What military class did the Daimyos employ to maintain their power?

The Daimyos, who were powerful feudal lords in Japan, employed the Samurais to maintain their power. The Samurais were members of the warrior class and served both as military retainers and as administrators for the Daimyos. They were skilled in various martial arts and were bound by a code of conduct known as Bushido, which emphasized loyalty, honor, and discipline. This relationship was crucial for the Daimyos, as the Samurais provided the military strength necessary for defense against rival clans and for enforcing the Daimyo's rule over their territories.

Nobles, while part of the same social hierarchy, were more associated with the privileges of land ownership and aristocratic status rather than military duties. Knight Errants pertain more to European contexts and do not relate to the specific Japanese feudal system. Shoguns, although leaders with military authority in Japan, were often Daimyos themselves or had their own retinues of Samurais, thus making them distinct from the role that Samurais played directly for individual Daimyos.