Changes

A ''bushi'' usually became ronin in one of four ways:

A ''bushi'' usually became ronin in one of four ways:

*A clan or fief was defeated and abolished in battle, or the shogunate authorities reduced a fief in size or abolished the fief entirely (this is what happened with the well-known [[The 47 Ronin|47]] [[Ako han]] ronin who eventually mounted an attack upon the man they saw as being responsible). The samurai involved all would become ronin.

*A clan or fief was defeated and abolished in battle, or the shogunate authorities reduced a fief in size or abolished the fief entirely (this is what happened with the well-known [[The 47 Ronin|47 ronin]] of [[Ako han]] who eventually mounted an attack upon the man they saw as being responsible). The samurai involved all would become ronin.

*A samurai was dismissed from service by his daimyo.  During the Tokugawa era, according to the ''[[Buke Shohatto]]'', no daimyo was allowed to take into service a ronin who had been dismissed by his original daimyo.  

*A samurai was dismissed from service by his daimyo.  During the Tokugawa era, according to the ''[[Buke Shohatto]]'', no daimyo was allowed to take into service a ronin who had been dismissed by his original daimyo.  

*A samurai voluntarily left his fief, with or without his daimyo’s permission, and thus become a ronin.

*A samurai voluntarily left his fief, with or without his daimyo’s permission, and thus become a ronin.

*A ''bushi'' was born as a ronin; he was the son of a ronin.  

*A ''bushi'' was born as a ronin; he was the son of a ronin.

==Ronin during the Sengoku Period==

==Ronin during the Sengoku Period==