Japanese civilization is considered to be quite young.Despite the fact that the Japanese islands began to occupy more than one millennium ago, bringing people together in a conglomeration of tribes there was only in the second century BC.Similarity of statehood came here only in the third century AD, when the alliance of tribes Yamato was able to subdue the other peoples and to be the largest.Gradually authority Yamato clan became like the king's, and their rulers called themselves emperors ("Tenno").Another term, "Shogun" (rather, it is the ruler - the supreme military commander), came into use centuries later.
ancient origins samurai
Japan 6-7 centuries the bulk of the population was represented by peasants and slaves were also unequal citizens of Japanese society, often consisting of Chinese and Koreans.Farmers taxes levied fairly impressive as food and rent money, directed at working out and actually were attached to the ground.To combat feudal peasant protests have created teams of specially trained soldiers - samurai, and administrative power in the country belonged to the nobility, who mostly belong to the same genus as the supreme ruler.
first shogunate in the history of Japan
Japanese shoguns officially appeared in the 11th century AD.On the territory of Japan began to form a group of military feudal lords, among which are the Taira and Minamoto.They unleashed a civil war 1180-1185 gg., Battles during which passed over the island of Honshu.On both sides of the front there were hundreds of thousands of military factions killed civilians, ruined monasteries.The winner was the Minamoto clan, whose representative, Yoritomo, awarded in 1192 the title of "Sella Tai Shogun" - it means "chief, conquering barbarians."So in the history of Japan appeared shogunate.
noteworthy that the civil war in Japan that time actually won no Yoritomo, and his brother - Yoshitsune, which in connection with the suspicious ruler was expelled from the palace.According to some legends, Yoshitsune fled from Japan to the mainland, where he took the name of "Genghis Khan", on the other - committed suicide.Also interesting legend about the death of Yoritomo after falling from his horse took place due to the fact that the horse reared up, seeing the ghost of Yoshitsune.
term came from China
If the Japanese ask: "Explain the terms" shogun "," taysegun "and so on. D.", The answers can be quite diverse.The fact that the concept came to Japan from China, where it was distributed in the form of "secretly Shogun," which can be translated as "commander of a large tree."According to legend, a prominent Chinese military leader Hyo-I was so modest that when talking about his victory in public, he was running under a big tree, not to listen to praise in his address.
In the annals of Japanese word "Shogun" with different prefixes mentioned in 7-8 centuries of our era, including:
- fukusegun - "deputy commander";
- taysegun - "great commander" (two prefixes media posts were divided into higher and lower in rank);
- tinteki Shogun - a military leader who conquered the barbarians of the West;
- just shogun - the winner of the barbarians of the East;
- tindzyu shogun - the commander-conciliator.
first title to be returned
In those days, the carrier of this title was a high-ranking official, who headed the army, or part of it, or the messenger.The title was given to the military campaign, and then returned to the emperor.Ancient ceremony of "initiation" assumed classified regulation on this subject (edict) and presentation of a ceremonial sword in the imperial palace.Later, the procedure is slightly modified.For example, nursing representatives not be allowed into the palace in Kyoto to the audience, and in the 14-19 centuries edict brought shogun "home."He filled in the answer box from under the Edict of golden sand, brought him back to the imperial ambassador, and promised to follow a "bright example of" the ruler of Yoritomo Minamoto.
Shogun could become a year-old child
Board of shoguns in Japan lasted from 1192 until the Meiji Revolution.During this period the supreme commander conveyed his power by inheritance and the combined top government posts, while the power of the emperor was rather ceremonially-par.From dead Yoritomo Minamoto power passed to his son's regents - the Hojo clan.
Upon termination kind Minamoto patrilineal Japanese shoguns, perhaps the only time in history, included in their number of children from the Fujiwara clan, who was appointed to the highest public office, that time at the age of two years.
Kamakursky shogunate brought Japan's national flag
first shogunate in Japan had as its capital the city of Kamakura, so called Kamakurskim shogunate.This historical period was characterized by civil strife and dominated by representatives of the samurai - "servicemen people" who made up the military-feudal class petty nobles, protect and serve his "daimyo."At the same time Japan due to the intervention of natural forces managed to repel two Mongol invasions (1281 and 1274 years) and become the national flag, which, according to legend, handed over to the Buddhist shogunate - the patriarch Nichiren.
feudal divisions
Minamoto Yoritomo, Shogun (photo painting depicting him forth above), after the war was appointed in every province of the military governors, who over time amassed significant military forces and concentrated in their handsallotments.At the same time, Japan has established favorable trade relations with China and Korea, which has led to the enrichment of the feudal lords in the south-east.
Such processes are not like feudal lords in the rate of Kamakura, leading to conflicts and the transition of power to the Ashikaga clan.Representatives of the latter moved from the destroyed Kamakura in Kyoto, close to the Imperial Palace, where spent too much money on a controversy with the pomp of the court aristocracy.Public affairs were in a state of neglect that led to the intensification of military governors in other parts of the country, and a new phase of civil war.
Board of shoguns in Japan in 1478 - 1577 years, again accompanied by military conflicts between almost all the provinces, leading the empire to the brink of total collapse in the mid-16th century.But there was a "daimyo" - representative of the elite among the samurai (Nobunaga) which conquered the center of the country with the capital of Kyoto, defeated the feudal lords and nurtured within its ranks talented general - Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Shogun could become a farmer
This uneducated but intelligent and enterprising comes from a peasant family after the death of Nobunaga clan representatives completed unification of Japan (in 1588).Thus, the representative nonaristocratic class actually received the title of "Shogun."This seemingly blurred the boundaries between the classes, but he Hideyoshi edict confirmed all the privileges of the samurai and even campaigned for the removal of weapons (swords) in the peasantry.
Subsequent Japanese shoguns, but from the Tokugawa clan, ruled Japan almost a quarter millennium.The fact that Hideyoshi handed over power to his son, who was a minor, and was subject to guardianship.Just stood out from among the guardians of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who eliminated the power of the legitimate heir and began to rule by selecting as the capital of modern Tokyo.
First Samurai were the elite
During the rule of the Tokugawa house was streamlined system of governance - the emperor deprived of power, entered the city councils of elders, a society divided into classes.Dominant position is occupied by soldiers - samurai.Also present were the peasants, artisans, merchants, roving performers, pariahs and beggars who were allocated to a separate class.During the rule of the Tokugawa samurai were the elite of society, which is a tenth of the population, and enjoyed great privileges.But then a number of military proved unnecessary, and become part of the samurai ninja ronin (hired killers), while others went into trade or class began teaching military and business philosophy of "Bushido" - code of the samurai.To rebel as ronin had to suppress government troops.
Causes Elimination mode shogunate
Why decayed regime under the control of the shogun?Reviews historians suggest that the country due to the growth of trade relations appeared class petty bourgeoisie, which is strongly suppressed by officials of the shogunate, and this caused protests.In the urban layer born intellectuals, which also sought to suppress, in particular, because of its commitment to Shinto, proclaims the kinship of all Japanese, regardless of class, and others.
government forbade other religions (Christianity), limited contacts with other countries,which led to protests and, eventually, to the transfer of the Tokugawa shogunate of state power back to the Emperor in 1867.Today, "Shogun" in Japan - a historical term, since such a position was abolished during the Meiji Restoration, which took place in 1868 - 1889 years.
