2005
First Published
3.68
Average Rating
64
Number of Pages
Part of Series
Osprey's examination of Samurai commanders during the Gempei Wars (1180–1185), the Onin War (1467–1477), and the early Sengoku period. The samurai were the military elite of medieval and early modern Japan, and the men who led them were hailed as the very greatest, most heroic and most honourable of all samurai warriors. This first of two books examines the lives, equipment, battles and wider roles of the samurai commanders between 940 and 1576, the period from the emergence of the samurai to the triumph of Oda Nobunaga, who set Japan on the road to reunification. The styles of armour and weaponry of the samurai changed considerably during this time and this book visually recreates some of the most famous samurai commanders, such as Taira Masaka (c. 903-940), Minamoto Yorimasa (1106-1180), and Takeda Shingen (1521-1573).
Avg Rating
3.68
Number of Ratings
37
5 STARS
22%
4 STARS
41%
3 STARS
24%
2 STARS
11%
1 STARS
3%
goodreads
Author
Stephen Turnbull
Author · 65 books
Stephen Richard Turnbull is British a historian specializing in eastern military history, especially the samurai of Japan. His books are mainly on Japanese and Mongolian subjects. He attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree. He currently holds an MA in Theology, MA in Military History and a PhD from the University of Leeds where he is currently a lecturer in Far Eastern Religions. He has also written a number of books on other medieval topics.
