William Bennet Munro History Seminar

Early medieval Japanese society (c. 1100-1400) was characterized by the reluctance of central powers to actively intervene in local disputes and conflicts; power and initiative were often left to contesting parties and local communities. Lack of trust in the willingness or abilities of central powers or estate owners to protect individuals and groups in the provinces forced the latter to organize and use violence as a conscious conflict strategy. In this talk Prof. Oxenboell will explore the ways rural communities managed conflicts and organized against internal and exterior aggressors.