Tankenhei

An 1886 ukiyo'e print depicting an idealized 17th-century tankenhei.

Tankenhei (in Kokumon 딴껀헤, in Gyoumon 探検兵; literally "expedition soldier") were Senrian adventurers and conquerors operating across southern Coius from the 15th to 19th centuries. Emerging from the domestic political turmoil within Senria during the Tigoku period, tankenhei consisted of dispossessed nobles, the sons of nobles who were unlikely to inherit titles, landless or dispossessed samurai, rounin, political exiles, and soldiers of fortune motivated variously by desire for land, status, titles, wealth, fame, or adventure. Some successful tankenhei were ultimately legitimized by the Senrian monarchy with the honorific title sei'i taisougun, typically shortened to sougun in common parlance. The tankenhei phenomenon peaked in the 1600s, during which tankenhei played a major role in the campaigns of the Khaunban Empire, the Jiao-Toki transition, and the fall of the Togoti Khaganate, establishing themselves as figures of prominence in Xiaodong, Baekjeong, Kuthina, Siamat, and Tava; it fell off rapidly in the late 1700s, however, and had functionally ceased by the mid-19th century.

While most tankenhei operated primarily or exclusively on the Coian mainland, some individuals did also return to operate in Senria itself. Though commonly distinguished in traditional Senrian literature from kaizoku (pirates) and youhei (mercenaries), tankenhei could and did overlap with these groups, particularly the latter. Among the most famous tankenhei are Sinzou Toki, Yosioki Nagao, Tunemasa Tanaka, Yasuhiko Mizuna, and Toyokazu Kagemori.

Causes

[previous use of the title sei'i taisougun for campaigns against the isotamans, esamankur, and cotratics, which also legitimizes the idea of senrians going to "barbarian lands" to conquer them; you've also got the kaizoku operating out of the sunahamas as precedent]

[exaltation of military skill and honor, busidou and all that, means warfare is a prestigious job; domestic conflict between daimyou results in a semi-regular stream of individuals who were on the losing side of a conflict and are now dispossessed; you've got second and third sons, and landless samurai, and rounin just hanging around; turmoil on the continent presents a lucrative opportunity for those seeking glory, wealth, or honor]

History

Origins

[possibly linked to the Kyoutoku Rebellion? samurai, rounin, and peasant leaders who backed the rebellion flee continent-wards but continue doing military work]

Sinzou Toki was one of the most successful tankenhei.

During the 1600s

[phenomenon peaks amidst the utter chaos in continental coius during this period; intharacha hires several incl Tunemasa Tanaka, the Toki dynasty is literally founded by a bunch of tankenhei, tava gets conquered by Yasuhiko Mizuna, Toyokazu Kagemori does work for baekjeong's seonggol and gets enfeoffed]

[during the Ninpei War in particular some tankenhei return to senria to work for the leading figures in that conflict]

Decline

[a last hurrah with a wave of tankenhei who set off after the Taihou War, but increased stability in senria and a euclean refusal to tolerate this sort of behavior (at least when done by non-whites) cause it to fall off and fade away]

Legacy

[legacy in senria - cultural mostly, tied up in the myths of the samurai and rounin]

[legacy in xiaodong - the toki dynasty]

[legacy in kuthina - mercenaries, 'dogs of war', Senrian quarter in Mahakram]

[legacy in siamat - also mercenaries, position of saouhkaon (colloquially senriyouchin 'the Senrian') military rank initially given to Senrians in Chensae Kingdom]

[legacy in tava - the mazhon dynasty]

[legacy in baekjeong]