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Feudalism
Japan & Europe Comparison
Heian Japan
• The Emperor became a symbolic ruler
• Heian aristocrats ruled through political
stealth & artistic style
• Japan became a hotpot of double-dealing
and intrigue
Heian Period: Cultural Borrowing
and Flowering (pre – feudalism)
• Chinese religion,
philosophy and
language greatly
impacted early
Japanese society.
The lower classes
were more in favor
of borrowing from
the Chinese than
were the upper
classes.
1. Chinese writing.
2.Chinese artistic
styles.
3.Buddhism [in the
form of
ZEN].
4.BUT, not the
Chinese civil
service system! 
Tea ceremonies & flowers!
• Tea Ceremony was
part of Wabi,
meaning quiet or
sober refinement, or
subdued taste
• Began with Zen
Buddhists
Lady Murasaki Shikibu
The Tale of Genji perhaps the world’s first novel
She contributed much to the Japanese script
known as katakana, while men wrote with
Chinese characters, kanji.
Noh plays
• Noh plays were
religious, historical
and romantic.
• They had male actors
and a chorus.
Zen Buddhism
• A Japanese variation of
the Mahayana form of
Buddhism, which came from
India through China.
•
It reinforced the Bushido
values of mental and selfdiscipline.
• Inspired art & drama
Development of feudalism
(Europe and Japan)
• What is Feudalism?
• A decentralized social and political order
formed for reasons of protection.
• Feudalism is defined by land ownership
Serfs in Europe
paying their lord.
Origins of European Feudalism
•After fall of Roman Empire – no
unifying force
•Kings are unable to defend their
lands, lands of their nobles
•Nobles had to find way to defend own
lands
Origins of European Feudalism
Charles Martel
(Charles the Hammer)
• French “King” - won the Battle of
Tours in 732, -saved Europe from
the Islamic expansionism that had
conquered Iberia.
• Brilliant general, -forefather of
western heavy cavalry, chivalry,
founder of the Carolingian Empire
(named after him), catalyst for the
feudal system
Charles Martel and the Franks defeat the
Arab Invaders at Poitiers
Origins of European Feudalism
Charlemagne (~742-814)


•
•
•
(Charles the Great)
Attempts to rebuild “Roman” Empire
Revives art and culture
Saves the Pope (Leo III) -rewarded
with the title “Holy Roman Emperor”
(Power shift from Constantinople to
Northern Europe)
Reforms: monetary, governmental,
military, cultural, educational and
ecclesiastical (outlaws “whoring,
drunkenness, and covetousness” among
the nuns and converted the Saxons.)
After his death roads degrade and
villas turn to castles.
Charlemagne
Note the
symbolism in this
painting
Origins of Japanese Feudalism
• After the end of the Heian period
the power of the emperor declined
• Rugged terrain made central control
difficult
• Japan saw the rise of various
military clans.
• Conflicts between these clans turned
into civil war
• A society led by samurai clans under
the political rule of the shogun
emerged
Structure of European
Feudalism
A political, economic, and social
system based on loyalty, the holding
of land, and military service.
King
Land - Fief
Lord
Land - Fief
Protection
Knight
Peasant
Loyalty
Europe:
Lord
Knight
Peasant
Loyalty
Knight
Peasant
Food
Peasant
I have manors
I have
debt
hate
I have fiefs
you
I have Disease
Structure of Japanese Feudalism
A political, economic, and social
system based on loyalty, the holding
of land, and military service.
Japan:
Shogun
Land - Shoen
Land - Shoen
Protection
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasant
Loyalty
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasant
Loyalty
Samurai
Peasant
Food
Peasant
The emperor
reigned, but did
not always rule!
Feudal
Society
Who is really in control?
Europe
Japan
• Pope (Catholic
• Emperor holds the
Church!!!) is head
highest rank, but no
of Roman Catholic
real power.
Church
-Head of Shinto
• Early popes seen as religion and “revered.”
spiritual leaders
• Shogun REALLY in
• During Middle
charge
Ages, they became
powerful political
figures
Lords in Europe
• The king would give out
grants of land to his most
important noblemen (barons
and bishops),
• A lord granted land (a fief)
to his vassals.
• Vassal would provide military
service to the lord. Land for
loyalty is the basis of
feudalism.
• The vassal pays homage andRoland swears fealty to
swears fealty
Charlemagne
Daimyo in Japan
• Shoguns appoint
loyal Daimyo to be
local administrators:
• Daimyo are wealthy
landlords who are:
Judges, tax
collectors, military
leaders and are in
charge of road
construction and
maintenance.
Daimyo
Samurai
Knights in Europe
• Had a duty to learn how to fight and so serve
their liege Lord according to the Code of
Chivalry
• Weapon practice included two-handed
sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance.
• Expected to guard a castle and support his
liege lord in Medieval warfare
• Granted land with serfs to tend it
• To become a knight took years of training
• Page→ esquire → knight
Samurai in Japan
• Samurai were warriors granted position and land in
exchange for military
service.(also rice)
• Duty to maintain peace in
the provinces
• lived by an honor code
called Bushido
• would rather commit suicide
than live without honor.
Code of Chivalry
* Justice
* Loyalty
* Defense
* Courage
* Faith
* Humility
* Nobility
Code of Bushido
* Fidelity
* Politeness
* Virility
* Simplicity
Seppuku:
Ritual Suicide
It is honorable to die
in this way.
Kaishaku – his
“seconds”
Ninjas –Just For Fun
• appeared in 14th century
• roles included sabotage, espionage &
assassination
• cause social chaos
• At least one ninja academy for girls
http://www.theonion.com/video/ninja-parade-slips-through-town-unnoticed-onceaga,14181/
Manorialism in Europe
•
•
•
•
the economic portion of feudalism
life was centered on the lord’s manor
included the village, church, farm land and mill.
involved a hierarchy of reciprocal obligations
that exchanged labor or rents for access to land.
• encompassed the political relations between the
Lord of the Manor and his peasants
• sometimes referred to as the seignorial system,
or Seigneurialism.
The Reciprocal obligations of manorialism
• Peasants paid the lord of the manor certain dues
in return for the use of his land
• The Lord of the Manor was expected to provide
protection for his peasants
• He also provided 'Banalities‘ – use of oven & mill
• Lord had judicial power and could gain revenue
by the payment of fines
• Lord could claim the goods of a person who died
on their lands and had no direct heir
Feudal Japanese Economics
• Japan was an agricultural society based on the
production of rice. Terraces were created to
increase the amount of arable land.
• There was little trade; it was mostly local with
few or no contacts with Korea or China.
Commoners in Japan
Farmer with Hoe
(Ivory)
Farmer’s wife
Noble
occupation
• Japanese peasants were
reduced to the status of
serfs.
• They were bound to the
land and treated as
property.
• made up 75% of the
population.
• not allowed to ride a horse
or carry a sword.
• Social Mobility: In times
of war, a peasant who
fought well could rise in
status in the society.
Europe Mostly Isolated in Feudalism
• Little long distance trade
• Northern Hanseatic League
• Education declined - controlled by
Church
• Art and architecture less
sophisticated
• Christianity spreads to Scandinavia
and Baltic regions
• Islam seen as a threat to Europe
Threats to Japan: Mongol
attempted invasions of Japan
Kublai Khan sends two
invasion forces
• 4,400 ships and 140,000
men
• kamikaze winds stop them.
• Mongols lose up to 75% of
men
Threats in Europe:
• Vikings
• Seamen and
warriors
• Why migrate
• Technology
• Convert to
Christianity
• Places of
settlement
• Magyars
• Muslims
Castles in Europe
• castles helped a king or
a vassal defend the land
around
• provided homes for the
nobles and their
families and servants.
• outer walls could be up
to 33 feet thick
• by 1500, became much
less important (cannons
invented)
Castles in Japan
• In 12th and 13th centuries castles were
built by Samurai and Daimyo.
• Built mostly of wood, they were easily
destroyed in sieges.
Comparative thesis
st
(1
nd
2
Compare the
&
period
rd
th
social, 3 & 5 period economic,
6th &7th period political) aspects
of the feudal systems of Japan
and Europe between 1000 and
1450 C.E.