Abstract

The Warring States Period was a time of fierce battles in which blood was washed with blood. The warring lords were always flanked by their vassals, who supported their fiefdoms. In the Warring States period, vassals were military bureaucrats who were responsible for both political and military affairs. If a feudal lord was away at war, a vassal would take his place and run the country, sometimes achieving great feats in battle without the feudal lord. This book focuses on the "vassals," who could be said to be the "byplayers" of the Sengoku period, and traces their occupations, lifestyles, culture, and other aspects of life.

Author’s Information

Tetsuo OWADA (Supervisor)
Born in Shizuoka City in 1944, Tetsuo Owada completed his doctorate at the Graduate School of Letters, Waseda University in 1972. He is Professor Emeritus of Shizuoka University. His books include "What Japanese Should Learn from History" (Mikasa Shobo, 1999), "History of Japan Made by Evil Men" (Chukei no Bunko, 2009), "Second Life Learning from Warlords" (Media Factory Shinsho, 2013), "The great military advisor, the great Shogun" (NHK Publishing, 2013), "Kuroda Kanbei The wise warlord of contrivance" (Heibonsha Shinsho, 2013).