Války samurajů - Konflikty starého Japonska 1156–1877 – Kodet Roman (2024)

The samurai were a military class that fundamentally shaped the history of Japan. From the second half of the 12th century, various clans of these Japanese warriors waged relentless wars against each other. Japan thus periodically experienced outbreaks of violence followed by periods of peace and relative stability. However, by the end of the 15th century, the country fell into anarchy and wars of all against all. After a century of bloody conflicts, Japan was once again unified by three great warriors – Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The following period was a complete contrast to the previous unending wars, as Japan experienced more than two and a half centuries of lasting peace. However, this was achieved at the cost of the country's isolation. When the United States and European powers forced the opening of the Land of the Rising Sun, it shook its political system. The internal conflicts accompanying the restoration of imperial power (Meiji Restoration) marked the definitive end of the samurai's dominance, which had lasted for over 800 years. During this long period, Japan witnessed the rise and subsequent decline and fall of powerful clans, countless battles and sieges, stories of loyalty and bravery, but also betrayal and incompetence. The samurai thus continue to...