i try to figure out how ninjas were either mercenaries for the Emperor or a dirty criminal.
2006-11-30 03:18:12 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I believe that they were mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, hiring themselves out not just to Emperors, but to anyone who needed protection and could afford them. Quite a lot of them had little training as such, and being unemployable otherwise, were actually unsuitable for the job. These had short careers.
2006-11-30 03:36:49 · answer #1 · answered by thvannus@verizon.net 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ninja is rather today's "MI6 or CIA" + "Special Operations Forces (like SEALs)".
But they worked for not only Shogun (General), but also for Dimyo (local feudal rulers) and other famous samurais.
There were many feudal rulers in Japan at the time and the Ninja aslo varyied.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja
Local pirates or bandits were hired as Mercenaries by money.
2006-11-30 17:34:34 · answer #2 · answered by Joriental 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's always been my understanding that they were neither, but highly skilled assassins who would take out the enemy and get away quickly.
Since they were, in effect, murderers, I suppose one could make a case for them as criminals for breaking the moral law against killing, but mercenaries? I don't know that they turned their coats for the highest bidder--I always thought that they were loyal to the person to whose band they belonged.
2006-11-30 11:28:53 · answer #3 · answered by Chrispy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
criminals and mercenaries.
2006-11-30 11:42:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋