In this Japanese name, the family name is Toyotomi. in modern times usually consist of a Family name ( Surname) followed by a Given name. A family name or last name is a type of Surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs

Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi drawn in 1601
Imperial Regent of Japan
In office 1585 – 1591
Monarch	Ōgimachi Go-Yōzei
Preceded by	Konoe Sakihisa
Succeeded by	Toyotomi Hidetsugu
Chancellor of the Realm
In office 1587 – 1598
Monarch	Go-Yōzei
Preceded by	Fujiwara no Sakihisa
Succeeded by	Tokugawa Ieyasu
Born	February 2, 1536(1536-02-02) or March 26, 1537 Nakamura-ku, Nagoya
Died	September 18, 1598 Fushimi Castle
Nationality	Japanese
Spouse	Nene, Yodo-Dono

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉, Toyotomi Hideyoshi^? February 2, 1536, or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a Sengoku period daimyo who unified Japan. In Japan, Sesshō (摂政 was a title given to a Regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his Coming of age, or an Emperor Ōgimachi (正親町天皇 Ōgimachi-tennō) ( June 18, 1517 - February 6, 1593) was the 106th emperor Emperor Go-Yōzei (後陽成天皇 Go-Yōzei-tennō) ( December 31, 1572 - September 25, 1617) was the 107th emperor (1536– June 7, 1612) son of regent Taneie, was a court noble of Japan. was a nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who lived during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan. The or Chancellor of the Realm was the head of the Daijō-kan, or Department of State in Heian Japan and briefly under the Emperor Go-Yōzei (後陽成天皇 Go-Yōzei-tennō) ( December 31, 1572 - September 25, 1617) was the 107th emperor  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Nakamura (中村区 -ku is one of the wards of Nagoya, Japan. is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated also known as Momoyama Castle (桃山城 Momoyama-jō) or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a castle in Kyoto's Fushimi or One (おね (1546-1624 was an aristocratic lady during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history known for her beauty intelligence and marriage also known as Yodo-Gimi (淀君 and sometimes Lady Chacha, was one of the most favoured Concubines of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the niece of the great Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, after Hideyoshi's castle. The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place He is noted for a number of cultural legacies, including the restriction that only members of the samurai class could bear arms. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. The right to keep and bear arms, RKBA, or right to bear arms is the concept that people individually or collectively have a right to Weapons Today this Hideyoshi is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier. "^[1]

Early life

Very little is known for certain about Hideyoshi before 1570, when he begins to appear in surviving documents and letters. His autobiography starts in 1577 but in it Hideyoshi spoke very little about his past. By tradition, he was born in what is now Nakamura-ku, Nagoya (at the time, the location was in Aichi District, Owari Province), the home of the Oda clan. Nakamura (中村区 -ku is one of the wards of Nagoya, Japan. The current Aichi (愛知郡 Aichi-gun) District is located east of the city of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture. The was a family of Japanese Daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century He was born of no traceable samurai lineage, the son of a peasant-warrior named Yaemon. ^[2]　He had no surname. His childhood given name was Hiyoshi-maru ("Bounty of the Sun") although variations exist.

During his childhood, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had the nickname Saru, meaning "monkey," because he was known to act foolishly and climb trees. As he grew up, he attained higher rank, which required him to change his name.

According to Maeda Toshiie and a European missionary named Luis Frois, Hideyoshi was polydactyl with two thumbs on his right hand. was one of the leading Generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Luís Fróis (1532 &ndash July 8 1597) was a Portuguese Missionary. Polydactyly or polydactylism (from Ancient Greek πολύς (polus "many" + δάκτυλος (daktulos He didn't amputate his extra thumb as other Japanese of this period would have done.

Many legends describe Hideyoshi being sent to study at a temple as a young man, but that he rejected temple life and went in search of adventure. Under the name Kinoshita Tōkichirō, he first joined the Imagawa clan as a servant to local ruler Matsushita Kahei. The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa (850-880 He traveled all the way to the lands of Imagawa Yoshimoto, daimyo of Suruga Province, and served there for a time, only to abscond with a sum of money entrusted to him by Matsushita Yukitsuna. was one of the leading Daimyo (feudal lords in early Sengoku period Japan was an old province in the area that is today the eastern part of Shizuoka prefecture.

Rise to power

Around 1557 he returned to Owari and joined the Oda clan, now headed by Oda Nobunaga, as a lowly servant. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history He became one of Nobunaga's sandal-bearers and was present at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560 when Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto to become one of the most powerful warlords in the Sengoku period. The took place in June 1560. In this battle Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the According to his biographers, he supervised the repair of Kiyosu Castle, a claim described as "apocryphal"^[3], and managed the kitchen. is a castle that acted as a base of operations for Oda Nobunaga and was built as a centennial celebration for the modern-day city of Kiyosu In 1561, Hideyoshi married Nene. or One (おね (1546-1624 was an aristocratic lady during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history known for her beauty intelligence and marriage He carried out repairs on Sunomata Castle with his younger brother Toyotomi Hidenaga and the bandits Hachisuka Masakatsu and Maeno Nagayasu. is a Japanese castle in Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture. It was constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the generals of Oda Nobunaga, while they (1540 - 1591 was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful (and significant warlords of Japan 's Sengoku period. also Hachisuka Koroku (1526 – July 8, 1586) was a Daimyo and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Azuchi-Momoyama period was a Japanese samurai of the 16th century Also known as Shōemon (将右衛門 he served Toyotomi Hideyoshi Hideyoshi's efforts were well received because Sunomata was in enemy territory. He constructed a fort in Sunomata^[3], according to legend overnight, and discovered a secret route into Mount Inaba after which much of the garrison surrendered. is a Japanese castle in Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture. It was constructed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the generals of Oda Nobunaga, while they

Hideyoshi was very successful as a negotiator. In 1564 he managed to convince, mostly with liberal bribes, a number of Mino warlords to desert the Saitō clan. one of the Old provinces of Japan, was composed of nearly the entire southern part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. The was a Japanese clan in Mino Province (present-day Gifu Prefecture) during the Sengoku period in the 16th century Hideyoshi approached many Saitō clan samurai and convinced them to submit to Nobunaga, including the Saitō clan's strategist Takenaka Hanbei. who was also known as Hanbei (半兵衛 was a Japanese Samurai during the Sengoku period of the 16th century

100 Aspects of the Moon #7, by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: "Mount Inaba Moon. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi ( 1839 - June 9, 1892) (月岡 芳年 also named Taiso Yoshitoshi ja 大蘇 芳年 was a Japanese artist " The young Toyotomi Hideyoshi leads a small group assaulting the castle on Mount Inaba; 1885, 12th month

Nobunaga's easy victory at Inabayama Castle in 1567 was largely due to Hideyoshi's efforts, and despite his peasant origins, Hideyoshi became one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals, eventually taking the name Hashiba Hideyoshi. also known as Kinkazan, is located in the heart of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and rises to a height of. is a castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The new surname included two characters, one from one of Oda's two other right-hand men, Niwa Nagahide and Shibata Katsuie. Niwa Nagahide (丹羽長秀 October 16, 1535 - May 15, 1585) was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.

Hideyoshi led troops in the Battle of Anegawa in 1570 in which Oda Nobunaga allied with future rival Tokugawa Ieyasu (who would eventually displace Hideyoshi's son and rule Japan) to lay siege to two fortresses of the Azai and Asakura clans. The 1570 came as a reaction to Oda Nobunaga 's sieges of the castles of Odani and Yokoyama which belonged to the Azai and Asakura clans  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate The was a line of Daimyo (feudal lords during Japan 's Sengoku period that was based in Ōmi Province (present day Shiga Prefecture) The are descendants of Prince Kusakabe (662-689 son of Emperor Temmu (631-686 ^[4] In 1573, after victorious campaigns against the Azai and Asakura, Nobunaga appointed Hideyoshi daimyo of three districts in the northern part of Ōmi Province. For other meanings of Omi see Omi (disambiguation. is an old province of Japan which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. Initially based at the former Azai headquarters in Odani, Hideyoshi moved to Kunitomo, and renamed the city Nagahama in tribute to Nobunaga. is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. Hideyoshi later moved to the port at Imahama on Lake Biwa. formerly known as Ōmi Lake, is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshū) northeast of From there he began work on Imahama Castle and took control of the nearby Kunitomo firearms factory that had been established some years previously by the Azai and Asakura. Under Hideyoshi's administration the factory's output of firearms increased dramatically. ^[5]

After the assassinations at Honnō-ji of Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son Nobutada in 1582 at the hands of Akechi Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi defeated Akechi at the Battle of Yamazaki. The refers to the forced Suicide in June 21[[ 582]] of Japanese Daimyo Oda Nobunaga at the hands of his Samurai was the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, and a Samurai who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period. nicknamed Jūbei or, was a Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. The was fought in 1582 in Yamazaki, Japan, located in current day Kyoto Prefecture.

At a meeting at Kiyosu to decide on a successor to Nobunaga, Hideyoshi cast aside the apparent candidate, Oda Nobutaka and his advocate, Oda clan's chief general, Shibata Katsuie, by supporting Nobutada's young son, Oda Hidenobu. (1558-1583 was a samurai and member of Oda clan. He was adopted as the head of Kanbe clan that ruled the middle region of Ise Province and was also called was the son of Oda Nobutada and lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the late-16th century ^[6] Having won the support of the other two Oda elders, Niwa Nagahide and Ikeda Tsuneoki, Hideyoshi established Hidenobu's position, as well as his own influence in the Oda clan. also known as Ikeda Nobuteru (池田 信輝 was a Daimyo and military commander during the Sengoku period and Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century Tension quickly escalated between Hideyoshi and Katsuie, and at the Battle of Shizugatake in the following year, Hideyoshi destroyed Katsuie's forces^[7] and thus consolidated his own power, absorbing most of the Oda clan into his control. The was a battle in Sengoku period Japan between supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobutaka.

In 1583, Hideyoshi began construction of Osaka Castle. is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Built on the site of the temple Ishiyama Honganji destroyed by Nobunaga,^[8] the castle would become the last stronghold of the Toyotomi clan after Hideyoshi's death. For other uses see Ishiyama (disambiguation. The was the primary fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, mobs of warrior monks and peasants who opposed samurai

Nobunaga's other son, Oda Nobukatsu, remained hostile to Hideyoshi. was a Japanese Samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga. He allied himself with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the two sides fought at the inconclusive Battle of Komaki and Nagakute.  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi (who would become Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1586) and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu It ultimately resulted in a stalemate, although Hideyoshi's forces were delivered a heavy blow. ^[7] Finally, Hashiba made peace with Nobukatsu, ending the pretext for war between the Tokugawa and Hashiba clans. Hideyoshi sent Tokugawa Ieyasu his younger sister and mother as hostages. Ieyasu eventually agreed to become a vassal of Hideyoshi.

Pinnacle of power

Kaō of Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi sought the title of shogun in order to be truly considered the active ruler of Japan. A is a stylized Signature or a mark used in place of a signature is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" However, the emperor did not grant that title to Hideyoshi. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. He requested the last Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, to accept him as an adopted son, but was refused. was a feudal military dictatorship ruled by the Shoguns of the Ashikaga family was the 15th Shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan who reigned from 1568 to 1573 Unable to become shogun, in 1585 he took the more prestigious position of regent (kampaku)^[9]. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" In Japan, Sesshō (摂政 was a title given to a Regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his Coming of age, or an In 1586, Hideyoshi was formally given the name Toyotomi by the imperial court. ^[9] He built a lavish palace, the Jurakudai, in 1587 and entertained the reigning Emperor Go-Yozei the following year. The Jurakudai or Jurakutei (聚楽第 was a lavish palace constructed at the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Kyoto, Japan. Emperor Go-Yōzei (後陽成天皇 Go-Yōzei-tennō) ( December 31, 1572 - September 25, 1617) was the 107th emperor ^[10]

Afterwards, Hideyoshi subjugated Kii Province^[11] and conquered Shikoku under the Chōsokabe clan. or Kishū (紀州 was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is today Wakayama Prefecture, as well as the southern part of In the 1585 invasion of Shikoku, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands from Chōsokabe Motochika was a Sengoku period Daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st head of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province (present-day Kōchi Prefecture ^[12] He also took control of Etchū Province^[13] and conquered Kyūshū. was an old province in central Honshū, on the Sea of Japan side The Kyūshū Campaign of 1587 was part of the campaigns of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who sought to dominate Japan at the end of the Sengoku period. ^[14] In 1587, Hideyoshi banished Christian missionaries from Kyūshū to exert greater control over the Kirishitan daimyo. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. from Portuguese cristão, referred to Roman Catholic Christians in Japanese and is used as a historiographic term for Roman Catholics The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings ^[15] However, since he made much of trade with Europeans, individual Christians were overlooked unofficially. In 1588, Hideyoshi forbade ordinary peasants from owning weapons and started a sword hunt to confiscate arms. Several times in Japanese history, the new ruler sought to ensure his position by calling a. ^[16] The swords were melted down to create a statue of the Buddha. This measure effectively stopped peasant revolts and ensured greater stability at the expense of freedom of the individual daimyo. The 1590 Siege of Odawara against the Late Hōjō clan in Kantō^[17] eliminated the last resistance to Hideyoshi's authority. The third occurred in 1590, and was the primary action in Toyotomi Hideyoshi 's campaign to eliminate the Hōjō clan as a threat to his power The was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region The is a Geographical area of Honshū, the largest Island of Japan. His victory signified the end of the Sengoku period.

In February 1591, Hideyoshi ordered Sen no Rikyū to commit suicide. is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on the Japanese tea ceremony, particularly the tradition of Wabi-cha. ^[18] Rikyū had been a trusted retainer and master of the tea ceremony under both Hideyoshi and Nobunaga. Under Hideyoshi's patronage, Rikyū made significant changes to the aesthetics of the tea ceremony that had lasting influence over many aspects of Japanese culture. The Japanese tea ceremony is called chanoyu (茶の湯 lit "tea hot-water" or also chadō or sadō (ja Even after he ordered Rikyū's suicide, Hideyoshi is said to have built his many construction projects based upon principles of beauty promoted by Rikyū.

The stability of the Toyotomi dynasty after Hideyoshi's death was put in doubt with the death of his only son Tsurumatsu in September 1591. The three-year-old was his only child. When his half-brother Hidenaga died shortly after his son, Hideyoshi named his nephew Hidetsugu his heir, adopting him in January 1592. (1540 - 1591 was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful (and significant warlords of Japan 's Sengoku period. was a nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who lived during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan. Hideyoshi resigned as kampaku to take the title of taikō (retired regent). Hidetsugu succeeded him as kampaku.

Decline and death

His health beginning to falter, but still yearning for some accomplishment to solidify his legacy, Hideyoshi adopted the dream of a Japanese conquest of China that Oda Nobunaga had contemplated and launched two ill-fated invasions of Korea. Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 Though intended to conquer Ming China,^[19] Japanese forces would never get beyond the Korean peninsula. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Hideyoshi had been communicating with the Koreans since 1587 requesting unmolested passage into China. The Koreans at first refused talks entirely, and in April and July 1591 refused demands that Japanese troops be allowed to march through Korea. In August, Hideyoshi ordered preparations for invasion.

In the first campaign, Japanese forces were initially very successful. By May 1592, Seoul was occupied, and in only four months, Hideyoshi's forces had a route into Manchuria and occupied much of Korea. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast However, despite the Japanese success on land, naval forces under Admiral Yi Sun-sin soon counterattacked the Japanese fleet, cutting off the Japanese army's supply lines and effectively strangling the invasion in Korea. Yi Sun-sin (April 28 1545 – December 16 1598 also commonly transliterated Yi Soon-shin or Lee Sun-shin, Korean:이순신 was a Korean The naval campaigns conducted by Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin during Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598 against the Japanese forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi In 1593, Ming Chinese Emperor Wanli sent an army under Admiral Li Rusong to block the planned invasion of China and recapture the Korean peninsula. Sword Li is also honoured as the inventor of a sword skill called Jedok geom (提督劍 in Korean which he presumably used during his stay in Korea Chinese and Korean forces drove the Japanese army from Seoul and Pyongyang. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. The war reached a deadlock, and after the conclusion of a cease-fire agreement, Japanese troops retreated to Japan.

The birth of Hideyoshi's second son, Hideyori, in 1593 created a potential succession problem. Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼 Toyotomi Hideyori) 1593 - June 5, 1615, was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi To avoid it, Hideyoshi exiled his nephew and heir Hidetsugu to Mount Kōya and then ordered him to commit suicide in August 1595. This article is about the mountain in Japan For the historical Haida chief in the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia see Koyah. Hidetsugu's family members who did not follow his example were then murdered in Kyoto, including 31 women and several children. ^[20]

After several years of negotiations (broken off, because envoys of both side reported to their master that the opposition surrendered), Hideyoshi launched his second invasion of Korea in 1597, but met with less success. Japanese troops would remain largely in Gyeongsang province. Gyeongsang ( Gyeongsang-do) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. By June 1598, the campaign was stalled and reduced to approximately 60,000 warriors under the Shimazu clan commanders, Shimazu Yoshihiro and his son Tadatsune. was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. Shimazu Tadatsune (島津忠恒 November 27, 1576 - April 7, 1638) was a Tozama daimyo of Satsuma, the first The remaining Japanese forces fought desperately, turning back several Chinese attacks in Suncheon and Sacheon as the Ming army prepared for a final assault. Suncheon ( Suncheon-si) is a city in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Sacheon is a city in South Gyeongsang Province South Korea. Sacheon's chief fame comes from the fact that it was the site of two naval battles in the The Korean's unexpected talent for guerilla warfare continually harassed Japanese forces. While Hideyoshi's last battle at So-chon, was a major Japanese victory, all three parties to the war were exhausted and Hideyoshi himself now accepted that the war could not be won. ^[21] He told his commander in Korea: "Don't let my soldiers become spirits in a foreign land. "^[22]

Toyotomi Hideyoshi died in September 1598. His death was kept secret by the Council of Five Elders to preserve morale. The council of five elders, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō) was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his It was not until late October that they sent a decree to the Japanese commanders to withdraw. In the last major conflict of the war, the Battle of Noryang, combined Korean and Chinese naval forces led by admirals Yi Sun-sin and Chen Lin blocked the Japanese withdrawal. The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598, was fought between the Japanese navy and the combined Fleets Chen Lin (陳璘 Style Name Chao Jue (1543-1607 was a Chinese general of the Ming Dynasty. Japanese forces suffered heavy damage and Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin was killed, but the remaining Japan forces broke through and withdrew to Busan at a cost of 200 ships destroyed and 100 captured, according to Korean records. ^[23]

Because of his failure to capture Korea, Hideyoshi's forces were unable to invade China. Rather than strengthen his position, the military expeditions left his clan's coffers decreased, his vassals at odds over responsibility for the failure, and the clans that were loyal to the Toyotomi name weakened. The dream of a Japanese empire throughout Asia ended with Hideyoshi. The Tokugawa government not only prevented any military expeditions to the mainland, but closed Japan to nearly all foreigners. It was not until the late 19th century that Japan would again fight a war against China through Korea, using much the same route that Hideyoshi's invasion force had used. The First Sino-Japanese War ( 日清戦争 Romaji: Nisshin Sensō ( 1 August 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a war fought between

After his death, the other members of the Council of Five Regents were unable to keep the ambitions of Tokugawa Ieyasu in check.  was the founder and first Shogun  of the Tokugawa shogunate Two of Hideyoshi's top generals Katō Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori had fought bravely during the war, but returned to find Toyotomi clan bureaucrat Ishida Mitsunari in power. The were the top generals of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who sought to control Japan at the end of the 16th century ( July 25, 1562 - August 2, 1611) was a Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku and Edo period. (1561-1624 was a Samurai of the late Sengoku Period to early Edo Period. Ishida Mitsunari (ja 石田 三成 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a Samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara He held the generals in low esteem, and they sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi's underaged son and designated successor Hideyori lost the power his father once held, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was declared shogun following the Battle of Sekigahara. Background and pretext Even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan and consolidated his power following the Siege of Odawara in 1590 his ill-fated

Cultural legacy

Toyotomi Hideyoshi changed Japanese society in many ways. These include imposition of a rigid class structure, restriction on travel, and surveys of land and production.

Class reforms affected commoners and warriors. During the Sengoku period, it had become common for peasants to become warriors, or for samurai to farm due to the constant uncertainty caused by the lack of centralized government and always tentative peace. Upon taking control, Hideyoshi decreed that all peasants be disarmed completely. ^[24] Conversely, he required samurai to leave the land and take up residence in the castle towns. ^[25] This solidified the social class system for the next 300 years.

Furthermore, he ordered comprehensive surveys and a complete census of Japan. Once this was done and all citizens were registered, he required all Japanese to stay in their respective han (fiefs) unless they obtained official permission to go elsewhere. The, or domains, were the Fiefs of Feudal Lords of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their This ensured order in a period when bandits still roamed the countryside and peace was still new. The land surveys formed the basis for systematic taxation. ^[26]

A replicated Osaka Castle has been created on the site of the Hideyoshi's great donjon. The iconic castle has become a symbolic of Osaka's re-emergence as a great city after its devastation in World War II.

In 1590, Hideyoshi completed construction of the Osaka Castle, the largest and most formidable in all Japan, to guard the western approaches to Kyoto. is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. In that same year, Hideyoshi banned "unfree labor" or slavery;^[27] but forms of contract and indentured labor persisted alongside the period penal codes' forced labor. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another ^[28]

Hideyoshi also influenced the material culture of Japan. He lavished time and money on the tea ceremony, collecting implements, sponsoring lavish social events, and patronizing acclaimed masters. As interest in the tea ceremony rose among the ruling class, so too did demand for fine ceramic implements, and during the course of the Korean campaigns, not only were large quantities of prized ceramic ware confiscated, many Korean artisans were forcibly relocated to Japan. ^[29]

Inspired by the dazzling Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, he also constructed a fabulous portable tea room, covered with gold leaf and lined inside with red gossamer. is the informal name of Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺 Deer Garden Temple) in Kyoto, Japan. Using this mobile innovation, he was able to practice the tea ceremony wherever he went, powerfully projecting his unrivaled power and status upon his arrival. A tea ceremony is an Asian ritualised form of making Tea. The term generally refers to the Japanese tea ceremony.

Politically, he set up a governmental system that balanced out the most powerful Japanese warlords (or daimyo). The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings A council was created to include the most influential lords. At the same time, a regent was designated to be in command.

Just prior to his death, Hideyoshi hoped to set up a system stable enough to survive until his son grew old enough to become the next leader. A Council of Five Elders (五大老, go-tairō^?) was formed, consisting of the five most powerful daimyo. The council of five elders, also known as the five Tairō (五大老 go-tairō) was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his Following the death of Maeda Toshiie, however, Tokugawa Ieyasu began to secure alliances, including political marriages (which had been forbidden by Hideyoshi). was one of the leading Generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Eventually, the pro-Toyotomi forces fought against the Tokugawa in the Battle of Sekigahara. Background and pretext Even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan and consolidated his power following the Siege of Odawara in 1590 his ill-fated Ieyasu won and received the title of Seii-tai Shogun two years later.

Ieyasu left in place the majority of Hideyoshi's decrees and built his shogunate upon them. This ensured that Hideyoshi's cultural legacy remained.

"I mean to do glorious deeds and I am ready for a long siege, with provisions and gold and silver in plenty, so as to return in triumph and leave a great name behind me. I desire you to understand this and to tell it to everybody. " -- Toyotomi Hideyoshi^[30]

Names

Because of his low birth and high nobility, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had quite a few names throughout his life. At birth, he was given the name Hiyoshi-maru 日吉丸. At his coming of age ceremony he took the name Kinoshita Tōkichirō (木下 藤吉郎, Kinoshita Tōkichirō^?). also called, was a historical Japanese Coming-of-age ceremony Later, he was given the surname Hashiba, and the honorary court office Chikuzen no Kami; as a result he was styled Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami Hideyoshi (羽柴筑前守秀吉, Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami Hideyoshi^?). His surname remained Hashiba even as he was granted the new uji or sei (氏 or 姓, clan name) Toyotomi by the emperor. His name is correctly Toyotomi no Hideyoshi. Using the writing system of his time, his name is written as 豐臣 秀吉. Kyūjitai (in Shinjitai: ja 旧字体 in Kyūjitai 舊字體 meaning "old character form" is the traditional form of the Japanese Kanji used before

The Toyotomi uji was simultaneously granted to a number of Hideyoshi's chosen allies, who adopted the new uji "豊臣朝臣" (Toyotomi no asomi, courtier of Toyotomi).

The Catholic sources of the time referred to him as "emperor Taicosama" (from taiko, a retired kampaku or regent, and the honorific sama). means " Drum " in Japanese (etymologically "great" or "wide drum" In Japan, Sesshō (摂政 was a title given to a Regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his Coming of age, or an Japanese, like other languages uses a broad array of Honorifics for addressing or referring to people with respect

Portrayals

See Japanese historical people in popular culture. Many significant Japanese historical people appear in works of popular culture such as Anime, Manga, and Video games.

See also

• Toyokuni Shrine - A Shinto shrine to commemorate Hideyoshi. is a Shinto shrine located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It was built in 1599 to commemorate Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Notes

References

• Berry, Mary Elizabeth. (1982). Hideyoshi. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Harvard University Press ( HUP) is a Publishing house, a division of Harvard University, that is highly respected in Academic publishing. ISBN 0-674-39026-1 (cloth, 1982), ISBN 0-674-39026-1 (paper, 1989) (scholarly biography)
• Sansom, George. Sir George Bailey Sansom (1883-1965 was a historian of pre-modern Japan particularly noted for his historical surveys and attention to Japanese society (1952) Japan, A Short Cultural History. Stanford: Stanford University Press. The Stanford University Press is the Publishing house of Stanford University. ISBN 0-8047-0952-1 (cloth) ISBN 0-8047-0954-8 (paper)
• Lewis, James Bryant. (2003). Frontier Contact Between Choson Korea and Tokugawa Japan. London: Routledge. Routledge is a publisher of non-fiction academic books and journals 10-ISBN 0-700-71301-8
• Takeuchi, Rizō. (1985). Nihonshi shōjiten (A Concise Dictionary of Japanese History). Tokyo: Kadokawa shoten.
• Yoshikawa, Eiji. was a Japanese Historical novelist probably one of the best and most famous authors in the genre (2001). Taiko. Tokyo: Kodansha. is the largest Japanese publisher headquartered in ( Bunkyo) Tokyo. ISBN 4-7700-2609-9 (historical fiction)

External links

• Hideyoshi (1996) TV-Series at the Internet Movie Database
• SengokuDaimyo.com The website of Samurai Author and Historian Anthony J. Bryant
  • Anthony J. Anthony J Bryant (born 1961 is the author of four books for Osprey Military Publishing on Samurai history Bryant is the author of Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power, Praeger Publishers, September 2005