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==The Legend==  

==The Legend==  

One of the most remarkable men in Japanese history, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born a peasant and yet rose to finally end the [[Sengoku Period]]. In fact, little is known for certain about Hideyoshi's career prior to [[1570]], the year when he begins to appear in surviving documents and letters. The autobiography he commissioned begins with the year [[1577]] (the year he came into his own with an independent command to fight the Mori) and Hideyoshi himself was known to speak very little if at all about his past. According to tradition, Hideyoshi was born in a village called Nakamura in [[Owari province]], the son of a foot-soldier/peasant known to us as Yaemon. Hideyoshi's childhood name is recorded as Hiyoshimaru, or 'bounty of the sun', quite possibly a later embellishment contrived to give substance to a claim of divine inspiration Hideyoshi made regarding his birth. The popular image of Hideyoshi's youth has him being shipped off to a temple, only to depart in search of adventure. He travels all the way to the lands of [[Imagawa Yoshimoto]] and serves there for a time, only to abscond with a sum of money entrusted into his care by [[Matsushita Yukitsuna]]. Hiyoshi (now known as Tokachiro) returns to Owari (around [[1557]]) and finds service with the young [[Oda Nobunaga]], whose attention he manages to secure. He somehow becomes involved with the rebuilding of [[Kiyosu Castle]] and acts as a foreman, all the while earning the enmity of the senior Oda retainers. Tokachiro is then given a position as one of Nobunaga's sandal-bearers and is present for the [[Battle of Okehazama]] in [[1560]]; by [[1564]] he becomes known as Kinoshita Hideyoshi and manages to bribe a number of Mino warlords to desert the Saito. By now, Nobunaga has become impressed with Hideyoshi's natural talent, and it's thanks to Hideyoshi that Inabayama is taken with ease in [[1567]] (owing to Hideyoshi throwing up a fort at nearby Sunomata and discovering a secret route leading to the rear of Inabayama). Some time later, probably in [[1573]], Hideyoshi adopted the surname Hashiba, which he created by borrowing characters from two ranking Oda retainers, Niwa Nagahide and Shibata Katsuie. By this time he is married to a woman known as Nene (or O-ne); his mother had by now remarried, and through her marriage to a certain Chikuami produced Hidenaga, Hideyoshi's trusted half-brother.  

One of the most remarkable men in Japanese history, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born a peasant and yet rose to finally end the [[Sengoku Period]]. In fact, little is known for certain about Hideyoshi's career prior to [[1570]], the year when he begins to appear in surviving documents and letters. The autobiography he commissioned begins with the year [[1577]] (the year he came into his own with an independent command to fight the Mori) and Hideyoshi himself was known to speak very little if at all about his past. According to tradition, Hideyoshi was born in a village called Nakamura in [[Owari province]], the son of a foot-soldier/peasant known to us as Yaemon. Hideyoshi's childhood name is recorded as Hiyoshimaru, or 'bounty of the sun', quite possibly a later embellishment contrived to give substance to a claim of divine inspiration Hideyoshi made regarding his birth. The popular image of Hideyoshi's youth has him being shipped off to a temple, only to depart in search of adventure. He travels all the way to the lands of [[Imagawa Yoshimoto]] and serves there for a time, only to abscond with a sum of money entrusted into his care by [[Matsushita Yukitsuna]]. Hiyoshi (now known as Tokachiro) returns to Owari (around [[1557]]) and finds service with the young [[Oda Nobunaga]], whose attention he manages to secure. He somehow becomes involved with the rebuilding of [[Kiyosu Castle]] and acts as a foreman, all the while earning the enmity of the senior Oda retainers. Tokachiro is then given a position as one of Nobunaga's sandal-bearers and is present for the [[Battle of Okehazama]] in [[1560]]; by [[1564]] he becomes known as Kinoshita Hideyoshi and manages to bribe a number of Mino warlords to desert the Saito. By now, Nobunaga has become impressed with Hideyoshi's natural talent, and it's thanks to Hideyoshi that Inabayama is taken with ease in [[1567]] (owing to Hideyoshi throwing up a fort at nearby Sunomata and discovering a secret route leading to the rear of Inabayama). Some time later, probably in [[1573]], Hideyoshi adopted the surname Hashiba, which he created by borrowing characters from two ranking Oda retainers, Niwa Nagahide and Shibata Katsuie. By this time he is married to a woman known as Nene (or O-ne); his mother had by now remarried, and through her marriage to a certain Chikuami produced Hidenaga, Hideyoshi's trusted half-brother.  

==Hashiba Hideyoshi==

==Hashiba Hideyoshi==

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]]).  

==Yamazaki==

==Yamazaki==

On 20 June [[1582]] Nobunaga was killed by Akechi troops at the Honno Temple in Kyoto. The event carried with it great opportunities for Akechi, Hideyoshi, and the Mori, depending on just which of the last two learned of the news first. Naturally, Akechi wanted Terumoto apprised of the situation first and in a position to tie down Hideyoshi's army. It so happened that the messenger Mitsuhide dispatched west with news of the assassination was apprehended within 48 hours and his letter delivered into Hideyoshi's hands. Hideyoshi was now presented with a situation both rich in promise and complication. Of Nobunaga's chief retainers, only two were likely to have the initiative and strength to avenge Nobunaga-Shibata Katsuie and Hideyoshi himself. At the time, Katsuie was heavily involved with the Uesugi in Etchu province-it would take him some time to get extricated and in position to challenge Mitsuhide. Hideyoshi stood a much better chance of getting into the Kyoto area quickly, but had the Môri to contend with. He knew that Takamatsu was teetering on the brink of surrender, and he knew that unless it fell, the Mori would never negotiate. At the same time, Hideyoshi had the narrowest of windows in which to capitalize on the fact that unbeknownst to Akechi, he and not the Mori knew of the death of Nobunaga. He decided to force the issue by communicating directly with Shimizu in Takamatsu, promising him that if he surrendered, his men and family would be spared. Muneharu, aware that many of his men were becoming ill in the abominable conditions the flooding had created, agreed, and slit his belly in grand style on a boat in full view of both armies. The fall of Takamatsu thus secured, Hideyoshi entered into hasty negotiations with the Mori, helped, no doubt, by friendships with both [[Kobayakawa Takakage]] and [[Ankokuji Ekei]]. Terumoto agreed to cede those provinces already in Oda hands ([[Hoki Province|Hoki]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka]], and [[Bitchu Province|Bitchu]]) and just days after learning of the Honnoji event, Hideyoshi made a show of entering Takamatsu. He then wasted no time in racing for the capital. With his army in tow, Hideyoshi force-marched into Settsu in about four days, completely catching Akechi off guard. Mitsuhide had done very poorly at collecting support for his cause, while men flocked to Hideyoshi, including [[Niwa Nagahide]] and [[Takayama Ukon]], swelling the ranks of his army to 20,000. Mitsuhide, on the other hand, had only 10,000 men and these were engaged at Yamazaki on 2 July. Mitsuhide took up position just south of [[Shoryuji Castle]], with his right flank secured by the Yodo River and his left flank at the foot of the 270-meter Tennozan. Hideyoshi managed to score an immediate tactical advantage by securing Tennozan's heights with troops under [[Kuroda Kanbei]], Hidenaga, and [[Mikoda Masaharu]]. Hideyoshi's vanguard moved up to face Akechi's along the Enmyoji River. The battle began with an abortive effort by Akechi troops to dislodge Kuroda and his compatriots from the Tennozan. Eager to gain the initiative early, Hideyoshi dispatched Ikeda Nobuteru to add weight to the right flank of his army, which crossed the Enmyoji in the face of Tsuda Nobuharu and turned the Akechi flank. At the same time, the troops of Nakagawa Kiyohide and Takayama Ukon advanced against the Akechi front with élan; panic broke out in Akechi's ranks, and after just two hours Mitsuhide's army was routed. Mitsuhide himself made for Sakamoto, only to die en route. Hori Hidemasa brought down Sakamoto soon afterwards, and the Akechi coup was brought to an end. Hideyoshi was able to present Akechi's head before Nobunaga's grave and acted as the central figure at the funeral.  

On 20 June [[1582]] Nobunaga was killed by Akechi troops at the Honno Temple in Kyoto. The event carried with it great opportunities for Akechi, Hideyoshi, and the Mori, depending on just which of the last two learned of the news first. Naturally, Akechi wanted Terumoto apprised of the situation first and in a position to tie down Hideyoshi's army. It so happened that the messenger Mitsuhide dispatched west with news of the assassination was apprehended within 48 hours and his letter delivered into Hideyoshi's hands. Hideyoshi was now presented with a situation both rich in promise and complication. Of Nobunaga's chief retainers, only two were likely to have the initiative and strength to avenge Nobunaga-Shibata Katsuie and Hideyoshi himself. At the time, Katsuie was heavily involved with the Uesugi in Etchu province-it would take him some time to get extricated and in position to challenge Mitsuhide. Hideyoshi stood a much better chance of getting into the Kyoto area quickly, but had the Môri to contend with. He knew that Takamatsu was teetering on the brink of surrender, and he knew that unless it fell, the Mori would never negotiate. At the same time, Hideyoshi had the narrowest of windows in which to capitalize on the fact that unbeknownst to Akechi, he and not the Mori knew of the death of Nobunaga. He decided to force the issue by communicating directly with Shimizu in Takamatsu, promising him that if he surrendered, his men and family would be spared. Muneharu, aware that many of his men were becoming ill in the abominable conditions the flooding had created, agreed, and slit his belly in grand style on a boat in full view of both armies. The fall of Takamatsu thus secured, Hideyoshi entered into hasty negotiations with the Mori, helped, no doubt, by friendships with both [[Kobayakawa Takakage]] and [[Ankokuji Ekei]]. Terumoto agreed to cede those provinces already in Oda hands ([[Hoki Province|Hoki]], [[Mimasaka Province|Mimasaka]], and [[Bitchu Province|Bitchu]]) and just days after learning of the Honnoji event, Hideyoshi made a show of entering Takamatsu. He then wasted no time in racing for the capital. With his army in tow, Hideyoshi force-marched into Settsu in about four days, completely catching Akechi off guard. Mitsuhide had done very poorly at collecting support for his cause, while men flocked to Hideyoshi, including [[Niwa Nagahide]] and [[Takayama Ukon]], swelling the ranks of his army to 20,000. Mitsuhide, on the other hand, had only 10,000 men and these were engaged at Yamazaki on 2 July. Mitsuhide took up position just south of [[Shoryuji Castle]], with his right flank secured by the Yodo River and his left flank at the foot of the 270-meter Tennozan. Hideyoshi managed to score an immediate tactical advantage by securing Tennozan's heights with troops under [[Kuroda Kanbei]], Hidenaga, and [[Mikoda Masaharu]]. Hideyoshi's vanguard moved up to face Akechi's along the Enmyoji River. The battle began with an abortive effort by Akechi troops to dislodge Kuroda and his compatriots from the Tennozan. Eager to gain the initiative early, Hideyoshi dispatched Ikeda Nobuteru to add weight to the right flank of his army, which crossed the Enmyoji in the face of Tsuda Nobuharu and turned the Akechi flank. At the same time, the troops of Nakagawa Kiyohide and Takayama Ukon advanced against the Akechi front with élan; panic broke out in Akechi's ranks, and after just two hours Mitsuhide's army was routed. Mitsuhide himself made for Sakamoto, only to die en route. Hori Hidemasa brought down Sakamoto soon afterwards, and the Akechi coup was brought to an end. Hideyoshi was able to present Akechi's head before Nobunaga's grave and acted as the central figure at the funeral.  

==Shizugatake==

==Shizugatake==

Hideyoshi's remarkable response to the Honnoji assassination gave him a place of special importance in the following months. Much to the chagrin of [[Shibata Katsuie]] in particular, Hideyoshi now ranked as highly as any of Nobunaga's senior retainers. In fact, Hideyoshi had always been seen as an upstart, and even today his rapid rise through the Oda ranks is difficult to explain. Of course, Hideyoshi's rise is usually attributed to his many talents and determination. Just as significant, no doubt, is Nobunaga's own character. There seems little doubt that Oda distrusted many of his senior commanders, a condition that may be related to their association with the turbulent times in Owari before 1560. Akechi Mitushide had also been considered an upstart, coming as he did from an obscure Mino family that had joined Nobunaga sometime after [[1565]]. Like Hideyoshi, he ascended into the Oda high command rapidly; in the same vein, the fall of [[Sakuma Nobumori]] (one of Oda's oldest retainers) in [[1580]], gives some hint that Nobunaga was gradually distancing himself from the old guard. Of course, in the summer of [[1582]] all this was relatively moot, except that two camps formed around Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie. Ostensibly the divisive issue surrounded Nobunaga's successor. Hideyoshi favored [[Oda Samboshi]] (Hidenobu; [[1582]]-[[1602]]), whose father, the original heir Nobutada, had been killed in Kyoto during the Honnoji Incident. Katsuie threw his support behind [[Oda Nobutaka]], Nobunaga's third son and present at Yamazaki. [[Niwa Nagahide]] and [[Ikeda Nobuteru]], who acted as co-governors of Kyoto along with Shibata and Hideyoshi, vacillated on the issue and in the end fell in with Hideyoshi. At the 'Kiyosu Conferences' that this issue was hotly debated, the Oda domain was divided up among the chief retainers; Hideyoshi received Yamashiro, Tamba, and Kwatchi, while Shibata retained Echizen as well as adding northern Omi to his fief. Takigawa Kazumasu, an opponent of Hideyoshi at Kiyosu, was confirmed in Ise, which he fortified in expectation of war. No real definitive resolution was reached regarding succession, much to Oda Nobutaka's dismay. For Hideyoshi, the whole business may well have been a simple formality, designed to establish his legitimacy as de facto ruler of the Oda lands and to force the issue with those who would oppose him. That possibility is given considerable substance in a letter he sent during this period to one of his young consorts (and likely intended for her father, [[Meada Toshiie]]) which read, 'When there is time I shall recover Osaka and station my men there. I shall order them to level the castles of the whole land and prevent further rebellions and to preserve the nation in peace for fifty years."1  

Hideyoshi's remarkable response to the Honnoji assassination gave him a place of special importance in the following months. Much to the chagrin of [[Shibata Katsuie]] in particular, Hideyoshi now ranked as highly as any of Nobunaga's senior retainers. In fact, Hideyoshi had always been seen as an upstart, and even today his rapid rise through the Oda ranks is difficult to explain. Of course, Hideyoshi's rise is usually attributed to his many talents and determination. Just as significant, no doubt, is Nobunaga's own character. There seems little doubt that Oda distrusted many of his senior commanders, a condition that may be related to their association with the turbulent times in Owari before 1560. Akechi Mitushide had also been considered an upstart, coming as he did from an obscure Mino family that had joined Nobunaga sometime after [[1565]]. Like Hideyoshi, he ascended into the Oda high command rapidly; in the same vein, the fall of [[Sakuma Nobumori]] (one of Oda's oldest retainers) in [[1580]], gives some hint that Nobunaga was gradually distancing himself from the old guard. Of course, in the summer of [[1582]] all this was relatively moot, except that two camps formed around Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie. Ostensibly the divisive issue surrounded Nobunaga's successor. Hideyoshi favored [[Oda Samboshi]] (Hidenobu; [[1582]]-[[1602]]), whose father, the original heir Nobutada, had been killed in Kyoto during the Honnoji Incident. Katsuie threw his support behind [[Oda Nobutaka]], Nobunaga's third son and present at Yamazaki. [[Niwa Nagahide]] and [[Ikeda Nobuteru]], who acted as co-governors of Kyoto along with Shibata and Hideyoshi, vacillated on the issue and in the end fell in with Hideyoshi. At the 'Kiyosu Conferences' that this issue was hotly debated, the Oda domain was divided up among the chief retainers; Hideyoshi received Yamashiro, Tamba, and Kwatchi, while Shibata retained Echizen as well as adding northern Omi to his fief. Takigawa Kazumasu, an opponent of Hideyoshi at Kiyosu, was confirmed in Ise, which he fortified in expectation of war. No real definitive resolution was reached regarding succession, much to Oda Nobutaka's dismay. For Hideyoshi, the whole business may well have been a simple formality, designed to establish his legitimacy as de facto ruler of the Oda lands and to force the issue with those who would oppose him. That possibility is given considerable substance in a letter he sent during this period to one of his young consorts (and likely intended for her father, [[Meada Toshiie]]) which read, 'When there is time I shall recover Osaka and station my men there. I shall order them to level the castles of the whole land and prevent further rebellions and to preserve the nation in peace for fifty years."1  

==Komaki==

==Komaki==

Hideyoshi's victory over Shibata all but established him as the real successor to Nobunaga. Samboshi's inheritance was quickly forgotten and he was stuck in Gifu, vacated by the suicide of Nobutaka after the battle. In fact, there was one more claimant-[[Oda Nobuo]], Nobunaga's 2nd son and the lord of Owari, presently courting the friendship of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Though Tokugawa had failed to make any moves during Hideyoshi's war with Shibata, he evidently saw some use to stepping up now. In the spring of [[1584]] Tokugawa and Nobuo allied and began issuing statements defaming Hideyoshi's suppuration of the Oda and calling on support from other clans. [[Chosokabe Motochika]], recently the lord of Shikoku Island, [[Sasa Narimasa]] of Etchu, and the warrior-monks of [[kii Province|Kii]] all sent promises of military aid, but this amounted to little in the event; a key local figure, [[Ikeda Nobuteru]] of Mino, wavered and finally came down on the side of Hideyoshi. Tokugawa took the initiative by marching into Owari and establishing his headquarters at Komaki, a hill about ten miles north of modern day Nagoya. Ikeda Nobuteru struck first blood by capturing [[Inuyama Castle]] from [[Nakagawa Kanemon]], an ally of Nobuo murdered almost as soon as he declared his allegiance. Meanwhile, Hideyoshi was busy mustering troops for the campaign in Osaka and gave Ikeda permission to test the Tokugawa defenses. [[Mori Nagayoshi]], Nobuteru's son-in-law, marched towards Komaki with 5,000 men, only to be met and defeated by a force of Tokugawa men headed by [[Sakai Tadatsugu]].  

Hideyoshi's victory over Shibata all but established him as the real successor to Nobunaga. Samboshi's inheritance was quickly forgotten and he was stuck in Gifu, vacated by the suicide of Nobutaka after the battle. In fact, there was one more claimant-[[Oda Nobuo]], Nobunaga's 2nd son and the lord of Owari, presently courting the friendship of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Though Tokugawa had failed to make any moves during Hideyoshi's war with Shibata, he evidently saw some use to stepping up now. In the spring of [[1584]] Tokugawa and Nobuo allied and began issuing statements defaming Hideyoshi's suppuration of the Oda and calling on support from other clans. [[Chosokabe Motochika]], recently the lord of Shikoku Island, [[Sasa Narimasa]] of Etchu, and the warrior-monks of [[kii Province|Kii]] all sent promises of military aid, but this amounted to little in the event; a key local figure, [[Ikeda Nobuteru]] of Mino, wavered and finally came down on the side of Hideyoshi. Tokugawa took the initiative by marching into Owari and establishing his headquarters at Komaki, a hill about ten miles north of modern day Nagoya. Ikeda Nobuteru struck first blood by capturing [[Inuyama Castle]] from [[Nakagawa Kanemon]], an ally of Nobuo murdered almost as soon as he declared his allegiance. Meanwhile, Hideyoshi was busy mustering troops for the campaign in Osaka and gave Ikeda permission to test the Tokugawa defenses. [[Mori Nagayoshi]], Nobuteru's son-in-law, marched towards Komaki with 5,000 men, only to be met and defeated by a force of Tokugawa men headed by [[Sakai Tadatsugu]].  

==The Bountiful Minister==

==The Bountiful Minister==

Rather then focus on the formidable Ieyasu, Hideyoshi began to undermine Nobuo, the weaker of the two. In fairness to Nobuo, he was much more vulnerable to Hideyoshi's military might. A number of his strongholds in Ise had been reduced by [[Gamo Ujisato]] and [[Tsutsui Junkei]] in the opening days of the campaign; by December Nobuo was eager for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, whilst he still had some lands left. Hideyoshi and Nobuo thus concluded a separate peace, which left Tokugawa with little choice but to follow suit in January. Hideyoshi returned to Kyoto to receive the courtly rank of gondainagon, the first in a remarkable series of promotions that Hideyoshi seized upon to in order to provide what one might loosely describe as a legal grounding for his rule.  

Rather then focus on the formidable Ieyasu, Hideyoshi began to undermine Nobuo, the weaker of the two. In fairness to Nobuo, he was much more vulnerable to Hideyoshi's military might. A number of his strongholds in Ise had been reduced by [[Gamo Ujisato]] and [[Tsutsui Junkei]] in the opening days of the campaign; by December Nobuo was eager for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, whilst he still had some lands left. Hideyoshi and Nobuo thus concluded a separate peace, which left Tokugawa with little choice but to follow suit in January. Hideyoshi returned to Kyoto to receive the courtly rank of gondainagon, the first in a remarkable series of promotions that Hideyoshi seized upon to in order to provide what one might loosely describe as a legal grounding for his rule.  

==The Twilight==

==The Twilight==

Hideyoshi's hopes for a stable realm after his death were dealt a blow with the death of his infant son Tsurumatsu in September 1591. The three year old (whose mother, the so-called Lady Yodo or Yodo-gimi, was one of the daughters of [[Asai Nagamasa]] acquired from Shibata in [[1583]]), had been Hideyoshi's only child. This left Hideyoshi with two back-up heirs-his half-brother Hidenaga and his nephew Hidetsugu. Unfortunately, Hidenaga died not long after Tsurumatsu, a loss Hideyoshi was said to have felt keenly. His passing left Hidetsugu, whom Hideyoshi adopted in January 1592. On 11 February Hideyoshi retired as Kampaku and passed that rank on to Hidetsugu, while assuming the title that he would become most famous for: Taiko (Retired Regent).  

Hideyoshi's hopes for a stable realm after his death were dealt a blow with the death of his infant son Tsurumatsu in September 1591. The three year old (whose mother, the so-called Lady Yodo or Yodo-gimi, was one of the daughters of [[Asai Nagamasa]] acquired from Shibata in [[1583]]), had been Hideyoshi's only child. This left Hideyoshi with two back-up heirs-his half-brother Hidenaga and his nephew Hidetsugu. Unfortunately, Hidenaga died not long after Tsurumatsu, a loss Hideyoshi was said to have felt keenly. His passing left Hidetsugu, whom Hideyoshi adopted in January 1592. On 11 February Hideyoshi retired as Kampaku and passed that rank on to Hidetsugu, while assuming the title that he would become most famous for: Taiko (Retired Regent).