European Middle Ages 71 ? M cD ou ga l L itt el l I nc .A ll rig ht s re se rv e d. Name Date Japan Between 1000 and 1200, Japan developed a feudal system in which landowners assumed the roles of independent local rulers. Lesser lords pledged to ?ght for greater lords in exchange for protection. Each lord surrounded himself with a bodyguard of elite warriors called samurai who lived according to a harsh code called Bushido. A samurai?s honor was constantly on the line. He had to prove his absolute courage and loyalty in defense of his lord, who rewarded him with an allowance. A samurai?s uniform was one of the most elabo- rate costumes ever worn. It consisted of leather shinguards and thigh guards, baggy pantaloons, a