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Comparing European and Japanese Feudalism During the

Post-Classical Period: (600-1450)

AP World History

Mr. B –  The Crazy Slim Ninja

Premise: One of the comparative topics in the 600-1450 time period is that of comparing the feudal system thatdeveloped in Western Europe during the medieval period to that of Japan during the same time. Provided below are afew highlights to make note of  –  the rest will be provided in class. Pay attention to the origins of this system in each

region – 

 how they were similar and how the differed.

Japan Europe

Similarities 

  Both systems developed out

of a similar need for security

and stability as previous

centralized government in

each region fell. 

 

The system was grounded inpolitical values that

embraced all participants. 

  The idea of mutual ties and

obligations was strong, with

rituals and institutions that

expressed them. 

  Feudalism was highly

militaristic, with values such

as physical courage, personal

or family alliances, loyalty,ritualized combat, and

contempt for non-warriors. 

  The Social Hierarchy: 

  The Emperor

  The Shogun

  The Daimyo

  The Samurai

  Peasants

 

The Daimyo ruled from fortsprotected by moats – and

within their districts they

administered law, supervised

public works projects,

collected revenue and raised

small armies of Samurai. 

  Both systems developed out

of a similar need for securit

and stability as previous

centralized government in

each region fell. 

 

The system was grounded inpolitical values that

embraced all participants. 

  The idea of mutual ties and

obligations was strong, with

rituals and institutions that

expressed them. 

  Feudalism was highly

militaristic, with values suc

as physical courage, person

or family alliances, loyalty,ritualized combat, and

contempt for non-warriors. 

  The Social Hierarchy: 

  The Pope

  Regional Kings

  The Nobility

  Knights

 

Peasants 

 

The Noble lords ruled fromforts protected by moats – 

and within their districts

they administered law,

supervised public works

projects, collected revenue

and raised small armies of

Knights.

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 Differences   Japanese feudalism reliedmore heavily on group and

individual loyalties, which

were NOT confirmed by

contractual agreements.

  Because of the lack of

written contracts there never

developed a class of lawyers

like developed in Europe.

  The legacy of the point above

was a group consciousness in

which collective decision-

making teams were

eventually linked to the

state.

  In Japan the Samurai fought

for their lords in exchange

for a living allowance.

  In Japan the Samurai used

leather armor, swords, bows

and arrows.

  In Japan the code of the

warrior – known as Bushido

 – tied a Samurai’s loyalty to

the local lord above all.

   Aristocratic women in

medieval Europe were seen

as weak creatures that

needed to be protected and

idolized. European womenwere restricted by religious

constraints to either pedestal

or the household. 

   Western feudalism

emphasized contractual

ideas more strongly than di

Japanese. Feudal loyalties

were sealed by negotiated

contracts in which the

parties involved obtained

explicit assurances of the

advantages each would

receive from the alliance.

  Because of the emphasis on

contracts in Europe – 

 Western Feudalism helped

encourage the emergence o

lawyers.

  The legacy of the point abov

was the reliance on

parliamentary institutions i

which participants coulddiscuss and defend legal

interests against the centra

monarch.

  In Europe the knights fough

for their lords in exchange

for land.

  In Europe the Knights used

chain mail armor,broadswords, and lances as

weapons.

  The European Knights code

of chivalry was tied to

loyalty to God – to a feudal

lord, and to a chose lady.

   Women at the imperial cour

in Japan were expected to b

as poised and cultured astheir male court

counterparts. Japanese

samurai expected their

women to live up to the sam

values of honor and courage

as men of that class – so tha

women had to learned how

ride, shoot, and hunt. 

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