Kings, Courtiers, and Samurai: Medieval Japan.

Catalog description

This course surveys the history of Japan from the end of the Yamato kingdom until the advent of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603. Major themes will be the development of Japanese administrative institutions, a possible correlation with “feudalism” in Europe, as well as the organization of medieval Japanese society. We will rely on a variety of sources and mediums of study, including contemporary warrior tales, chronicles, and later materials such as film.