Which warrior was the most dangerous in single combat in the history of the world? - Qual Foi o maior guerreiro em combate individual da Historia ?!
After researching this topic in depth for quite some time, I have developed the opinion that the single greatest warrior to ever live is Miyamoto Musashi.
The Beginning
In a quite village southwest of Edo (Tokyo), Musashi was raised by his father until the age of seven, when his father either died or abandoned him for unknown reasons. Due to the fact that his mother was dead, a young Musashi was left in the care of his uncle.
It is still uncertain how Musashi came to become a student of the art of Kendo but due to his large size and aggressive nature, he excelled in his studies of the sword, practicing relentlessly throughout his late childhood. This practice was put into effect when Musashi was just 13.
Duel with Arima Kihei
It is recorded that upon reaching his first teenage year, Musashi sought out and slew a Samurai student of the Shinto Ryu school of military arts - Arima Kihei. At the time of the duel, Kihei is said to have been in his 30s and was highly skilled with both the sword and the spear. Musashi came to the duel armed only with a wooden flagstaff and when Kihei appeared, wielding his steel Katana, Musashi rushed the older man, taking him to ground and striking him over the head with the stick. Kihei died on the spot, vomiting blood.
Just to reiterate - he was 13 and had a wooden flagstaff.
Duel with Tadashima Akiyama
His next duel was at the age of 16, against Tadashima Akiyama, an able strategist and highly adept swordsman. After he defeated Akiyama, Musashi embarked on the fabled 'Warrior Pilgrimage', a journey across Japan that saw Musashi engage in and win scores of duels against an assortment of able warriors, as well as taking part in 6 major wars, fighting for whichever side he wanted to.
During the pilgrimage, Musashi was focussed obsessively on honing his skills and finding enlightenment by The Way Of The Sword. He never took a home, choosing instead to roam through the forests of japan so as to be isolated - and therefore 100% focussed - as often as possible.
The Yoshioka Vendetta
At age 21, he travelled to Kyoto, where his vendetta with the Yoshioka family began. The Yoshiokas had been fencing instructors to the Ashikaga house for generations and were known to be extremely skilled with a sharp edge. Yoshioka Seijiro, the head of the family, was the first to challenge Musashi, who arrived at the scene of the duel armed only with a wooden practice sword. It is said that Musashi's strategy for the duel came from his understanding that Seijiro's famous focus would be broken when he saw Musashi without a Katana and therefore would be robbed of his resolve. Musashi was right, and quickly laid Seijiro out with a fast attack before beating him savagely, but not killing him. Musashi's presence in Kyoto after the duel annoyed the Yoshiokas even further, causing Denshichiro, Seijiro's brother, to challenge him.
Musashi kept his opponent waiting, knowing that Denshichiro was quick to anger and that he would gain the upper hand if he caused his enemy to lose his temper. When Musashi arrived, Denshichiro attacked wildly and seconds later was dead on the ground, having taken Musashi's wooden sword to the head.
The house delivered yet another challenge and out of honour for his shamed father, Seijiro's young son was Musashi's third opponent. When Hanshichiro arrived at the agreed place, he came in full battle gear, with a party of well-armed retainers, who were instructed to assassinate Musashi.
This time, however, Musashi arrived early to watch his rivals from a distance. He picked an opportune moment and rushed the group, slaying the Yoshioka boy in one stroke and cutting down a line of Samurai before disappearing into the forest once more. With that, Musashi had single-handedly decimated the reputation and lineage of the Yoshioka house.
Further Travels and Duels
After leaving Kyoto, Musashi travelled freely across Japan, duelling anyone who had developed a reputation for themselves as skilled warriors. He made a point of fighting opponents who wielded weapons other than a Katana so that he could further his understanding of The Way of The Sword through 'conversations' with other weapons.
He visited several temples, where he was known to challenge every student - always prevailing as the victor in combat - and subsequently staying within the temple grounds to teach his techniques to the priests there.
It is said that by the age of 29, Miyamoto Musashi had fought at least 60 duels throughout Japan, winning every single one.
The Chain and Sickle of Shishido Baikin
During his travels, Musashi came to hear of a warrior named Shishido Baiken, who was said to be an expert with the Chain and Sickle, a notoriously difficult set of weapons to defend against. A duel was arranged and, although Shishido proved to be a worthy adversary, it didn't take long for Musashi to defeat him by employing the art of Shuriken (a throwing technique), landing his short sword in Shishido's chest. By this time, Musashi was well on his way to becoming a living legend. The only problem was that, because he was considered an outlaw by many of the Samurai caste, his requests to duel with the most highly renowned swordsmen in Japan were always denied, until he called on Sasaki Kojiro...
Musashi's Opus
Probably Musashi's most famous opponent, Sasaki Kojiro was a relatively young Samurai who had developed and mastered a highly revered fencing technique known as the "Swallow Counter'. Due to his fierce reputation and highly revered sword skills, Kojiro garnered the title 'The Beast of The Western Provinces'. Musashi knew that fighting and defeating Kojiro would be the pinnacle of his duelling development, so he made a point to arrange the encounter, which Kojiro accepted after hearing about Musashi's previous victories.
The site for the duel was a small islet a few miles away from the mainland and when the day came, Musashi - who hadn't bathed or prepared for he battle in any way other than mentally - took a small boat with two oars and slowly paddled across to the islet.
It is said that on the boat ride to the duel, Musashi settled into a deep meditation, envisioning his victory as the currents pulled his vessel slowly towards the shore. Kojiro was known to use a long sword, which gave him extra reach over many opponents. To counter this, in a moment of strategic mastery, Musashi carved one of his oars into a sword shape, being sure to make it just a few inches longer than Kojiro's was said to be and therefore removing his advantage.
When Musashi finally arrived on shore, Kojiro was infuriated by his clear disrespect in arriving unbathed and poorly dressed for the duel. He became even more angry when he saw that Musashi hadn't bothered to bring a sword and with that, launched his attack. Musashi ended the duel within seconds, surprising Kojiro with the length of his carved oar and ultimately defeating him with a single blow to the head. He then jumped back on his boat and allowed the out-going tide to suck him back to sea, away from the danger of Kojiros bewildered retainers.
Final Years
After his duel with Kojiro, Musashi embarked on a few more military campaigns, going to war once more with whichever side he felt closest to at the time. Avoiding death again and again, he finally settled down in a cave in the mountains, where he succumbed to a cancer in his stomach, but not before writing The Book Of Five Rings, which is his lasting testament; a meditative look at his ideas of strategy, Kendo and enlightenment.
NOTE: Of course, you cannot compare Miyamoto Musashi to more modern 'warriors' as, with changes in time come changes in technology, philosophy and the very art of war itself. Instead, one must look at the overall life and work of the warrior in question. If this study is undertaken precisely and without bias, then a sound conclusion will follow. It is my opinion that because of his profound philosophy and relentless quest for the betterment of his skills (mentally, spiritually and physically), Miyamoto Musashi is the one warrior who trumps all others.
The Beginning
In a quite village southwest of Edo (Tokyo), Musashi was raised by his father until the age of seven, when his father either died or abandoned him for unknown reasons. Due to the fact that his mother was dead, a young Musashi was left in the care of his uncle.
It is still uncertain how Musashi came to become a student of the art of Kendo but due to his large size and aggressive nature, he excelled in his studies of the sword, practicing relentlessly throughout his late childhood. This practice was put into effect when Musashi was just 13.
Duel with Arima Kihei
It is recorded that upon reaching his first teenage year, Musashi sought out and slew a Samurai student of the Shinto Ryu school of military arts - Arima Kihei. At the time of the duel, Kihei is said to have been in his 30s and was highly skilled with both the sword and the spear. Musashi came to the duel armed only with a wooden flagstaff and when Kihei appeared, wielding his steel Katana, Musashi rushed the older man, taking him to ground and striking him over the head with the stick. Kihei died on the spot, vomiting blood.
Just to reiterate - he was 13 and had a wooden flagstaff.
Duel with Tadashima Akiyama
His next duel was at the age of 16, against Tadashima Akiyama, an able strategist and highly adept swordsman. After he defeated Akiyama, Musashi embarked on the fabled 'Warrior Pilgrimage', a journey across Japan that saw Musashi engage in and win scores of duels against an assortment of able warriors, as well as taking part in 6 major wars, fighting for whichever side he wanted to.
During the pilgrimage, Musashi was focussed obsessively on honing his skills and finding enlightenment by The Way Of The Sword. He never took a home, choosing instead to roam through the forests of japan so as to be isolated - and therefore 100% focussed - as often as possible.
The Yoshioka Vendetta
At age 21, he travelled to Kyoto, where his vendetta with the Yoshioka family began. The Yoshiokas had been fencing instructors to the Ashikaga house for generations and were known to be extremely skilled with a sharp edge. Yoshioka Seijiro, the head of the family, was the first to challenge Musashi, who arrived at the scene of the duel armed only with a wooden practice sword. It is said that Musashi's strategy for the duel came from his understanding that Seijiro's famous focus would be broken when he saw Musashi without a Katana and therefore would be robbed of his resolve. Musashi was right, and quickly laid Seijiro out with a fast attack before beating him savagely, but not killing him. Musashi's presence in Kyoto after the duel annoyed the Yoshiokas even further, causing Denshichiro, Seijiro's brother, to challenge him.
Musashi kept his opponent waiting, knowing that Denshichiro was quick to anger and that he would gain the upper hand if he caused his enemy to lose his temper. When Musashi arrived, Denshichiro attacked wildly and seconds later was dead on the ground, having taken Musashi's wooden sword to the head.
The house delivered yet another challenge and out of honour for his shamed father, Seijiro's young son was Musashi's third opponent. When Hanshichiro arrived at the agreed place, he came in full battle gear, with a party of well-armed retainers, who were instructed to assassinate Musashi.
This time, however, Musashi arrived early to watch his rivals from a distance. He picked an opportune moment and rushed the group, slaying the Yoshioka boy in one stroke and cutting down a line of Samurai before disappearing into the forest once more. With that, Musashi had single-handedly decimated the reputation and lineage of the Yoshioka house.
Further Travels and Duels
After leaving Kyoto, Musashi travelled freely across Japan, duelling anyone who had developed a reputation for themselves as skilled warriors. He made a point of fighting opponents who wielded weapons other than a Katana so that he could further his understanding of The Way of The Sword through 'conversations' with other weapons.
He visited several temples, where he was known to challenge every student - always prevailing as the victor in combat - and subsequently staying within the temple grounds to teach his techniques to the priests there.
It is said that by the age of 29, Miyamoto Musashi had fought at least 60 duels throughout Japan, winning every single one.
The Chain and Sickle of Shishido Baikin
During his travels, Musashi came to hear of a warrior named Shishido Baiken, who was said to be an expert with the Chain and Sickle, a notoriously difficult set of weapons to defend against. A duel was arranged and, although Shishido proved to be a worthy adversary, it didn't take long for Musashi to defeat him by employing the art of Shuriken (a throwing technique), landing his short sword in Shishido's chest. By this time, Musashi was well on his way to becoming a living legend. The only problem was that, because he was considered an outlaw by many of the Samurai caste, his requests to duel with the most highly renowned swordsmen in Japan were always denied, until he called on Sasaki Kojiro...
Musashi's Opus
Probably Musashi's most famous opponent, Sasaki Kojiro was a relatively young Samurai who had developed and mastered a highly revered fencing technique known as the "Swallow Counter'. Due to his fierce reputation and highly revered sword skills, Kojiro garnered the title 'The Beast of The Western Provinces'. Musashi knew that fighting and defeating Kojiro would be the pinnacle of his duelling development, so he made a point to arrange the encounter, which Kojiro accepted after hearing about Musashi's previous victories.
The site for the duel was a small islet a few miles away from the mainland and when the day came, Musashi - who hadn't bathed or prepared for he battle in any way other than mentally - took a small boat with two oars and slowly paddled across to the islet.
It is said that on the boat ride to the duel, Musashi settled into a deep meditation, envisioning his victory as the currents pulled his vessel slowly towards the shore. Kojiro was known to use a long sword, which gave him extra reach over many opponents. To counter this, in a moment of strategic mastery, Musashi carved one of his oars into a sword shape, being sure to make it just a few inches longer than Kojiro's was said to be and therefore removing his advantage.
When Musashi finally arrived on shore, Kojiro was infuriated by his clear disrespect in arriving unbathed and poorly dressed for the duel. He became even more angry when he saw that Musashi hadn't bothered to bring a sword and with that, launched his attack. Musashi ended the duel within seconds, surprising Kojiro with the length of his carved oar and ultimately defeating him with a single blow to the head. He then jumped back on his boat and allowed the out-going tide to suck him back to sea, away from the danger of Kojiros bewildered retainers.
Final Years
After his duel with Kojiro, Musashi embarked on a few more military campaigns, going to war once more with whichever side he felt closest to at the time. Avoiding death again and again, he finally settled down in a cave in the mountains, where he succumbed to a cancer in his stomach, but not before writing The Book Of Five Rings, which is his lasting testament; a meditative look at his ideas of strategy, Kendo and enlightenment.
NOTE: Of course, you cannot compare Miyamoto Musashi to more modern 'warriors' as, with changes in time come changes in technology, philosophy and the very art of war itself. Instead, one must look at the overall life and work of the warrior in question. If this study is undertaken precisely and without bias, then a sound conclusion will follow. It is my opinion that because of his profound philosophy and relentless quest for the betterment of his skills (mentally, spiritually and physically), Miyamoto Musashi is the one warrior who trumps all others.
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