Shoguns and samurai
Shogun was the title of the warrior rulers who led Japan from the late 1100's to the mid-1800's. The term shogun means great general in Japanese. The emperor of Japan had first given this title to officers sent to fight tribes in the northern frontier region in the A.D. late 700's.
Samurai were members of the hereditary warrior class in Japan. The early samurai defended the aristocrats' estates in the provinces. During the 1000's and 1100's, the samurai began to develop a tradition of values and personal conduct. They valued horsemanship, skill with the bow, strong self-discipline, and bravery. Above all, they prized total obedience and loyalty to their lords, and personal honor. If the samurai were dishonored, they would consider it a duty to commit ritual suicide.
Excerpt adapted from the "Shogun" and "Samurai" articles, The World Book Encyclopedia, © 1999