Final answer:
The line of hereditary military dictators who ruled Japan until the 1860s were the Shogun, who were supported by the samurai warriors and daimyo lords. This period lasted until the Meiji Restoration initiated in 1868.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hereditary Military Dictators of Japan
The line of hereditary military dictators who ruled Japan until the 1860s were known as the Shogun. The shogunal period started with Minamoto no Yoritomo, who became the first shogun in 1192. The shogun wielded the real power in the country while the emperor served largely as a ceremonial figurehead. This military rule was sustained through a class of warrior nobles known as the samurai, who were led by their lords, the daimyo. The samurai followed a strict ethical code called bushi, the "way of the warrior," which included practices such as seppuku. The Tokugawa shogunate, established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 17th century, was the final era of shogunal dominance, which came to an end with the Meiji Restoration beginning in 1868.