Samurai were highly disciplined warriors in feudal Japan who served powerful shogun leaders. A samurai's life was one of living by a code of honor, as they valued honor over all else. Some famous samurai included Oda Nobunaga, who fought for the unification of Japan in the 16th century and mastered techniques of war. The shogunate period of rule by shoguns over samurai ended in 1868 when the imperial government overthrew the samurai lords and established direct imperial rule.