Despite their cultural and ethnical differences, there are many similarities between the Japanese samurai and the medieval knights. The knights were primarily used to serve and protect the king, and the term samurai itself means “those who serve.” They were both warriors of their specific time periods, joining in large numbers to form one unified and almost unstoppable attack, just as the Roman legions had done before them. But to truly understand the knights and the samurai, we must take a closer look at what they stood for.

Through the course of history, almost all significant groups of warriors and soldiers had a code by which they abided. The samurai and medieval knights were no different. The samurai pledged allegiance to the clan leader or Emperor, while the knight was completely faithful to his king. There was also a sense of a “higher power” in which both of them were faithful to. The samurai had a strong tradition of respecting the “sayings of the ancients,” while the knights’ belief in God gave them “power” to do extraordinary things, which was evident in the Crusades against the Arabs. This belief in God by the knights and the samurai state of mind in which fear of death was non-existent made them difficult to fight against.

Another area in which the knights and samurai were similar in was armor and weaponry. Each was clad in armor; the samurai in his overlapping metal scales tied together with silk cords, and the medieval knight in padded coats-of-plates or full-length armor. Sometimes this armor was too heavy, or speed and quickness was of more need than sheer defense, the samurai and knight would have lighter armors to wear. The knight would don a “chain mail” and the samurai would drape himself in leather armor for better maneuverability.

The primary weapon of both the knight and samurai was the sword. Because of the different opponents each faced in their respective era (the knights fighting other knights fully clad in almost impenetrable metal body armor, the samurai fighting other quicker, less armor-clad samurai), the sword was shaped according to the time. The Japanese sword, the katana, was unmatched in sharpness and cutting power. Fighting with the katana involved quick, two-handed thrusts and slashes to penetrate armor and flesh. The medieval sword was similar. It was designed to penetrate chain mail’s with forceful one-handed blows, as the other hand was occupied holding the shield. Japanese swordsmanship, Kenjutsu, also teaches many effective counter-attacking techniques when fighting 1 on 1 sword battles. Comparative to the medieval knights, who used many counter attacking techniques during their fights, blocking with their shields and swords and striking back forcefully.

Both the samurai and medieval knight had a longer, slightly more powerful weapon to go along with their regular swords. The samurai had a long, powerful spear, which was wielded with two hands, comparable to the medieval “great sword,” a truly magnificent weapon. The great sword was also wielded with two hands, and with powerful blows would sometimes be able to penetrate the heaviest of armors. The spear used by the samurai could be used to stab the enemy, or could be used as a bo, a long wooden stick which could be used to strike the enemy. With enough force, it could knock a person unconscious, or if the blow was to the skull, perhaps even kill them.

The style in which both the medieval knight and the Japanese samurai approached combat was fairly similar. The archeries would often strike first to weaken the defenses, and then the soldiers would run in. Depending on the war leader, the cavalry would either be at the front of the attack, in the middle, or near the back.

Once both sides meet, it was all pretty much individual combat. There was a lot of one-on-one fighting, common of both the samurai and medieval knights. “Back stabbing” was not uncommon, as when you were done killing off one person, you would move on and help your fellow soldier. The job of the men riding horses was common in both the Japanese samurai and medieval times. They would pass by the enemy on their horse and with a quick slash or jab of the sword, decapitate or stab the person. But not always was a horseman using a sword to defeat his enemies. Sometimes a samurai would mount a horse and use a bow and arrow to attack his enemy while riding, which was a very difficult task, but when accomplished, could prove to be very useful. The knights also had a horseman who did not use a sword as his primary weapon. Sometimes a lance was used to against the enemy, but was often hard to control and balance, so it wasn’t as commonly used as a sword.

The similarities are large in number between the Japanese samurai and the medieval knights, despite the different cultures and time periods. They were both formidable warriors and possibly the two most recognizable types of soldiers in history. At first glance, it looks like the samurai and the knights have nothing in common. But with a closer look, we can see that the two are quite evenly matched and share many similarities.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cavendish, Marshall. The End of Chivalry. New York, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1989.

Doherty, Paul C. King Arthur. Philadelphia, Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

Fewster, Stuart, and Tony Gorton, eds. Japan: From Shogun to Superstate. New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1987.

Perrin, Noel. Giving Up the Gun: Japans Reversion to the Sword. Boston, David R. Godine, Publisher, 1979.

Lay, David. “Origin of the Samurai.” 9 Oct. 1998. http://www.judoinfo.com/samurai.htm

Grainger, Shea Gail. “Medieval/Middle Ages.” http://www.sau29.k12.nh.us/library/Dewey/medieval.htm

West, G. E. “Samurai Clothing.” 1999. http://www.samurai.bigsitecity.com/clothing.html