Samurai Swords In History

Wars had played revolutionizing parts in Japan's long13th century when they seriously engaged battles
line of history. For thousands of years, war clanswith the Mongols, they started to make use of their
controlled the country. Each clan is comprised ofSamurai swords more and eventually manufactured
several related families and each is lead by a chiefmore of these and the naginata and spears. They
who are the families' ancestors. Wars were almosteasily transformed to fighting on foot from fighting
always centralized on the struggle for land- only 20on horseback.
% of Japan's land is suited for farming, thus thisSamurais swords were generally divided into two: the
condition gave rise to the knights of the Japan whodaito-katana or the long sword which on average is
are named as Samurais.more than 24 inches long and the shoto-wakizashi or
Duty is first and foremost at the heart of eachthe short sword that were 12-24 inches long. Samurai
Samurai warrior along with the Bushido or the Wayswords were often given names as to immortalize
of the Warrior. To become a Samurai is to overcomethe soul of warriorship.
the fear of death. By this, they may serve theirThe earliest swords were straight and were typically
masters and their clan loyally and if serving wouldfashioned after Chinese or Korean designs. But in the
mean to forfeit their own lives, then that will becourse of the battle, the Samurai swords were
done.recreated to give much tougher design with sharper
To ensure that their lands are protected and thecurved edge. This is the type of Samurai swords that
battles they fight are victories, ancient Japanesewent down to history.
developed armors, codes and weapons. TheSamurai swords were fashioned to near perfection.
weapons revolutionized along with the battles.The basic elements combined to make Samurai
By the 9th-12th A.D. the Samurais had become aswords are carbon and iron. To shape them, the
separate class. Within these periods, Samurais weresword smith makes use of anvil water, fire and
divided into two: the knight-retainers or the Samuraishammers. Once the sword is forged, the sword
and the warriors or the Bushi. Some of these werepolisher will set up the blade for the furniture that will
hired men and some are members of the ruling class.enclose it. Once this is done, the sword tester will put
They surrender their lives to their Daimyos orthe new blade to test by cutting through condemned
landowners who are often the ruling member of thecriminals and dead corpses. He will first cut through
family and in return they were given fiefs or landsthe smaller bones moving to the tougher bones. The
and position. Each Samurai is employed to serve andresults of which are transcribed on the nakago or the
protect the properties of the Daimyo and in battlesmetal piece that connects the handle to the Samurai
for land expansion and power.sword.
Samurais made most of what are present in theirThrough their rise to power, the these knights and
environments. When horses were first introduced,their Samurai swords were heralded as the ruling
they became masters in horses. Horseback ridingclass in Japan's hierarchy for several centuries well up
were then incorporated into battles. They practicedto the 19th century. This era is noted for the Shogun
both unarmed and armed combat. Bows and arrowsor the most powerful ruling Samurais in their own
were primarily used in combat; swords were justtime.
used for beheading the enemies. However, in the