Japan's Interesting People:Hideyoshi Toyotomi

This is another edition of the Wiki page series: *Japan's Interesting People*. It is where the pages cover Japan's notable figures from past to present.

This page will cover the life of another one of Japan's greatest Samurai Warlords: *Hideyoshi Toyotomi*. Also known as one of Japan's "Great Unifiers", he took charge after the sudden Death of Nobunaga Oda, and after unifying most of Japan began a campaign for Korea (but lost).

But what was his life about? Let us begin.

## Early Life

Now, there is very little in the way of precise records regarding Hideyoshi's birth and early life. But what is known that he was born in 1537 with a father who was a peasant foot soldier (called *Ashigaru*) who died when Hideyoshi was only 7 years old (as he was given the name *Hiyoshi-maru)*.

There are also some imprecise records of Hideyoshi going to temples to study, but wanted adventure and left the temples (this is where he changed his name to *Tokichiro Kinoshita*). He then found a master named *Yukitsuna Matsushita* who serves the Imagawa clan. There even some imprecise records say that Hideyoshi traveled to Suruga (Yoshimoto's own domain) with a lot of money given to him by Tokichiro so he can travel to Suruga.

## Serving Nobunaga

By 1558, Hideyoshi then joined the Oda clan. Much like his "father" he was a peasant foot soldier and actually fought in the *Battle of Okehazama* which resulted in the total defeat of the once-mighty Imagawa Clan and the death of its warlord: Yoshimoto. Many Samurai that once served the Imagawas now joined the Odas.

During Nobunaga's campaign for Inabayama Castle, Hideyoshi established himself as a capable negotiator as he convinced many Samurai Warlords serving the Saito Clan to join the Odas. Despite this, however, the siege would last for 3 years. But eventually, the Odas have captured Inabayama Castle.

By the 1570s, Hideyoshi would serve Nobunaga in many of his battles during his campaign for Japan. In 1570 Hideyoshi led troops for Nobunaga and also *Ieyasu Tokugawa* during the *Battle of Anegawa* where Nobunaga defeated his brother-in-law *Nagamasa Azai.*

He would also fight in the *Siege of Nagashima Castle* in 1573, it was also the year where Hideyoshi would finally rise from peasant to Samurai Lord (or *Daimyo*) as Nobunaga gave him ruling over 3 districts in northern Omi Province. During the 1570's, Hideyoshi would also move to many places, first it was the town of Kunitomo (renaming it *Nagatama* in tribute of Nobunaga himself) then it was the lake town of Imahama where he would order to build a Castle in the town. He would also take possession of the arsenal which was controlled by both the Azai and Asakura clans as well.

The late 1570's were getting better for Hideyoshi as he would lead troops in the iconic *Battle of Nagashino*in 1575. He would also fight in other battles as he would capture the (now majestic) *Himeiji Castle* from the Mori Clan a year later. He would lead troops in the *Battle of Tedorigawa in 1577*and the *Siege of Miki*in 1579. He would also win in the *Siege of Takamatsu Castle* in 1582, but it was a bittersweet victory of Hideyoshi because no sooner he took Takamatsu Castle, he received the chilling news of the murder of his beloved master: *Nobunaga Oda* at the hands of his once great officer *Mitsuhide Akechi*.

## Avenging Nobunaga and Taking Command

Immediately after the death of Nobunaga at the hands of Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi set out to find his master's killer. After negotiating with the Mori Clan, he set out to find Mitsuhide and avenge Nobunaga.

After several weeks of searching, Hideyoshi and the Mori Clan finally meet up with Mitsuhide at the *Battle of Yamazaki* (or the *Battle of Mt. Tenmo*). Hideyoshi and the Moris were able to defeat Mitsuhide in this battle and Hideyoshi finally avenged the death of Nobunaga.

During a meeting at Kiyosu Castle Hideyoshi and the rest of the Oda's warlords were trying to see on who would succeed Nobunaga since it wasn't just him who died at Honoji, it was also Nobunag's son: *Nobutada*. Hideyoshi rejected the other candidates: Nobunaga's other son *Nobutaka* and the lord of the Shibata Clan: *Katsuie*and vowed to support of Nobutada's son: *Hidenobu* along with the support of some of the biggest Oda supporters: *Nagahide Niwa* and *Tsuneoki Ikeda* which allowed Hideyoshi help Hidenobu establish his position in the Oda clan. By 1583, Katsue would bang heads with Hideyoshi which would lead to the *Battle of Shizugatake* in May of the same year. Hideyoshi defeated the Shibata Clan and with it most of the lands that Nobunaga conquered as well as taking command of most of the clans that were under the Odas. Hideyoshi would soon establish himself as a leader.

## Unifying Japan

The rest of the 1580's would see Hideyoshi beginning his own campaign for the country of Japan. After defeating the Shibata Clan at the Battle of Shizugatake, the other clans that once served the Odas now serve Hideyoshi. In another bit to consolodate his power, Hideyoshi ordered a grand castle to be built in the town of Osaka so he can be close to the emperor himself. But there was one other of Nobunagas family (his son *Nobukatsu*) that remains hostile towards Hideyoshi. Allying with Ieyasu, Hideyoshi then clashed with Nobukatsu in the *Battle of Komaki-Nagakute*

The battle itself was indecisive despite the coalition of Hideyoshi and Ieyasu's forces suffered the most losses. Hideyoshi negotiated a truce with Nobukatsu. Soon after, Hideyoshi then sent some of his concubines to Ieyasu and cementing Ieyasu's alliance with Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi also tried to unify the country through political negotiations and not just by brute force. In 1585 Hideyoshi was given special privileges from the emperor himself and was given the title of *Kampanku* (a regent to the emperor), a year later the imperial court gave him an official surname of *Toyotomi* (from where his own clan to also take up the name) he also ordered the building of a lavish palace called *Jurakudai.*

Hideyoshi however still lead troops into battle. He first took the province of *Kii* which allowed him to take the southern island of *Shikoku*as well as the province of *Etchu* which allowed him to conquer the western island of Kyushu. Hideyoshi is now very close to conquering all of Japan, something he always thought that is former master: Nobunaga can only dream of.

He also had some power over the classes in Japan. In 1588 he signed what would be known as the *Separation Edict* which officially separated any peasant class from the Samurai, as in peasants couldn't train to become a Samurai (meaning if you want to become a Samurai, you have to be born into a Samurai family) likewise the Samurai were forbidden to take on any job that was considered lower than the Samurai class (as in working on the fields or even become a merchant). To show his seriousness of this new edict, he also ordered a sword hunt, meaning that all of the weapons in Hideoyoshi's claimed domains must be collected from farmers and merchants, most were melted down and casted as Buddha Statues, this was to make sure that no peasant class citizen would \*dare\* challenge Hideyoshi.

In 1590 Hideyoshi began a campaign for the eastern part of Japan (which was yet to be conquered by Hideyoshi). He and Ieyasu led an army of 220,000 strong towards the Hojo Can's castle: *Odawara.* Despite superior numbers, the siege would take 3 months. But eventually, the Hojos were defeated and Odawra was taken, and Japan was basically his.

A few months after the siege, Hideyoshi would change his ways to negotiate politically after ordering his tea ceremony master (tea ceremonies the basic way to talk politics during the Sengoku Jidai) to commit suicide. He then begins to use the famous *Noh* plays to do political negotiations as he began to study the ways of how Noh plays are performed as he still makes an attempt to impress the emperor.

Despite this, however, the emperor refuses to give Hideyoshi the coveted title of Shogun since Hideyoshi was of peasant stock.

## Going too far

In September of 1591, Hideyoshi's son: *Tsurumatsu* suddenly died, he was only 3 years old. Sometime after that, his brother *Hidenaga* also died. This forced him to adopt his nephew *Hidetusgu* (his brother's son) as his heir. But still, the future of the Toyotomi clan and Japan was in jeopardy. Worse yet Hideyoshi also knew that he himself doesn't have much time left either.

Despite this, he began a campaign that Nobunaga wanted to do during his own time: take over the far east by first conquering Koryu and Joseon (modern-day Korea) in hopes to also conquer the Ming Dynasty (modern-day China). Hideyoshi has been in contact with the peninsular empires for several years now. But with his failing health and growing appetite for power, he officially began his own campaign for the Korean Peninsula in 1592.

Hideyoshi's forces successfully took what would be known as Seoul (the capital of Modern South Korea) and there the generals are devising a plan to split the kingdom of Joseon into 8 divisions, they also conquered most of Koryu as well and were within striking distance of the Ming Dynasty. This is when the Mings intervened with the help of the emperors and warlords from all over the Korean Peninsula in early 1593. After cutting off Hideyoshi's forces of supplies, this forced the forces to put off their campaign to the Ming Dynasty indefinitely.

Several years later in 1597, and with Christianity rampant in Japan with not just the Jesuit missionaries from Portugal, but also a Friar from Mexico as well as Japanese converts. Hideyoshi would put these people down, hard. In the end 26 Christians in Japan were executed by Crucifixion. This event was called "The execution of the 26 Martyrs in Japan". This would also widen the rift between Japan and the west, and it'll only get worse in the foreseeable future.

A year after that, Hideyoshi  wanted to try again to take the Korean Peninsula and if all possible try to conquer the Ming Dynasty. This time, the invasion force was led by his other heir: *Hideaki Kobayakawa*. Despite a victory in the Joseon province of *Sacheon*, the campaign was a much bigger disaster for Hideyoshi's forces than the first. But, it was Hideyoshi's ever-declining health is what cancelled the campaign for good.

## Death and Aftermath

In 1598, Hideyoshi's health was in a critical state and what is worse is that his legitimate heir *Hideyori* was only 5-years old. Hideyoshi ordered 5 of his most loyal regents (which included Ieyasu) to look after and groom Hideyori until he reaches manhood. On September 18, Hideyoshi died. The nation was in shock.

But what Hideyoshi will never know is that Ieyasu (one of the council of the 5 elders) had an ulterior motive. He wanted to take everything Hideyoshi conquered and do it his own way. Eventually, this would lead to the *Battle of Sekigahara* where Ieyasu would win and become the Shogun. Ieyasu would retain many of Hideyoshi's policies however such as the separation of the classes, the superiority of the Samurai and eventually the forbidding of Christianity in Japan.

## Legacy

Hideyoshi will be known as one of the 3 "great unifiers" that would bring an end to Japan's century-long war and distrust. He was also the first of it's kind to try to unify the country through politics and not just war. Though, he can also be depicted as a child as he wasn't always faithful in his marriages (especially to Nene) he had many concubines (one of them being Kai who would eventually be forced to marry him). Nevertheless, he is regarded as one of Japan's greatest Samurai lords.

Well, that is it for this page. Don't forget to check out my other wiki pages on here as well as my Games and Movies wikis too. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.