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Later the term ronin was applied to a social hierarchy: the rebellious samurai, who were considered outlaws and were men expelled from their clans or who had abandoned their lords.
The Ronin Timeline
During the Sengoku period, between the years 1467 and 1600, a samurai could find a new master if his daimyo were killed in combat. These were times of war and there were never enough experienced soldiers, so the ronin did not remain without a master for long.
However, towards the end of that period the pacification of Japan began and in those circumstances there was no longer an eagerness to incorporate warriors. Therefore, men who fell unintentionally into the life of a ronin had to make do.
In cases in which the daimyo died suddenly or his position was demoted, the samurai went on to serve a new daimyo, who was usually a close relative of the previous daimyo. However, this was not always possible, especially when the samurai and his daimyo were close. In such a case, it was common for the samurai to commit suicide through the ritual of seppuku , also known as harakiri. This ritual suicide involved taking a short dagger to the stomach and cutting from left to right.
Bushido and seppuku _
The bushido , which means “the way of the warrior”, was the code of honor under which the samurai were governed. According to him, if a daimyo died in battle, the only way the samurai in charge of him could retain his honor was by making seppuku . In this way, the samurai preserved his honor in the eyes of society; In addition, this practice avoided possible future revenge and eliminated the “excess” warriors who were left without daimyo.
choose life
Samurai who chose to continue living fell into social disgrace and their subsistence options were limited. Because they belonged to the samurai caste, they could not “lower” themselves to live as merchants, artisans, or farmers; besides, for themselves it was frowned upon. They kept their traditional samurai weaponry of two swords, unless they had to sell them when falling on hard times. As members of the samurai caste, in the strict feudal hierarchy they could not legally start a new life as farmers, artisans, or merchants, and most would otherwise have despised such jobs. This was how they became ronin .
What did the ronin do ?
The most honorable option for ronin was to live by working as bodyguards or mercenaries for wealthy merchants. Many others were involved in crime, from running gangs that ran businesses such as brothels and illegal casinos to extorting protection from merchants. This type of behavior helped cement the image of the ronin as criminals.
An exception to this bad reputation for ronin is the legend of the 47 ronin . In this true story, 47 samurai chose to stay alive as ronin to avenge the wrongful death of their master. Their mission accomplished, they committed suicide as required by the code of bushido . His actions, while illegal, have been considered the epitome of loyalty and service to his lord.
Today in Japan the term ronin is used as a joke to describe a high school graduate who has not yet begun his university studies, or an unemployed office worker.
Sources
Rōnin, Japanese warrior . Encyclopædia Britannica .
Till, Barry. The 47 Ronin: A Stroy of Samurai Loyalty and Courage . 2005.
Bushido | Virtues, significance, History, & Facts . Encyclopedia Britannica.
