The mounted warriors who were loyal to local lords, rather than the emperor, were known as the

• A. Bushi
• B. Samurai
• C. Daimyos
• D. Shoguns

Answer: (A)

In feudal Japan, power rested with local lords who ruled mini-kingdoms within the larger system. The mounted warriors who served these lords as professional soldiers were known as the bushi. The word highlights their role as elite fighters bound by loyalty to their lord rather than to the distant imperial court. This loyalty to the daimyo—the local lords—was a defining feature of their status, tying military service directly to landholding and local governance. Shogun and daimyo refer to rulers and political titles, while samurai is the broader warrior class; the term bushi specifically underscores the retainer-warrior relationship to a lord, which is what the question describes.