Samurai
In the 12th century, two military clans, the Minamoto and the Taira, were very powerful. They controlled  Japan and fought wars against each other. In 1192, Minamoto no Yoritomo became the first shogun. He became the ruler of all of Japan and started a new government in Kamakura. The Kamakura government lasted from 1185 to 1333. It made the samurai the ruling class of Japanese society.