Re: [HIST] Japanese Culture shock

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ryan M Gill" <rmgill@mindspring.com>
> >From: "Ryan Gill" <rmgill@mindspring.com>
> >>  Everyone should know you don't use Samurai against knights (wrong
> >>  time period).
> >
> >Err....actually, pretty much the right time period From about 900 to
the
> >1650's. Just the wrong place.
>
> I may be wrong, but what most people know of as Samurai (Yojimbo,
> Ran, etc) takes place in 1600 and later. At that point firearms were
> reducing the size and nature of the Heavily armored cavalry in
> Europe. Hussars =!

Mmmm...yes, you are wrong.
The specific warrior society and culture of Japan, together with its
weaponry and armour styles, developed ca. the 10th century. Until the
late
16th century, the country was marked by intermittent periods of civil
war.
It's only from the early 17th century that the Shogun generals
established a
unified government and imposed a strict military government that lasted
until the mid-1800s. During the Shogunate the Samurai formed the lower
aristocracy and had the opportunity to develop their culture to
sometimes
fancyful extremes, including showy martial arts.

'Ran', btw. takes place at the close of the long periods of civil wars.

The Japanese learned about firearms from European traders early in the
16th
century, and were quick to adopt, copy, and improve them. The later
battles
saw them used to good effect. This includes the invasion of Korea
(1592-1598) and the battles of Sekigahara and Nagashino, where Samurai
cavalry was shot to pieces by arquebusiers. The Japanese were also quick
to
adopt other good ideas from the foreigners. For example, they included
European-style breastplates into their suits of armour.

Greetings
Karl Heinz