Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, born as Hiyoshi-maru, was a Sengoku period daimyo who unified Japan after rising from a peasant to become a leading general under Oda Nobunaga.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born on 16 February 1537 in Nakamura, Owari Province, during the Sengoku period. He had no samurai lineage and his father was an ashigaru.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, also known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō and Hashiba Hideyoshi, was born on March 17, 1537. He rose from a peasant background to become a powerful Japanese samurai and daimyō, playing a significant role in the late Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods.

In 1551, Hideyoshi joined the service of Matsushita Yukitsuna, a retainer of the powerful Imagawa family in Totomi province, which was unusual as his father and stepfather had served the Oda clan.

In 1557, Hideyoshi returned to Owari and joined the Oda clan as a lowly servant. His positive traits and skills helped him rise through the ranks to become a samurai, eventually becoming one of Oda Nobunaga's trusted generals.

In 1558, Hideyoshi returned home and offered his service to Oda Nobunaga, the son of a daimyo. This marked the beginning of Hideyoshi's involvement with the Oda clan.

In 1560, the Oda and Imagawa armies clashed in the Battle of Okehazama. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Oda Nobunaga's forces, with Hideyoshi's help, achieved a remarkable victory by ambushing the Imagawa troops.

In 1561, Hideyoshi married Toyotomi Nene, marking an important personal milestone in his life. Nene would later play a significant role in supporting Hideyoshi's rise to power.

In 1564, Hideyoshi led a successful raid that resulted in the capture of Inabayama Castle for the Oda clan. This achievement led to Oda Nobunaga promoting Hideyoshi to the rank of general.

In 1567, Hideyoshi, along with his younger brother and other allies, successfully constructed a fort in Sunomata overnight during a siege on Inabayama Castle. This strategic move showcased Hideyoshi's resourcefulness and military acumen.

In 1568, Hideyoshi became one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals and adopted the name Hashiba Hideyoshi, incorporating characters from key figures in Oda's circle.

In June 1570, Oda Nobunaga allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu to lay siege to two fortresses of the Azai and Asakura clans. Hideyoshi was assigned to lead Oda troops into open battle for the first time.

After victorious campaigns against the Azai and Asakura in 1573, Nobunaga appointed Hideyoshi as daimyō of three districts in the northern part of Ōmi Province.

In 1574, Hideyoshi along with Araki Murashige captured Itami Castle.

Hideyoshi fought in the Battle of Nagashino against the Takeda clan in 1575.

In 1576, Hideyoshi took part in the Siege of Mitsuji, part of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War.

In 1577, under the orders of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi embarked on the suppression of western Japan, invading Bitchū province and besieging the daimyo Mōri Terumoto at Takamatsu.

In 1578, Hideyoshi participated in the siege of Miki.

In 1581, Toyotomi Hideyoshi oversaw the construction of the initial version of Himeji Castle, a significant fortress in Japan.

Thirteen days after the assassination of Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi sought vengeance for his lord's death by making peace with the Mōri clan and defeating Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki. This victory allowed Hideyoshi to avenge Nobunaga and take over his authority and power.

Hideyoshi extended his control to the southern island of Kyushu, which was crucial for trade with China, Korea, Portugal, and other nations. He encountered daimyo who had converted to Christianity due to Portuguese and Jesuit influences, leading to the destruction of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

Nobunaga's son, Oda Nobukatsu, allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu against Hashiba (Hideyoshi), leading to the inconclusive Battle of Komaki-Nagakute. The conflict ended in a stalemate with heavy losses for Hashiba forces.

In August 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched an attack on Etchū Province and Hida Province, dispatching Kanamori Nagachika to destroy the Anegakōji clan and carrying out the siege of Toyama Castle, leading to Toyotomi's supremacy over the provinces.

In November 1586, Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent a massive invasion force of around 250,000 troops to Kyushu. The army quickly crushed all resistance, confiscated land from defeated foes, and rewarded allies with larger fiefdoms. Hideyoshi also ordered the expulsion of Christian missionaries from the region.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi issues a decree banning all Christian missionaries and Christianity itself in Japan, as part of his efforts to control foreign influences and maintain internal unity.

In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi implemented a policy of forbidding anyone outside the warrior class from carrying weapons in Japan. This policy, known as 'Sword Hunts', aimed to maintain lasting peace by confiscating swords, bows, spears, and muskets from the general population.

In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with a force of 200,000 men, utilized a combination of military campaigns and diplomacy to establish himself as the ruler of most of Japan. He successfully defeated rival daimyo and overcame obstacles like the 100-day siege of Odawara castle.

Kunohe Masazane, a claimant to daimyo of the Nanbu clan, rebelled against his rival Nanbu Nobunao in Mutsu Province. Backed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, a large army defeated the rebels at Kunohe Castle in early September, leading to Masazane's surrender and subsequent execution.

On June 16, 1592, Konishi Yukinaga led Japanese forces to capture Pyongyang during Hideyoshi's invasions of Joseon Korea.

On June 19, 1592, Konishi Yukinaga successfully occupied Seoul, which was the capital of the Joseon dynasty of Korea, during the first campaign.

Korean Admiral Yi Sun Shin achieved a significant victory over Hideyoshi's navy at the Battle of Hansan-do, leading to Hideyoshi ordering his remaining ships to stop engaging with the Korean navy.

On January 7, 1593, Ming forces under Li Rusong recaptured Pyongyang and surrounded Seoul, but were defeated by Japanese commanders including Kobayakawa Takakage, Ukita Hideie, Tachibana Muneshige, and Kikkawa Hiroie at the Battle of Byeokjegwan.

In 1594, a castle was built at Fushimi outside the capital, known for its lavish decorations and referred to as the 'golden palace.' Despite being destroyed by an earthquake, it was rebuilt and a modern version stands today, housing a museum dedicated to Hideyoshi.

In August 1595, Hidetsugu, who had been designated as the Toyotomi heir, was exiled to Mount Koya and ordered to commit suicide to avoid a succession struggle.

In 1596, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the crucifixion of six shipwrecked Spanish Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits, and 17 Japanese Christians at Nagasaki.

Hideyoshi launched a second invasion of Korea in August 1597, but this time the Koreans and Chinese were better prepared, halting the Japanese army's advance towards Seoul.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the ruler of a united Japan, passed away. He was unable to receive the title of shogun due to his lowly birth, but instead took the position of regent and was formally given the name Toyotomi by the imperial court.

The Battle of Sekigahara took place between the pro-Toyotomi forces and the Tokugawa forces led by Ieyasu. Ieyasu emerged victorious, leading to his appointment as Seii-Tai Shōgun two years later.

Hideyori and his mother committed seppuku, while his 8-year-old son was captured and beheaded by the Tokugawa forces, marking the end of the Toyotomi clan.

In 1635, Toyotomi Hideyoshi implemented the Sankin Kotai system, requiring daimyo to send their families as hostages to the capital and alternate their presence between their fiefs and the capital. This system aimed to control the daimyo and ensure their loyalty to the central government.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a powerful daimyo in Japan who played a significant role in the unification of the country during the late 16th century.