Samurai and Knights: Were the Similarities Greater Than the Differences?

Samurai and Knights: Were the Similarities Greater Than the Differences?

Around the world cultures usually thrive in similar ways even when they have no clue the other exists; back in the 1100’s, for instance even thousands of miles in distance the ancient combat and moralities of the Japanese Samurai and European Knights’ had many similarities. Samurai fought and served the Japanese Daimyos who were landowners and high in the Japan feudal system. Knights fought and served for their Lords who were much like the Daimyos in Japan. Even though Japan and Europe were thousands of miles apart their Samurais/Knights were more similar than different because they had the same position in their feudal systems, a pretty similar Code of Honor, and protected themselves in a way that involved what type of armor they wore.

First off in all societies, there are different categories of social classes in which most cases they follow a feudal system. In the ancient times of the Japanese samurai and the European Knights, their placement in the feudal system were very comparable. The Japanese Samurai’s and the European knights both owed loyalty and military service to an upper class in their feudal systems (Doc A). Both were required by oath to become the subordinates of their masters which meant they would be with the until the death. In return for their loyalty and service they were both granted land by their superiors (Doc B). Therefore, that places them submissive to a master in yet again comparable ways.

Another way they were similar was their code of honor that they each followed was quite similar.In the world today we follow a common law, in the ancient combat days warriors followed a code of honor which carried out their laws. The knights and the samurai's code of honor was based upon loyalty, dedication, and determination to serve and protect their people and masters. In contrast