Samurai and Knights: Were the Similarities Greater Than the Differences?
Over time, places, things, and people change. Some causes of these changes might include new technologies, new living, or advancements. About 1000 years ago, this transition happened in two different countries, Japan and Europe. In Europe, the primary fighting source was knights. These fighters fought mostly on horseback. These warriors, when up close, used swords and cavalry swords. By the late 12th century, Europe had up to 12,000 knights. During the same period, way east of Europe, Japan had its advancements. Their fighting force was made of warriors called samurai. These warriors also fought on horseback but with a different tactic. Samurai used bows and arrows when charging at the enemy. This proved to be a better fighting system with fewer casualties in battle. Even though they lived in different countries, both knights had more similarities
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Both knights and samurai learned the code of loyalty at a young age. In Europe, it was called, “The Code of Chivalry ''. In Japan, it was called, “The Code of Bushido ''. The Code of Chivalry, states that all knights are loyal to the king, to prove themselves worthy of knightly honor by being strong, brave, courteous, and loyal bearing under the greatest difficulties. In Japan, the Code of Bushido states that they are loyal to their master, and to stand in physical readiness for what comes his way. Both knights and samurai both took death seriously and had big opinions on death. But, the only difference was their way toward death. Knights, on the one hand, prayed to God in their last final time to give mercy on his sins, meaning bad actions, and to be taken into heaven, clean of sin, and to go to God. In Japan, samurai take death more peacefully. Meaning that they say that birth is just like