It Is Interesting to Find That the Warrior Classes of Europe, the Knights, and the Warrior

Post-Class: Comparing Warrior Classes

Ideals of Knowledge, Justice and Righteousness.

It is interesting to find that the warrior classes of Europe, the knights, and the warrior class of Japan, the samurai, have the same basic ideals. To show this, primary source documents written by literary artists stationed in their respective courts will be examined. These people saw the warriors in their idealic nature, rather than in their "working" nature.

In Christine De Pizan's "Tale of Poissy," she states that she has chosen the particular knight to judge the case put before her because she believes he will judge rightly and according to reason.

Good Sir Knight, valiant, full of wisdom
By your courtesy.....
Is unworthy that your graciousness.....
I send you to make this judgment
A loyal judge, and that I inquire well for one
To judge rightly their discord in such a manner
That he gives them an equitable judgment
According to reason.

In this excerpt she is restating the virtues that make this man an honorable knight. He is "valiant," "courteous" and "gracious." Her letter asking his judgment shows how she respects him. Not only will he judge rightly but he must have knowledge to do so, hence her saying he is "full of wisdom." This knight is an example of how the order of knighthood should be and how the populace should see them as a help to be righteous and within the laws.

Imagawa Sadayo, who wrote Nan-Taiheiki in 1402, once said

Without knowledge of Learning, one will ultimately have no military victories.
One should not be envious of someone who has prospered by unjust deeds. Nor
should he disdain someone who has fallen while adhering to the path ofrighteousness.

Imagawa’s statement coincides with that of Pizan. The samurai were the ones looking for military victories and therefore, according to him, they needed to have a "knowledge of Learning." This also implies that to be in the military the wisdom gained through learning is more important than social status. The samurai were to be looked up to and respected. Imagawa's thought that those that had prospered unjustly were not to be envied, or respected, shows that the samurai had to live a just life, having a knowledge of justice in all forms.

Conclusion

Warriors of Europe and Japan were examples to the lower classes who couldn't afford the training or equipment fighting required. They were also their noble's presence among the public. The ideals of knights coincided with those of samurai. Both classes valued loyalty to help the county and ruling body endure. Both cultures had a warrior class that honored the same types of ideals. The behavior of knights was governed by a code of chivalry. This code called for knights to be brave in battle, fight fairly, keep promises, defend the Church, and treat women of noble birth in a courteous manner. In Japan the warrior class developed a code of behavior called bushido or “the way of the warrior” that emphasized loyalty above all else. Bushido encouraged respect for other military virtues such as bravery, self-discipline, and honor. Through self-knowledge they could better their own example as well as the way of life for those who used warriors as role models. Medieval life was also set after their wisdom and search for justice and righteousness.

Warriors View of Themselves.

In Europe the knights were expected to set an example of knowing themselves. When Pizan wrote The Book of Man's Integrity she states that a man, to look up to, should know his own courage.

Do not incite controversy through the ambiguity of the voice, but rather note and
consider the quality of your courage.

Rather than belittle others to glorify the self, Pizan's idea of honor comes from contemplating the self and knowing where it stands in relation to the code of honor all knights followed. It can also be derived that in doing so the man's quality of courage, and/or honor, will increase.

Tsunetomo Yamamoto's Hagakure agrees that the warrior should know himself. He comments more on the physical aspects of the self.

It's a difficult thing to truly know your own limits and points of weakness.

The "points of weakness" could also be applied to the ideals and life of the samurai. His stating that these are difficult things to accomplish does not detract from the fact that he did mention them. Also in knowing his limits the samurai can work to rid himself of those weaknesses. This is a representation of the work towards excellence and perfection that the samurai represent.

Both of these examples show how a warrior was to know himself to be able to better himself and, through his example, better the people of his country. Their push towards excellence in character and fighting was to give those people, who only saw warriors as their governing body, an idea how "perfect" their monarch was.

Conclusion

Warriors of Europe and Japan were examples to the lower classes who couldn't afford the training or equipment fighting required. They were also their noble's presence among the public. The ideals of knights coincided with those of samurai. Both classes valued loyalty to help the county and ruling body endure. Both cultures had a warrior class that honored the same types of ideals. The behavior of knights was governed by a code of chivalry. This code called for knights to be brave in battle, fight fairly, keep promises, defend the Church, and treat women of noble birth in a courteous manner. In Japan the warrior class developed a code of behavior called bushido or “the way of the warrior” that emphasized loyalty above all else. Bushido encouraged respect for other military virtues such as bravery, self-discipline, and honor. If a warrior brought dishonor to his lord or his family, he was expected to perform an honorable penalty, that is, to commit seppuku, or ritual suicide. Although feudal culture emphasized military service and personal loyalty, the samurai were more than warriors. Samurai respected education and took pride in their artistic abilities.

Through self-knowledge they could better their own example as well as the way of life for those who used warriors as role models. Medieval life was also set after their wisdom and search for justice and righteousness.

Ideal of Loyalty.

Monarchs required of all their subjects a large amount of loyalty. Neither the European feudal system nor the Japanese empire could have survived for any amount of time without loyal warriors to protect the country and the "throne."

In Pizan's Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry, she is talking of a good leader and what is required of that leader when war has been declared by the prince of the realm when she wrote:

From the earliest times the leaders were under strict oath to serve that prince or the country loyally, without fleeing or abandoning the battle field because of fear of death or some other peril. These would likewise receive oath of each man-at-arms when they accept them for pay.

Also stated in this excerpt is the ideal of courage. To stay loyal the leader must face the possibility of death, without running. These requirements ensured that the leader would do anything and everything possible to win the battle. This also shows the extent a leader would go to obey his monarch.

In Takano Tatsuyuki's Shukuya no chu (Constant Loyalty), revised by Zeami to fit the warriors and court of his time (1363-1433), represents a more passive type of loyalty. He shows how samurai warriors would go without the comfort of court if their leader, or emperor, ordered them to.

Koremitsu and Yoshikiyo represent two warriors serving on the outskirts of "civilization" by the sea. Their loyalty goes farther than an oath or pay; it is heartfelt and complete in their very soul. They endure the hardships for their better so that the country may flourish. It incorporates the self as loyalty and wish for the survival of a way of life.

Conclusion

Koremitsu and Yoshikiyo served the shining Genji
...troubled sleep in travelers’' beds
...passed years in seafolk's dwellings-
a makeshift life of suffering surrounded by seaweed,
yet not a trace of rebellion in their hearts.
It's a difficult thing to truly know your own limits and points of weakness.
Without knowledge of Learning, one will ultimately have no military victories.
One should not be envious of someone who has prospered by unjust deeds. Nor
should he disdain someone who has fallen while adhering to the path ofrighteousness. / From the earliest times the leaders were under strict oath to serve that prince or the country loyally, without fleeing or abandoning the battle field because of fear of death or some other peril. These would likewise receive oath of each man-at-arms when they accept them for pay.
Do not incite controversy through the ambiguity of the voice, but rather note and
consider the quality of your courage.
Good Sir Knight, valiant, full of wisdom
By your courtesy.....
Is unworthy that your graciousness.....
I send you to make this judgment
A loyal judge, and that I inquire well for one
To judge rightly their discord in such a manner
That he gives them an equitable judgment
According to reason.