Topic > Samurai vs. Knight: Battle Tactics Comparison

Medieval Europe shared some similarities with medieval Japan, but it also shared conflicts. One that includes their soldier or warriors, those who fought for their land. In medieval Europe they took horses and in Japan the samurai, they fought in different ways. Both fought to protect their homeland from invading foreign forces. Samurai and knights find very little difference between warriors. The medieval era saw the emergence of two distinct warrior classes in Europe and Japan. These were the Samurai and the Knights. They have been recorded in history as a code of courage and sacrifice. The world had never seen such a courageous and dedicated “military class” before them. Although they represented two different cultures; they were comparable in several ways. The duty of the Knights was very similar to that of the Samurai. They were hired to protect the land and the people. Ironically, Samurai and Knights came from noble families, as horses, armor and weapons were expensive and their use required extensive training. They were at the top of the social hierarchy and enjoyed many privileges. On the other hand they had to be a good example for the lower classes and had to follow the principles of their religion. The most valuable principles of the samurai and knights are unconditional loyalty to his master, extreme self-discipline, and courageous, selfless behavior. These great warriors had a purpose; serve their lord and succeed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The medieval knight trampled the Japanese samurai in battle because of their battle tactics, but one on one the samurai claimed victory with training and codes of respect. Training and code of conduct were one of the most essential values ​​for a warrior and shaped the society of a country. The bushido code is a specific set of codes that originated from Zen Confucianism and other codes of respect. Society and Bushido came together on some levels and often came together for powerful political and social messages. During the imperialization of Asia, Japan maintained the strong teaching of being a strong and intelligent student forced to be a farmer. Chivalry, on the other hand, refers to the style and ethical code complicit in the knights of medieval Europe. Chivalry included the values ​​honor, courtesy, courage, and virtue, as well as loyalty to God, a movement, or a nobleman. Its foundation was a blend of military, cultural and religious ethics. Although chivalry began as a code for knights, it transformed into cultural circumstances of the Renaissance. “The principles of bushido emphasized honor, courage, martial arts skill, and loyalty to the warrior's master (daimyo) above all else.” Chivalry and Bushido were both important in shaping the essential elements of medieval and modern society. The code of conduct of chivalry is based on the fact that men should act according to their moral standards, while Bushido is based on serving the daimyo or superior who pays them. They are both similar in different ways and are still more or less the same even though they have not had contact with each other. Zen Confucianism was the most structural and disciplined practice due to their intense training and the laws a samurai was expected to follow. If I were a warrior without weapons it would be a big disadvantage, the weapon could be the key to victory or the burden for death. Weapons can be anything that can be used to harm or kill living beings. Different cultures in the medieval period preferreddifferent weapons and attack styles. The preferred range of weapons would be the sword, spear, bow and arrow. Samurai preferred the katana as their primary weapon and a 12-inch wakizashi dagger for seppuku and rapid close-range combat. The medieval European knight had a longsword with initials engraved on the handle for culture. The knight not only had 2 or 3 weapons, but had specific classes for swordsman, spearman and archer. Samurai wore armor that covered them from head to toe that had easy mobility and the icing on the cake was the intimidating face. “But because of the light armor, it makes them extremely vulnerable in battle.” Samurai also had disadvantages resulting from their armor and weapons being targeted by that of another enemy. Their light armor made them vulnerable to firearms and arrows. The Japanese did not discover firearms until the 13th century, which made Japan vulnerable compared to modern countries. Even the knights of medieval Europe had considerable difficulties with their weapons and especially with their armor. The heavy, more defensive armor made mobility difficult and slowed knights in running and fighting. The armor also rusted and had to be cleaned by the armor squire who might even become a knight one day. The most significant factor was the amount of material and cost of their armor. Most knights' armor was made of polished iron, which was an expensive currency at the time. In this scenario the samurai would have won thanks to their small and light weapons which allowed them to kill faster and faster. Battle tactics were the kicker between who won a battle and who lost it. A great example was the Battle of Hastings. In the battle, the Normans had their frontline archers skirmishing the shield wall picking numbers one by one. So they sent the infantry in and the shield wall didn't break. They were fighting and word spread from the Norman side that the king was dead and they began to retreat. The shield wall broke and chased the fleeing Normans. Out of nowhere the Normans turned and shot down the group that was pursuing them. The battle continued and the Saxons were defeated as the battle plan failed. European knights were the brightest when it came to battle plans and tactics. "Cavalry was one of the most effective bodies of troops during the early Middle Ages, but towards the late Middle Ages it lost importance as infantry and other parts of the army became more important." Knights also had a gimmick where they could have several classes spread out to get the most efficient damage and impact. Knights generally rode horses and caused critical and overwhelming damage to defense and open-field battle. Knights also built catapults and trebuchets to inflict damage from afar. Samurai battle tactics were really simple and that was the warrior's instinct to kill as many as you can and not be killed. Some samurai rode horses that were often heavy and sluggish, but the rider understood Kyuba no Michi which translates to the way of the horse and the bow. Otherwise, their main component was intimidation, which still worked most of the time. The disadvantages of being a medieval knight were that you had to die due to your poor training and leadership. Knights were considered fruitful and wealthy, not the knights we see today. Anyone who was expert in knighthood most of the time was defeated, a great example was the crusades and the knights attacked the Muslims and won battle after battle. In my opinion, the knights would trample a samurai army.