Seppuku
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Seppuku (切腹, lit. 'cutting [the] belly') also called harakiri (腹切り, lit. 'abdomen/belly cutting'), is a form of ritual suicide that was practiced by samurai in Japan. It involved cutting the abdomen and was seen as a way to preserve honor, especially in the face of defeat, disgrace, or punishment. Seppuku followed a strict ceremonial process and reflected the samurai code of loyalty and courage.[1]
In the Middle Ages, warriors valued glory, courage, honor, and self-sacrifice, but these were closely tied to victory. Defeat often meant disgrace, so many preferred death over dishonor. For samurai, a glorious death—even through seppuku after a loss—was seen as a final chance to preserve their dignity and legacy.[2]
Ritual
The practice of seppuku was not standardized until the 17th century,[1] although it had been in effect since the 14th century,[2] and had even been started to be used a further two centuries prior.[1] By the late Edo period, the practice became formally codified as an honorable way to be sentenced to death in the shogunate or seignorial court.[2] The samurai would take their short blade,[3] either the wakizashi or tantō and slice into their abdomen above the navel. The samurai would also be accompanied by a kaishakunin, a trusted attendant whom would fully decapitate the samurai.[2] Also on occasion, a death poem would be written by the samurai.[4]
Notable cases
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- Ōuchi Yoshitaka (1551)
- Hirate Masahide (1553)
- Azai Nagamasa (1573)
- Bessho Nagaharu (1580)
- Oda Nobunaga (1582)
- Mori Ranmaru (1582)
- Sen no Rikyū (1591)
- Toyotomi Hideyori (1615)
Appearances
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows (first appearance)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2
Seppuku on Wikipedia
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Database: Seppuku: an Honorable End
- ↑ Echoes of History – Shadows – Japan's First Unifier: Oda Nobunaga
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Temple of the Horseman