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

The Knights of Europe and the Samurai of Japan shared quite a few similarities; however, they do also share many differences. One such similarity would be that both the Knights and the Samurais were brave, strong, and loyal to their cause, especially due to both of their trainings starting at a very young age. An example of a difference would be the samurais having a much lighter armor than knights. This allowed for a more agile army. They also ascended to their titles at separate ages, with samurais being at a mere 14 years of age, and knights being 21.

Imagine a knight, jousting in an arena in Europe during the Middle Ages. Surprisingly, across the world during approximately the same time period, samurai warriors fought in Japan. During the time period, 1000 to 1600 CE, the samurai and knights fought in battle in many different ways. Many differences between the samurai and knights included codes, armor, training, and religions. Without a doubt, the differences between the samurai and the knight overshadow the similarities.

Samurai and knights are not identical, they do have a good amount of differences. For instance, after going through training, samurai were awarded their title and responsibilities at the age of fourteen while knights took on their full responsibilities at twenty-one. Document B points out that although loyalty was important to both Japanese and European warriors, “loyalty towards the feudal lord in Japan was hereditary” but it was not in Europe. This means that in Japan “service of a feudal lord went from father to son” so the relationship between the lord and his warrior lasted for generations. Along with that, although both groups wore full body armor, Document D states that “a knight’s armor could weigh forty

My second reason is that the knights had very strong and effective armour, whereas the samurai’s armour was always changing and was never as good as the knight’s armour, as samurai depended more on their fighting skills instead of the armour. The samurai armour was made up of several sections. The main body is called a do or cuirass, and is made from plates or lamellae (small oblong-shaped pieces of steel linked by strips of leather and covered with layers of lacquer). The helmet has a crest and a hair pommel. There is also a face mask, which would have been decorated with ugly features intended to scare the enemy. Extra protection is provided by a coverage of the neck (made of jointed metal) and shoulder guards (made from small plates laced together, with silk allowing movement). Thigh and calf guards are made from a combination of chain mail and plates. Underneath the samurai’s armour, the samurai would wear a one-piece baggy garment with a special kimono (the kimono looks a bit like a dressing gown). This did mean that the samurai would be more likely to get injured, as the armour would only offer very little protection. Samurai armour was designed to help the Samurai move comfortably and efficiently when fighting, so if a knight stabbed the samurai then the samurai would get injured and this would affect the samurai while he is fighting (the samurai would be fighting worse), and possible depending on how bad the wound is, it could kill the

The first reason why the differences are greater than the similarities is because of the social order in feudal Japan and Europe. ”Historians and other scholars use social pyramids to show how societies were structured” (Document A). The samurai owned loyalty and military service to daimyo 's for land or regular payment while on the other hand knights owned loyalty and military service to the lords. Another difference about samurais and knights was the population. Samurai with families took about 10% of Japan 's population and in Europe, there was estimated 12,000 knights in England and Normany France in the 12th century. One more difference is that there are four people above the knight in the social order but only three for samurai.

In all I think that the differences between the knights and samurai's where greater than the similarities between the two. Whether its social classes, fighting style, armor, or even where they originated

The entire Japanese culture is based on honor. Honor extends to the nation, the family, and the individual. The samurai are no exception to a code of honor. The samurai follow the code of bushido. Bushido is closer to the western term of chivalry. Bushido places emphasis on courage, benevolence, justice, politeness, truthfulness, honor, loyalty, and most importantly is self-control. The samurai's primary religion is Zen. The samurai adapted Zen easily due to the philosophy that fits closely to Buddhism. Samurai may act in the extreme when it comes to honor. They will kill anyone who may dishonor them or their lord. Nothing is worse to a samurai than to have corrupt dealings. Some of the warriors believed, "Honor is the power of deciding upon certain course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering … to die when it is right to die, to strike when to strike is right." Other warriors believed that "Honor is the bone that gives firmness and stature. As without bones the head cannot rest on top of the spine, nor hands move, nor feet stand, so without honor neither talent nor learning can make of a human frame a

Likewise, knights wore “complete suits of plate armor, constructed from metal...wore helmets, gloves, and shoes of steel...a knight’s armor could weigh 40 to 60 pounds.” (Document D) Both samurais and European knights were protected by a heavy armor out of metal in battle; it can be inferred that both Japan and Europe found importance in protecting their warriors looking from the stringency of armor and protection. The reason for protecting their warriors would be due to the myriad of battles feudal Japan and Europe would have had to carry out. To ensure success in battle, they would’ve made further technological advances such as protective armor, ensuring better performance when battling. By protecting the warriors using this effective armor, both Japan and Europe would’ve been able to attain more as a whole and advance as a civilization - a common achievement carried out as well. Despite the many differences between Japanese samurais and European knights, the similarities outweighed these differences due to the homologous elements in their position in hierarchy and the use of protective armor in battle, leading to the success in both Japan and

According to documents and history , around 1,000 years ago there were two different societies, in two different parts of the world that had warriors with differences. During these times, there was an emperor and a king ruling their empire/kingdom. They both had warriors they would send out into the felids. These warriors were from Japan and Europe. Japan warriors were called samurai (class warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a noble in return for land) and Europe warriors were called knights(a noble warrior who fought on horseback in the Middle Ages). Samurai and Knight are more different than similar in three broad areas, training,armor. and their view of death.

Hey, Have you ever learned about the Samurai and Knights?? Well they had a few big similarities but lots of differences. Also in that era Samurai and Knights they had to be very loyal to their lord. I have a question for you. Were the similarities greater than the differences? No I don't think the similarities are greater than the differences between the Samurai and Knights. So no I think there are more differences than similarities. I’m going to be talking about the Samurai [Japanese Warrior] and Knights [European Warrior] is there Social position, Training and Armor, and Life and death.

Knights and samurai had different types of weapons and armor.Knights used bows and arrows,swords,maces and axes.The Samurai used everyday objects,spears and bows and arrows.The difference is significant because it shows that how we can created such thing in the world with little knowledge that someone else has the same idea too.,

The first reason why the knights and the samurai are more different than alike is because of their code of honor. Document E states that there are two different codes of honor. The code of honor of the samurai was called Bushido. In Bushido, samurai are loyal to their family and to friends. They devote themselves to helping others. In chivalry, knights were to be helpful to ladies. They always had to be loyal to the king. People may think that just because they both have codes of honor and they are loyal to others means they are the

Do you think the Samurai and Knights had more similarities or more differences? The warriors of western Europe were called Knights and the warriors of Japan were called Samurai. The Minamoto, one of Japan’s largest military clans in the 1100’s, won the civil war and set up and set up a new government that was ran by a power general called a Shogun. Over many years, Shoguns rose and fell, each ruling Japan in the name of the Emperor. From about 1000 to 1600 CE in Japan and Europe, Samurai horseman were the muscle and brains of the warrior class, as well as a Knight horseman. Samurai and Knights were more alike than different, because they had the same social power system, physical training, and abide by the codes of honor. Even though they are alike, one way they were different would be

For Japan and Europe, it was a time of trouble…Document “In the late 400’s both Europe and Japan created a feudal system in order to keep peace in the land. Lords acquired large estates of land. They granted some of their lands to lesser nobles, whom promised to fight when conflicts arose.” Background Essay DBQ. So where the similarities greater, or were the differences greater? The samurai and knights were more similar than different in three broad areas, social position, training and armor and the code of honor.

The Japanese samurai had a specific code to live by called the Bushido. To be a samurai you must have courage, be just, have mercy,and be polite. You must also have honesty, have a sense of honor, be loyal, and have self-control. In Europe knights also had a code to live by and it was called the Knights Code of Chivalry. Like the samurai the knights lived by the following guidelines: Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance, Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, and Valour. The knights were taught these characteristics and lived by these to be the best they could at there job.