Envisaged, primarily, as a synopsis to military history and philosophy of pre-modern Japan (i.e. until Meiji restoration), this thesis offers origins and evolution of the samurai, with the emphasis on changes in the army structure, weaponry used and tactics employed. Thesis also tries to show the abandonment of the old warfare of the archaic and medieval periods, where bow and arrows were used in „honourable duels“ on horsebacks, in favour of the more numerous conflicts with „unofficial“ light infantry armed with fire arms of the pre-modern period. To show this warfare developement more clearly, thesis contains detailed accounts of chosen battles. Since no military history stands in the vacuum to politics and society, it was necessary to present this work with some context in which these changes took place. These two parts – context and military evolution – are accompanied by the final part in which the „Way of the Warrior“ is discussed, how it came to being and in what way it relates to the warriors to whom its creation is attributed.