Samurai vs Knight free essay sample

The Samurai’s bushido and the European Knights chivalry were both codes of honor which consisted of fighting for their earthly lord, but when it came down to committing ritual suicide for their god only Samurais were up for the challenge; setting them aside from the Knights. These two different types of people clash swords when it comes to how they view women and what they wear going into battle. The Japanese Samurai lived by bushido, which was a code of honor that demanded bravery and faithfulness to the lord. They would put their life on the line for the lord because he was above anyone else in their eyes. An example of how extreme these warriors were is that they would perform seppuku; a ritual suicide which consists of them impaling their abdomen with a tanto (knife) to cause a slow painful death. Then another Samurai would decapitate the head from behind with a sword. We will write a custom essay sample on Samurai vs Knight or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was voluntarily to the Samurais to die with the highest honor and give all they had to their lord. The European Knights code of honor known as chivalry was nowhere near the extremeness of bushido but none the less wasn’t taken lightly. Chivalry came from the French word chevalerie meaning â€Å"knighthood†. When knights weren’t fighting or residing in a castle they attended jousting tournaments and went hunting to keep their fighting tactics pristine. Chivalry valued generosity to all but especially to the needy. Knights were also expected to protect the church and women who they did not think very high of. The Samurais and Knights didn’t see eye to eye when it came to women’s role in a community. The Japanese expected women to live as men showing honor and courage to their lord and even becoming a Samurai. On the other side of the spectrum the Knights thought of women as weak creatures to be idolized and not being able to fend for themselves. However he did stay loyal and performed kindly for his wife’s sake. The Japanese Samurais and the European Knights were both fighters but they were fighting for different reasons. The Samurai fought for their lord for money while the European Knights fought for their lord for land. The Japanese were talented with their archery along with their swords which they moved around a lot during fights, forcing them to wear light iron and leather armor. The Knights again had a different approach in which they came in on their most prized possession known as their horse. This allowed them to wear heavy plate armor while using a lance or a broadsword on horseback or on foot. Bushido and chivalry are both prestigious codes of honor that were followed by two different types of people. These two groups had different opinions on women, fighting style but they were both doing in loyalty for their lord.