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Hideyoshi commanded troops at the [[Battle of Anegawa]] in [[1570]] and was active in Nobunaga's campaigns against the Asai and Asakura; he finally and definitively emerges into the light of history in [[1573]]. In that year Nobunaga destroyed the Asai clan of Omi and assigned Hideyoshi three districts in the northern part of that province. Initially based at Odani, the former Asai headquarters, Hideyoshi soon moved to Imahama, a port on Lake Biwa. Once there he set to work on domestic affairs, which included increasing the output at the local Kunimoto firearms factory (established some years previously by the Asai and Asakura). With Nobunaga engaged in almost constant warfare, Hideyoshi earned plenty of battlefield experience over the next few years, flying his 'golden gourd' standard at [[Battle of Nagashima|Nagashima]] ([[1573]], [[1574]]), [[Battle of Nagashino|Nagashino]] ([[1575]]), and [[Battle of Tedorigawa|Tedorigawa]] ([[1577]]).  

Hideyoshi commanded troops at the [[Battle of Anegawa]] in [[1570]] and was active in Nobunaga's campaigns against the Asai and Asakura; he finally and definitively emerges into the light of history in [[1573]]. In that year Nobunaga destroyed the Asai clan of Omi and assigned Hideyoshi three districts in the northern part of that province. Initially based at Odani, the former Asai headquarters, Hideyoshi soon moved to Imahama, a port on Lake Biwa. Once there he set to work on domestic affairs, which included increasing the output at the local Kunimoto firearms factory (established some years previously by the Asai and Asakura). With Nobunaga engaged in almost constant warfare, Hideyoshi earned plenty of battlefield experience over the next few years, flying his 'golden gourd' standard at [[Battle of Nagashima|Nagashima]] ([[1573]], [[1574]]), [[Battle of Nagashino|Nagashino]] ([[1575]]), and [[Battle of Tedorigawa|Tedorigawa]] ([[1577]]).  

Hideyoshi's stay in Omi would be relatively brief. By [[1576]] the Oda and Mori had gone to war and the following Nobunaga ordered Hideyoshi to co-command a campaign through the Chugoku with [[Akechi Mitushide]]. Mitsuhide would be responsible for subduing the 'Sanin' circuit (including Tamba, Tango, Tajima, and Inaba) while Hideyoshi advanced into the 'Sanyo' circuit (which consisted of those western provinces bordering the Inland Sea). In fact, both men would enjoy independence of command in their respective endeavors, an honor Nobunaga rarely conferred on his commanders (the notable exception being [[Shibata Katsuie]], for some time involved in subduing Echizen and Kaga). Hideyoshi's first acquisitions were [[Himeji Castle|Himeji]], [[Kozuki Castle|Kozuki]], and [[Sayo castle]]s. Himeji was bought peacefully, with [[Kuroda Yoshitaka]] (Kanbei), soon to become a fast friend of Hideyoshi, convincing his father to surrender the strategically significant castle. Kozuki and Sayo had to be taken by force, with the former going to [[Amako Katsuhisa]]. Resistance to Hideyoshi's expedition stiffened quickly. [[Bessho Nagaharu|Bessho (Betshusho) Nagaharu]], originally in the Oda camp, defied Hideyoshi and shut himself up in [[Miki Castle]]. Hideyoshi reduced Miki's satellites (including Hataya and Ogo) and began a siege of the Bessho's stronghold; at the same time [[Ukita Naoie]] began attacking Oda holdings in the area, and [[Mori Terumoto]] sent a powerful army into Harima. The Mori force surrounded Kozuki, and when Hideyoshi marched to relieve the beleaguered fort, he was ordered to stand down by Nobunaga. Kozuki fell and Hideyoshi resumed the reduction of Miki, which proved a tough nut to crack. Miki was vital to the continued defense of the [[Ishiyama Honganji]] in [[Settsu Province|Settsu]] and the Mori were therefore determined to see that it held. Supplies were shipped in and Bessho held out tenaciously, only surrendering in [[1580]]. Needless to say, Hideyoshi's western advance was slow and tiring, although things began to look up with the defection Ukita Naoie from the Mori camp in 1580. This development essentially secured Harima and gave Hideyoshi a strong foothold in Bizen, an advantage he was quick to make use of. Later that year he dispatched a force to drive north into Inaba and surround Tottori, another significant Mori line of defense. The local lord, [[Yamana Toyokuni]], quickly pledged his loyalty to the Oda, leaving Tottori, commanded by [[Kikkawa Tsuneie]], isolated. Hideyoshi ordered that Tottori was to be starved out, regardless of the time required, and indeed, 200 days would be required for the defenders to give in.

Hideyoshi's stay in Omi would be relatively brief. By [[1576]] the Oda and Mori had gone to war and the following Nobunaga ordered Hideyoshi to co-command a campaign through the Chugoku with [[Akechi Mitsuhide]]. Mitsuhide would be responsible for subduing the 'Sanin' circuit (including Tamba, Tango, Tajima, and Inaba) while Hideyoshi advanced into the 'Sanyo' circuit (which consisted of those western provinces bordering the Inland Sea). In fact, both men would enjoy independence of command in their respective endeavors, an honor Nobunaga rarely conferred on his commanders (the notable exception being [[Shibata Katsuie]], for some time involved in subduing Echizen and Kaga). Hideyoshi's first acquisitions were [[Himeji Castle|Himeji]], [[Kozuki Castle|Kozuki]], and [[Sayo castle]]s. Himeji was bought peacefully, with [[Kuroda Yoshitaka]] (Kanbei), soon to become a fast friend of Hideyoshi, convincing his father to surrender the strategically significant castle. Kozuki and Sayo had to be taken by force, with the former going to [[Amako Katsuhisa]]. Resistance to Hideyoshi's expedition stiffened quickly. [[Bessho Nagaharu|Bessho (Betshusho) Nagaharu]], originally in the Oda camp, defied Hideyoshi and shut himself up in [[Miki Castle]]. Hideyoshi reduced Miki's satellites (including Hataya and Ogo) and began a siege of the Bessho's stronghold; at the same time [[Ukita Naoie]] began attacking Oda holdings in the area, and [[Mori Terumoto]] sent a powerful army into Harima. The Mori force surrounded Kozuki, and when Hideyoshi marched to relieve the beleaguered fort, he was ordered to stand down by Nobunaga. Kozuki fell and Hideyoshi resumed the reduction of Miki, which proved a tough nut to crack. Miki was vital to the continued defense of the [[Ishiyama Honganji]] in [[Settsu Province|Settsu]] and the Mori were therefore determined to see that it held. Supplies were shipped in and Bessho held out tenaciously, only surrendering in [[1580]]. Needless to say, Hideyoshi's western advance was slow and tiring, although things began to look up with the defection Ukita Naoie from the Mori camp in 1580. This development essentially secured Harima and gave Hideyoshi a strong foothold in Bizen, an advantage he was quick to make use of. Later that year he dispatched a force to drive north into Inaba and surround Tottori, another significant Mori line of defense. The local lord, [[Yamana Toyokuni]], quickly pledged his loyalty to the Oda, leaving Tottori, commanded by [[Kikkawa Tsuneie]], isolated. Hideyoshi ordered that Tottori was to be starved out, regardless of the time required, and indeed, 200 days would be required for the defenders to give in.  

 

In April [[1582]] Hideyoshi entered [[Bitchu province]] and besieged [[Takamatsu castle]], a fortress the Mori considered absolutely imperative to the defense of their home provinces. If Takamatsu fell, Bitchu would be lost, leaving only [[Bingo province]] between the Oda and Aki, the Mori's ancestral home. At the same time, [[Mori Terumoto]] was a cautious leader and made no aggressive moves to counter Hideyoshi's advance. In fact, Hideyoshi had been heavily out-numbered, at least on paper, for much of his almost private war with the Mori. Occasionally, other commanders had been sent to assist Hideyoshi with important sieges ([[Oda Nobutada]], the heir, had briefly been involved with the [[Seige of Miki]], for instance) but for the most part, Hideyoshi and what averaged at around and at most 15,000 men had beaten back one of Japan's most powerful clans. Takamatsu was captained by [[Shimizu Muneharu]], a resilient and dedicated warrior who ignored attempts at bribery and initial attempts to take his fortress by force. Concerned that the Mori would finally come against him in force, Hideyoshi decided to try an unconventional approach. Noting that Takamatsu sat on a flat plain just below sea level, Hideyoshi ordered that the waters of the nearby Ashimorigawa be dammed up and diverted around the castle, creating a lake that left Shimizu and his garrison completely isolated. When Terumoto arrived with an army, he hesitated to make any move, electing instead to sit and wait for developments. For his part, Hideyoshi aggressively harassed the garrison, bombarding their island castle with constant rifle and (according to some sources) cannon fire. He was nonetheless concerned about the menacing Mori army and sent a request back to Nobunaga in the home provinces for reinforcements. Oda obliged and sent along a number of contingents, one of which, led by [[Akechi Mitushide]], decided instead to fall on Nobunaga himself.  

==Yamazaki==

==Yamazaki==