Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the second of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan, commenced his journey as a foot-soldier and ascended through the ranks to become a samurai, military leader, statesman, and eventually the ruler of Japan.
Born in 1536 in Nakamura village (now part of Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture), Hideyoshi faced adversity from a young age. His father passed away shortly after his birth, and his mother remarried a low-ranking samurai who treated him harshly. Despite being sent to a nearby temple to train as a priest, Hideyoshi fled at the age of 15 to join Matsushita Yukitsuna's army as an ashigaru foot soldier. In 1558, he received funds to purchase armor for his master but instead bought equipment for himself, showcasing his independent spirit and resourcefulness. Back in Owari (Aichi Prefecture), he joined Oda Nobunaga's service as a sandal carrier.
Hideyoshi's ingenuity and dedication caught Nobunaga's attention. He participated in key battles such as Okehazama, Inabayama, and Anegawa, distinguishing himself as a capable warrior. When news of Nobunaga's assassination reached him during the siege of Takamatsu Castle, Hideyoshi swiftly intervened, negotiating peace and turning his forces against the traitorous Akechi Mitsuhide. He defeated Mitsuhide's army at Yamazaki and returned to Kiyosu Castle to ensure the continuity of the Oda clan's leadership.
As he governed on behalf of Nobunaga's infant grandson, Samboshi, Hideyoshi faced challenges from within the clan, notably from Nobutaka and Shibata Katsuie. However, he skillfully navigated these conflicts, consolidating his power through strategic alliances and military victories. His campaigns extended across southern Japan, standardizing currency and implementing social reforms to maintain stability.
Hideyoshi's ambitions extended beyond Japan's borders, leading to two significant campaigns in Korea. Upon his return, he found political dynamics shifting. Despite appointing regents to oversee his son Hideyori's rule, internal strife emerged, ultimately leading to civil war.
He passed away in 1598 at Fushimi Castle, leaving behind a legacy of unification and governance. Despite his modest physical stature and alleged birth defects, Hideyoshi's intellect and strategic prowess propelled him from humble beginnings to a revered figure in Japanese history.
See also
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Tsutsui Sadatsugu
Tsutsui Sadatsugu (June 6, 1562 – April 2, 1615) was a prominent figure in the Sengoku and early Edo periods, known as the cousin and adopted heir of Tsutsui Junkei, the feudal lord of Yamato Province. Following Junkei's death in 1584, Toyotomi Hideyoshi relocated Sadatsugu to Iga Province, where he oversaw the construction of Iga Ueno Castle, marking the height of his prominence.
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Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
Matsudaira Kiyoyasu (September 28, 1511 – November 29, 1535) served as the 7th lord of the Matsudaira clan during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku period. Renowned as the paternal grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan's "great unifiers," Kiyoyasu expanded his clan’s influence, bringing all of northern Mikawa Province under his control after subduing the Saigo clan. His power was further symbolized by the construction of Okazaki Castle, a testament to the Matsudaira’s growing dominance.
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Matsudaira Hirotada
Matsudaira Hirotada (June 9, 1526 – April 3, 1549) was a daimyo and lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa Province during Japan’s turbulent Sengoku Period. He is best known as the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.
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Ikeda Tsuneoki
Ikeda Tsuneoki (1536 – May 18, 1584), also known as Ikeda Nobuteru, was a prominent daimyo of the Ikeda clan and a distinguished military commander during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He served under the influential warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Tsuneoki’s connection to Nobunaga began early, as his mother, Yotokuin, was Nobunaga’s wet nurse and later became a concubine to Oda Nobuhide, Nobunaga's father.
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Oda Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka (1558–1583) was a samurai of the Oda clan, also known as Kanbe Nobutaka after being adopted as the head of the Kanbe clan, which governed the central region of Ise Province. He was the third son of Oda Nobunaga, born to a concubine named Sakashi. Nobutaka was referred to as "San Shichi," possibly because he was born on the seventh day of the third month in the Japanese lunar calendar. However, there is a theory suggesting he was born twenty days earlier than his elder brother, Oda Nobukatsu, but due to delays in reporting and the low status of his mother’s family, he was acknowledged as Nobunaga’s third son.
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Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Yamauchi Kazutoyo (also spelled Yamanouchi; 1545/1546? – November 1, 1605) was a prominent samurai and retainer who served Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. His father, Yamauchi Moritoyo, was a descendant of Fujiwara no Hidesato and a senior retainer of the Iwakura Oda clan, which opposed Oda Nobunaga. Moritoyo was also the lord of Kuroda Castle in Owari Province. Kazutoyo is especially renowned for his marriage to Yamauchi Chiyo, whose wisdom and resourcefulness played a key role in his rise to prominence.
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Saito Tatsuoki
Saito Tatsuoki (6 September 1548 - 1573) was a daimyo of Mino Province during Japan's Sengoku period and the third-generation lord of the Saito clan. He was the son of Saito Yoshitatsu and grandson of Saito Dosan. His mother was a daughter of Azai Hisamasa, making him a nephew of Azai Nagamasa and a relative of Oda Nobunaga's first wife, Nohime, who was also a daughter of Saito Dosan.
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Kyogoku Tadataka
Kyogoku Tadataka (1593–1637) was a Japanese nobleman and the head of the Kyogoku clan during the early 17th century, a pivotal time marked by the Tokugawa consolidation of power. His childhood name was Kumamaro, and he hailed from a lineage claiming descent from Emperor Uda (868–897). Tadataka was the son of Kyogoku Takatsugu and one of his concubines, with his paternal grandfather being Kyogoku Takayoshi.
