Feudalism In Europe And Japan

Submitted By JozhyDelArca1
Words: 691
Pages: 3

Globo History

Feudalism in Europe and Japan

Presented by

Jochelyn A. Zambrano

Presented to

Mr. Figueroa

April 15, 2012

Feudalism in Europe and Japan

Feudalism in Europe and in Japan although were developed two centuries apart share some similarities in their caste system, land system, government and way of life. They differ in the treatment of women and knights- samurais. In this essay I intend to compare and contrast the origins of these systems and their political and economic structures. Feudalism began in Europe during the ninth century, while Japan developed a similar feudal structure in the eleventh century. European feudalism was created as a way to protect cities from outside invasions and the Japanese's developed to protect from internal attacks. European and Japanese feudalism differed in the treatment of noble women during the post classical era. Noble women in European’s feudal system married early as a way to unite land. In contrast, at the beginning of the feudalism in Japan, Japanese noble women were trained in the military and a few became famous warriors. They also could supervise their family state. But everything changed for these noble women over time. They lost their social status and as European noble women were controlled by their men. Inheritance in both cultures during feudalism was limited to sons. They were also similar in their political structure of hereditary caste system and honor code, such as the Japanese's code Bushido and the Europeans code of Chivalry. According to document 2, the head of the feudal system in Europe was the king. The king was in control over all decisions followed only in social status by the lords and the nobles who owned land. Knights were next in the caste system. Knights were at the king’s and noble’s services. Knight provided training to young nobles. Knights followed a life’s code of justice, morality and honor called the Code of Chivalry.
While in Japanese feudal system the Emperor was the head of the caste system he did not have real political power. The Shogun served as the second head of the empire with military control over lands and government. The Daimyo followed in the caste system. These men were large landowners as the lord in Europe. They divided their lands between their samurais, peasants, artisans, farmers, and merchants (similar to the serf in Europe). The Japanese samurais also had a code of trust, loyalty, devotion and honor to the death called the code of Bushido. The code was sacred and a warrior samurai that failed to "uphold his honor he could regain by a ritual suicide. European and Japanese feudal systems had