Changes

The birth of Hideyoshi's second son, [[Toyotomi Hideyori|Hideyori]], in 1593 both distracted the Taiko from the depressing results of his Korean misadventure and created another problem. The threatening clouds of a potential succession struggle must have haunted Hideyoshi, who had already named Hidetsugu heir and yet devoted himself to Hideyori. The matter was brutally decided in [[1595]], when in August Hidetsugu was exiled to [[Mount Koya]] and then ordered to commit suicide. Those of his family who did not follow suit were murdered en mass in Kyoto, including 31 women and a number of infant sons and daughters. The specific reasons behind Hidetsugu's fall are entirely unclear, so much more the reasons for the excessive brutality with which Hideyoshi treated the family. Scholars continue to make assertions regarding this event; in truth, the specifics will never be more then a matter of speculation, except that a possible succession dispute had been dealt with.  

The birth of Hideyoshi's second son, [[Toyotomi Hideyori|Hideyori]], in 1593 both distracted the Taiko from the depressing results of his Korean misadventure and created another problem. The threatening clouds of a potential succession struggle must have haunted Hideyoshi, who had already named Hidetsugu heir and yet devoted himself to Hideyori. The matter was brutally decided in [[1595]], when in August Hidetsugu was exiled to [[Mount Koya]] and then ordered to commit suicide. Those of his family who did not follow suit were murdered en mass in Kyoto, including 31 women and a number of infant sons and daughters. The specific reasons behind Hidetsugu's fall are entirely unclear, so much more the reasons for the excessive brutality with which Hideyoshi treated the family. Scholars continue to make assertions regarding this event; in truth, the specifics will never be more then a matter of speculation, except that a possible succession dispute had been dealt with.  

In [[1596]], envoys from the Ming court traveled to Osaka and formally invested Hideyoshi as "[[King of Japan]]" in a grand ceremony in which a great many retainers gathered and [[kowtow]]ed to him. Many of these retainers were also granted honorary Ming [[Chinese court ranks|court rank]] at this time as well. Hideyoshi's official patent of investiture survives today in the Osaka City Museum, while several robes believed to date to this investiture ceremony survive in the collections of the temple [[Myoho-in|Myoho-in]]. A formal document containing instructions for Hideyoshi's from the [[Wanli Emperor]] is held today by the [[Imperial Household Agency]]. The robes are red, with [[buzi|chest badge]] designs of ''[[qilin]]'' embroidered in gold. The sleeves are notably shorter than typical Ming robes; they were perhaps modified by Hideyoshi to better match Japanese fashions or his own personal taste. These robes, along with the patent and other objects, marked Hideyoshi as a "king," and he proudly wore these robes at other events for several days. A number of his retainers presented with Ming court robes did similarly. However, it seems that once Hideyoshi read the official documents from the Ming and came to understand the deeper meaning or significance of his investiture, he reportedly grew enraged, angry at some aspect of the meaning or symbolism of the honor. This anger at the Ming court and Ming investiture was incorporated into Hideyoshi's legend, and appears in a number of stage plays and popular publications of the Edo period.<ref>Elizabeth Lillehoj, "Ming Robes and Documents That Made Hideyoshi King of Japan," presentation at annual Association of Asian Studies conference, Washington DC, 23 March 2018.</ref>

In [[1596]], envoys from the Ming court traveled to Osaka and formally [[investiture|invested]] Hideyoshi as "[[King of Japan]]" in a grand ceremony in which a great many retainers gathered and [[kowtow]]ed to him. Many of these retainers were also granted honorary Ming [[Chinese court ranks|court rank]] at this time as well. Hideyoshi's official patent of investiture survives today in the Osaka City Museum, while several robes believed to date to this investiture ceremony survive in the collections of the temple [[Myoho-in|Myoho-in]]. A formal document containing instructions for Hideyoshi's from the [[Wanli Emperor]] is held today by the [[Imperial Household Agency]]. The robes are red, with [[buzi|chest badge]] designs of ''[[qilin]]'' embroidered in gold. The sleeves are notably shorter than typical Ming robes; they were perhaps modified by Hideyoshi to better match Japanese fashions or his own personal taste. These robes, along with the patent and other objects, marked Hideyoshi as a "king," and he proudly wore these robes at other events for several days. A number of his retainers presented with Ming court robes did similarly. However, it seems that once Hideyoshi read the official documents from the Ming and came to understand the deeper meaning or significance of his investiture, he reportedly grew enraged, angry at some aspect of the meaning or symbolism of the honor. This anger at the Ming court and Ming investiture was incorporated into Hideyoshi's legend, and appears in a number of stage plays and popular publications of the Edo period.<ref>Elizabeth Lillehoj, "Ming Robes and Documents That Made Hideyoshi King of Japan," presentation at annual Association of Asian Studies conference, Washington DC, 23 March 2018.</ref>

On 19 March [[1597]] Hideyoshi ordered a resumption of the war in Korea after the Chinese had disregarded Hideyoshi's demands for a princess. While a man known for his skill at negotiating, nothing in Hideyoshi's record leads one to believe that he ever entered a negotiation without intending to get everything he wanted.  

On 19 March [[1597]] Hideyoshi ordered a resumption of the war in Korea after the Chinese had disregarded Hideyoshi's demands for a princess. While a man known for his skill at negotiating, nothing in Hideyoshi's record leads one to believe that he ever entered a negotiation without intending to get everything he wanted.  

This second Korean Invasion was almost perfunctory, and the Japanese bogged down without having seen any significant gains beyond the capture of Namwon in August. At this same time, Hideyoshi and Hideyori were amusing themselves at Osaka with the spectacle of an [[elephants|elephant]] provided by the Spanish (perhaps to smooth over relations). The 'Miracle of Myongyang' on 19 September, in which 16 ships under Yi Sun Shin defeated a Japanese fleet of 133 vessels, probably sealed the fortunes of the invasion. Kato Kiyomasa and Asano Yukinaga were actually isolated in the fortress of Ulsan and underwent a long and brutal siege that lasted into 1598.  

This second Korean Invasion was almost perfunctory, and the Japanese bogged down without having seen any significant gains beyond the capture of Namwon in August. At this same time, Hideyoshi and Hideyori were amusing themselves at Osaka with the spectacle of an [[elephants|elephant]] provided by the Spanish (perhaps to smooth over relations). The 'Miracle of Myongyang' on 19 September, in which 16 ships under Yi Sun Shin defeated a Japanese fleet of 133 vessels, probably sealed the fortunes of the invasion. Kato Kiyomasa and Asano Yukinaga were actually isolated in the fortress of Ulsan and underwent a long and brutal siege that lasted into 1598.  

In the summer of 1598, Hideyoshi fell ill and summoned his most important vassals to his bedside. During August he established a council of regents (Tokugawa Ieyasu, [[Maeda Toshiie]], Mori Terumoto, [[Ukita Hideie]], and [[Uesugi Kagekatsu]]) to rule while Hideyori came of age as well as a team of five administrators (bugyo) to handle domestic matters. These bugyo included [[Ishida Mitsunari]], [[Natsuka Masaie]], [[Maeda Gen-I]], [[Mashita Nagamori]], and [[Asano Nagamasa]]. Each man was made to sign a pledge of loyalty to the five-year old Hideyori, providing the scene with an element of pathos. Hideyoshi insisted again and again that the five men he had chosen as regents (whom he hoped would keep one another in check) be loyal to Hideyori, and no doubt counted on Maeda Toshiie, the powerful lord of Kaga who was close to Hideyoshi and shared rural Owari roots. Finally, he succumbed to his illness and finally died on 18 September 1598. The war in Korea was called off and the peninsula abandoned; Maeda Toshiie died in [[1599]] and within two years of Hideyoshi's death the council of regents would be broken and Tokugawa Ieyasu would rise supreme, assuming the title of shogun in 1603. Hideyori resided in [[Osaka Castle]] until [[1615]]. After two sieges (Winter and Summer, [[1614]] and [[1615]]) by Tokugawa forces, he committed suicide, along with the Lady Yodo. The Toyotomi name was eliminated.

In the summer of 1598, Hideyoshi fell ill and summoned his most important vassals to his bedside. During August he established a council of regents (Tokugawa Ieyasu, [[Maeda Toshiie]], Mori Terumoto, [[Ukita Hideie]], and [[Uesugi Kagekatsu]]) to rule while Hideyori came of age as well as a team of five administrators (bugyo) to handle domestic matters. These bugyo included [[Ishida Mitsunari]], [[Natsuka Masaie]], [[Maeda Gen'i]], [[Mashita Nagamori]], and [[Asano Nagamasa]]. Each man was made to sign a pledge of loyalty to the five-year old Hideyori, providing the scene with an element of pathos. Hideyoshi insisted again and again that the five men he had chosen as regents (whom he hoped would keep one another in check) be loyal to Hideyori, and no doubt counted on Maeda Toshiie, the powerful lord of Kaga who was close to Hideyoshi and shared rural Owari roots. Finally, he succumbed to his illness and finally died on 18 September 1598. The war in Korea was called off and the peninsula abandoned; Maeda Toshiie died in [[1599]] and within two years of Hideyoshi's death the council of regents would be broken and Tokugawa Ieyasu would rise supreme, assuming the title of shogun in 1603. Hideyori resided in [[Osaka Castle]] until [[1615]]. After two sieges (Winter and Summer, [[1614]] and [[1615]]) by Tokugawa forces, he committed suicide, along with the Lady Yodo. The Toyotomi name was eliminated.

Following his death, Hideyoshi was deified as Toyokuni Daimyôjin. Along with [[Kakinomoto no Hitomaro]], Hideyoshi thus became one of only two figures in Japanese history to be named ''myôjin'' by Imperial decree. [[Toyokuni Shrine]]s were soon established throughout the archipelago; however, most of these were destroyed around [[1615]]-[[1620]] as the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] sought to suppress worship of Hideyoshi.<ref>[[Luke Roberts|Roberts, Luke]]. ''Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan''. University of Hawaii Press, 2012. pp142-143, 164.</ref>

Following his death, Hideyoshi was deified as Toyokuni Daimyôjin. Along with [[Kakinomoto no Hitomaro]], Hideyoshi thus became one of only two figures in Japanese history to be named ''myôjin'' by Imperial decree. [[Toyokuni Shrine]]s were soon established throughout the archipelago; however, most of these were destroyed around [[1615]]-[[1620]] as the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] sought to suppress worship of Hideyoshi.<ref>[[Luke Roberts|Roberts, Luke]]. ''Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan''. University of Hawaii Press, 2012. pp142-143, 164.</ref>