Table of Contents

Origins of the horse guards – Imperial guards in the Nara period · Emergency of the elite cavalry in the Sengoku period (15th century) · 16th century: the Hojo and Chosokabe families · The organization and role of the warlord’s military staff · 1560s: Oda Nobunaga’s Red Horo and Black Horo guards – battle of Nagashino 1575 · 1580s: Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Yellow Horo Guard Expansion under the Tokugawa shoguns · Foot guards: development in the 16th–17th centuries · Major battle participation – Okehazama & Imayama · Foot Guards under the Tokugawa

Promotional Information

A look at the colourful Samurai that served as the personal guard of the great Japanese warlords.

About the Author

Stephen Turnbull took his first degree at Cambridge University, and received a PhD from Leeds University for his work on Japanese religious history. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the Far East and also runs a well-used picture library. His work has been recognised by the awarding of the Canon Prize of the British Association for Japanese Studies and a Japan Festival Literary Award. He currently divides his time between lecturing in Japanese Religion at the University of Leeds and writing.

Reviews

"Lavishly illustrated (as usual) by English artist Richard Hook and written by Dr. Stephen Turnbull, the book gives a very nice overview of the Hatamoto, who were Samurai warriors in the 16th through the 18th centuries. Turnbull has drawn from his tremendous knowledge of Japanese history, culture, and customs to research and write a compelling overview that is certain to add to the casual reader's understanding of this legendary group of warriors. Hook's illustrations are colorful, vivid, and useful for wargamers wishing to recreate the period on the miniature battlefield. This book will be a useful addition to the bookshelves of gamers and modelers, as well as those military buffs looking for something out of the ordinary. Well done in Osprey's usual style!" --Charge! Civil War Wargaming