The Samurai of Japan and European Knights Reading Answers

The Samurai of Japan and European Knights

Japanese and European medieval societies developed along similar feudal lines, and in both, a warrior elite emerged as the dominant force. In both parts of the world, honour played an important part in their cultures, and knights and samurai were expected to follow their respective warrior code, the "Chivalric Code' in Europe and 'Bushido' (way of the warrior) in Japan.

The codes were not set in stone, they differed from one clan or country to the next and changed down the ages; however, there were several key factors in each that tended to be considered essential parts of the way a warrior should conduct his life.

In both Europe and Japan throughout the Middle Ages, the sword was considered the noblest weapon and would hold spiritual significance for the warrior. The samurai famously believed that the legendary samurai sword contained its owner's soul and according toRichard Cohen in his book, 'By the Sword, the same sort of importance was put on the medieval knight's sword, which was believed to possess the essence of the warrior's inner power and true nobility.

One of the main influences for this tradition in Europe was the poem Beowulf, whose sword ‘Hrunting' would not allow its user to perform evil acts. Before a battle, a knight would kiss the cross of his sword on the hilt in the act of religious significance made more so as this part of the sword often contained relics.

Warriors from both regions had similar ideas about how a battle should be fought, and it was generally agreed that charging into an enemy, then engaging in one-on-one combat was the noblest way to fight. Although both preferred to fight in a 'gentlemanly' manner, this probably happened much more in fictitious accounts of warfare than on the real battlefield as the realities of war usually would not allow for formalities.

Steve Turnbull highlights a case of this in his book, "Samurai - A Military History”. During the Gempei War' (1180-1185), in the ‘Battle of Kurikara', part of the Minamoto force engaged their vastly more powerful enemy, the Taira Clan, in a battle that was conducted in a formal and gentlemanly way. They started with an archery duel, followed by combat between small groups fighting one-on-one and then a pitched battle between one hundred warriors from each side. But the Minamoto had been keeping their enemy occupied and soon the realities of war returned. The Minamoto charged a herd of oxen with flaming pine torches attached to their horns into the Taira, driving them into a valley where they were trapped and subsequently slaughtered. The chronicle is the ‘Heike Monogatari' states: “ Thus did seventy thousand horsemen of the Taira perish, buried in this one deep valley; the mountain streams ran with their blood, and the mound of their corpses was like a small hill; and in this valley, it is said, there can be seen the marks of arrow and swords even to this day".

Both these codes helped to shape the ideals and values of their people. However, both often differed considerably in what they deemed honourable, suggesting that the definition of the word honour changed to suit the needs of the people involved in a given time and place. To the medieval knight, a defeated enemy of high social rank was to be captured and ransomed when possible, but those of low birth could be slaughtered. 

To the Japanese, warriors were in a battle to die and would be killed without mercy, whereas peasants were not warriors, so there was no honour in taking their lives. To take an opposing warrior captive would be to take his honour from him so rather than be taken prisoner, a samurai would take his own life in a ritual known as 'Seppuku, an action that would not only lead to dishonour for the European Christian knight but also to eternal damnation.

Questions 1-7 

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

1. During ____________ times in Japan and Europe, honour was a significant part of the way of life.
2. Both Japanese samurai and European knights were supposed to live according to their ___________.
3. The warriors valued their sword highly as indicative of integrity as well as their _________.
4. The idea of fighting by a set of rules was probably more __________ than real.
5. The meaning of honour for both the Samurai and Knights ____________.
6. The treatment given to captives by Knights depended upon their ___________ status.
7. A samurai would instead commit ___________ than be captured by the enemy.

1. medieval

Explanation: Paragraph 1 - Japanese and European medieval societies developed along similar feudal lines,... In both parts of the world, honour played an important part in their cultures,...

2. warrior codes 

Explanation: Paragraph 1 - In both parts of the world, honour played an important part in their cultures, and knights and samurai were expected to follow their respective warrior codes,... 

3. soul (or) inner power 

Explanation: Paragraph 3 - In both Europe and Japan throughout the Middle Ages, the sword was considered the noblest weapon and would hold spiritual significance for the warrior. The samurai famously believed that the legendary samurai sword contained its owner's soul… the same sort of importance was put on the medieval knight's sword, which was believed to possess the essence of the warrior's inner power and true nobility.

‘Tru nobility’ is not an answer because its synonym ‘integrity’ is already mentioned in the question statement.

4. fictitious 

Explanation: Paragraph 5 - Although both preferred to fight in a 'gentlemanly' manner, this probably happened much more in fictitious accounts of warfare than on the real battlefield as the realities of war usually would not allow for formalities.

5. differed (considerably) 

Explanation: Paragraph 7 - However, both often differed considerably in what they deemed honourable, suggesting that the definition of the word honour changed to suit the needs of the people involved in a given time and place. 

6. social

Explanation: Paragraph 7 - To the medieval knight, a defeated enemy of high social rank was to be captured and ransomed when possible, but those of low birth could be slaughtered. 

7. Seppuku 

Explanation: Paragraph 8 - …so rather than be taken prisoner, a samurai would take his own life in a ritual known as 'Seppuku’,...