A Brief History
Although the beginnings of the samurai are rather unknown, it is believed that they originated as farmers heavily trained in martial arts. Magistrates and clans began to recruit these farmers as their own soldiers. Eventually, those who amassed the most samurai held the most power. Clans began to fight one another with their samurai armies until one clan rose above the others. After defeating their rival clan, the Taira clan rose up as Japan's first government dominated by samurai. Over the years, samurai began to hold powerful positions in the government and were responsible for ruling over large areas of land.