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==History==

==History==

The Sengoku Period is characterized by the rise of the [[daimyo]] in the countryside, while the power [[Ashikaga Shogunate]] in the capital waned.  As the shogunal court grew more insular, the [[shugo]] in the provinces lost their authority.  Local lords--sometimes the previous vassals of the shugo--rose to fill the void, becoming the new daimyo.

The Sengoku Period is characterized by the rise of the [[daimyo]] in the countryside, while the power [[Ashikaga Shogunate]] in the capital waned.  As the shogunal court grew more insular, the [[shugo]] in the provinces lost their authority.  Local lords--sometimes the previous vassals of the shugo--rose to fill the void, becoming the new daimyo. In the mid-16th century, samurai constituted roughly 7-8% of the population; this has been contrasted with a figure of members of the "feudal class" comprising only 0.25% of the population of medieval England.<ref>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Japanese Civilization'', Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 59.</ref>

Lesser houses would enter into vassalage under these new local powers, entering into a new age of feudalism.  Disputes regarding resources or territories could lead to armed conflict between local lords and their allies.     

Lesser houses would enter into vassalage under these new local powers, entering into a new age of feudalism.  Disputes regarding resources or territories could lead to armed conflict between local lords and their allies.     

In these tumultuous times, some of the local daimyo became even more ambitious, looking to install their own rule over the country.  Three of these daimyo would eventually succeeed in uniting the country--[[Oda Nobunaga]], [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].

In these tumultuous times, some of the local daimyo became even more ambitious, looking to install their own rule over the country.  Three of these daimyo would eventually succeeed in uniting the country--[[Oda Nobunaga]], [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].

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==References==

==References==