In this bonus episode, we trace the origins of the samurai and their subsequent evolution to the heights of political power.Support the Show.

Tensions between the Bakufu and the freshly-energized Loyalists came to a head when a shogunate army was refused entry to Kyoto - then promptly fired upon. The ensuing Boshin War was largely one-sided, with Loyalists gaining repeated victories due to superior arms, tactics, and numbers.Support...