Feudal Japan and Europe: a Comparison

                                                                                                  

Japan and Western Europe are two places on opposite sides of the earth, yet both had a time period known as the feudal periodfeudal period. Japan's feudal age (12th century to the 15th century) is comparable in many ways to Europe's feudal age (9th century through the 15th century, also known as the Middle Ages.)

Elements to Compare:

Review Feudal Japan & Feudal Europe

•Agricultural Society

•The Feudal System

•The Warriors

•Code of Ethics

•Role of Religion

•Role of Women

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal JapanFeudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal EuropeFeudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

SSiimmiillaarriittiieess

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Seppuku or hari-kari; stoic acceptance of death2. Lord-vassal relationship based on moral code3. Any son or adopted son was heir4. Women should have a samurai attitude - be tough5. Interest in the arts and learning

Differences

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Japan1. Samurai2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Knights2. Loyalty3. Bravery, honor4. Lord-vassal relationship5. Family lineage important

Feudal Europe1. Survival, death as glory limited to the Crusades2. Lord-vassal relationship based on legal code3. Only firstborn son was heir4. Cult of chivalry - women put on pedestal as fragile, inferior beings5. Some contempt shown for arts and learning

Differences

The WarriorsThe Warriors Japan and Europe's

feudalistic times also shared many traits of the dominant soldier culture. The Samurai and the English knight both serve as a sort of mascot for their respective cultures, and they have much in common.

Code of EthicsCode of EthicsIt was an unspoken standard that if a Samurai were disgraced he would ritualistically kill himself in repentance. Knights and the idea of chivalry were based on the same concept but it had several differences.

On face value the code of ethics shared much in common with Samurai, however the Knights were not as dedicated or as disciplined as the samurai. The code was broken regularly and greed was as prevalent as honor.

Though many details were

different, and though the Samurai were more successful, Knighthood and the Samurai had the same ideals in mind, so many of the ideals behind the two feudal governments may have been similar as well.

Women in Feudal Women in Feudal Europe Europe

                      

It should come as no surprise that women, whether they were nobles or peasants, held a difficult position in society. They were largely confined to household tasks such as cooking, baking bread, sewing, weaving, and spinning.

Women in Feudal Women in Feudal Europe Europe

                      

However, they also hunted for food and fought in battles, learning to use weapons to defend their homes and castles. Some medieval women held other occupations. There were women blacksmiths, merchants, and apothecaries.

Women in Women in Feudal Feudal Europe Europe

                      

Others were midwives, worked in the fields, or were engaged in creative endeavors such as writing, playing musical instruments, dancing, and painting.

Women in Heian and Women in Heian and Feudal Japan Feudal Japan

In the early feudal period, samurai women were expected to exhibit loyalty, bravery, and take on the duty of revenge. As her warrior husband was often absent, the samurai wife also had important duties at home.

Women in Feudal Japan Her responsibility was the

food and all the household supplies. She oversaw the harvesting of crops, managed all the servants, and took over all financial business in terms of disorder. In matters which concerned the well-being of the family, her advice was sought and her opinions respected.

Women in Heian and Feudal Japan

On her, too, fell the burden of providing the proper education of her children. She was to instill in them a strong sense of loyalty to the samurai ideals of courage and physical strength..

Women in Feudal Japan

In wartime women sometimes had to

defend their homes. Trained in

weaponry, women carried a dagger in their sleeves or sashes and could throw with deadly aim. The naginatanaginata, a long, long, curved swordcurved sword, was considered the weapon most suitable for women.

                 

                

Sometimes women joined men in battle, actually fighting alongside them or encouraging the troops. Like their husbands, women were expected to commit suicide if the family was dishonored in any way. Some women used suicide as a form of protest against injustice.

Conclusions•Were both Europe and Japan agricultural societies?•How did this affect the structure of the societies?•Why was land the most important factor in feudal life?

Conclusions•Who are the warriors in medieval Europe and Japan?•How are they similar? •What makes them different?•Explain the code of ethics for each.

Conclusions•What was the role of women in medieval Europe compared to that of Japan?•What type of power did women have?•Do you know any famous medieval women? What did they do?

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Bibliography•http://www.boglewood.com/timeline/attila.html•http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/COSTUME3_INDEX.HTML•http://www.romanhistorybooksandmore.freeservers.com/p_aug_a.htm•http://www.rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/~michel/serv/eujap/maps/munster/index.html•http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kannon-photo-tour.shtml•http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/3377/indjapan.html