea was developed during the Kamakura period (1192-1333). In the Tokugawa period, Bushido was thought to be infused with Confucian ethics. Also, it was thought that it was shaped into a comprehensive system that stressed obligation or duty.
Bushido has Eight Parts included in it. The first is rectitude or Justice, which is the strongest virtue. Courage was the second part. Bushido distinguishes between bravery and courage. The third virtue was benevolence or mercy, meaning the Samurai were expected to demonstrate equally extraordinary powers of benevolence and mercy since they are invested with power to command and kill. Politeness was the fourth virtue. The difference between obsequiousness and politeness can be difficult for casual visitors to Japan, but for the Samurai, courtesy is established in benevolence. The fifth virtue was honesty and sincerity. True samurai disdained money, so the children of high-ranking samurai were raised to believe that talking about money showed poor taste and ignorance of the value of different coins showed good breeding. Honor was the sixth virtue, which was concerned with non-martial behavior. The seventh virtue was loyalty. Economic reality has dealt a blow to organizational loyalty around the world, the Samurai had to remain loyal to those who they are indebted to. The eighth and final virtue is character and self-control. Samurai should behave according to an absolute moral standard, what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.
Japan and Europe’s soldiers and codes of conduct had many similarities. One similarity is that both codes of conduct had a virtue about justice. That means that they both had to set lies aside. Another similarity is both codes of conduct have a virtue about having courage or being brave in battle. They also both have virtues about loyalty and being loyal to their lords. A similarity between knights and samurais were they they were used to protect land, keep order and fight in battle. As you can see, Japan and Europe had many things in common.
Japan and Europe also had many differences. One difference is that in bushido, there is a virtue about character and self-control. But in chivalry, there are only small references to self-control and no character virtues. The samurai exerted in unarmed combat called jujitsu and archery but knights trained in horseback riding and sword fighting. Another difference is that chivalry was first used in the 10th century while bushido wasn’t used until the 16th century. Overall, Japan and Europe have many similarities and differences.
By Maddy & Jackie
WORKS CITED
Japan and Europe also had many differences. One difference is that in bushido, there is a virtue about character and self-control. But in chivalry, there are only small references to self-control and no character virtues. The samurai exerted in unarmed combat called jujitsu and archery but knights trained in horseback riding and sword fighting. Another difference is that chivalry was first used in the 10th century while bushido wasn’t used until the 16th century. Overall, Japan and Europe have many similarities and differences.
By Maddy & Jackie
WORKS CITED
- http://www.medievality.com/chivalry.html
- http://www.lordsandladies.org/knights-code-of-chivalry.htm
- http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/knights.html
- http://westernreservepublicmedia.org/middleages/feud_knights.htm
- http://www.lordsandladies.org/order-of-knighthood-ceremony.htm
- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/86168/Bushido
- http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/09/14/the-bushido-code-the-eight-virtues-of-the-samurai/
- http://science.cranbrook.edu/science-central/research/samurai
- http://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/samurai-armor.html