Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan

Warfare and History

by Karl F. Friday

Karl Friday, an internationally recognised authority on Japanese warriors, provides the first comprehensive study of the topic to be published in English. This work incorporates nearly twenty years of on-going research and draws on both new readings of primary sources and the most recent secondary scholarship. It overturns many of the stereotypes that have dominated views of the period. Friday analyzes Heian -, Kamakura- and Nambokucho-period warfare from five thematic angles. He examines the principles that justified armed conflict, the mechanisms used to raise and deploy armed forces, the weapons available to early medieval warriors, the means by which they obtained them, and the techniques and customs of battle.

A thorough, accessible and informative review, this study highlights the complex casual relationships among the structures and sources of early medieval political power, technology, and the conduct of war.

Genres: History, Japan, Japanese History, Nonfiction, War, Japanese Literature, Medieval

252 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2003

About the author

A specialist in classical and early medieval Japanese history, Karl Friday is professor emeritus in history at the University of Georgia.

Reviews

[AskHistorians]

A great book that goes far more into detail than most people could wish for surrounding, well, samurai and Japanese warfare. Clears up a lot of myths found especially in pop culture, which is something that I found very useful. It also covers the weapons and equipment used during war, how these were used, how battles were conducted, as well as the contextual values of medieval Japan, such as reputation, honour, loyalty, mixed in with deception and lies. Definitely worth the read, although some precursory knowledge would be recommended to get the most out of this book.

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly exquisite book on early medieval warfare in Japan. Book is written beautifully and it is accessible to any reader - be it student of history and military or just hobbyist. Level of details is great. Interaction within the society, the way state lost the control of military apparatus and the rise of warrior class that will become answerable to no-one are all beautifully portrayed.

Some actions and consequences- like state losing control over armed forces - share great semblance to what happen in Rome prior to its fall and show what happens when monopoly on violence is given to private bodies of people [and this is subject very important for our times].

Samurai predecessors are shown for what they are, military professionals that lived their life by the sword (bow/spear). While they do have a warrior code (that will be romanticized in later centuries) it is clearly shown they were never foolish. All that warrior ethos and honor talk and social standing is OK as long as warrior is alive and to stay alive he is to use everything available in dire situation - and this means doing things that might be opposite to all the honor talk.

For all history buffs out there and Japanese military history enthusiasts in particular I highly recommend this book.

[Beth Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Thoughtful and enlightening, well-written, aimed at the lay reader who has just read The Tale of the Heike as well as the professional historian.