Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who would later complete the unification of Japan, is traditionally said to have been born in Nakamura, Aichi District, Owari Province; an alternative birth year of 1536 also exists.

Kinoshita Tōkichirō (later Toyotomi Hideyoshi) successfully delivers provisions to Odaka Castle, earning Nobunaga’s trust.

Ordered by Oda Nobunaga to campaign against the Mōri in western Japan, Hashiba Hideyoshi marched into Harima and began the Chūgoku campaign in earnest.

After entering Harima, Hashiba Hideyoshi captured Kōzuki Castle, a stronghold linked to the Mōri side, and pushed the front of the Chūgoku campaign westward.

During Hashiba Hideyoshi's campaign in Tajima, his brother Hidenaga became castellan of Takeda Castle and assumed a key role in the Hashiba advance into western Japan.

Bessho Nagaharu of Miki Castle broke with the Oda and aligned with the Mōri, prompting Hashiba Hideyoshi to begin the siege of Miki.

Oda Nobunaga's heir Nobutada joined the Miki campaign and strengthened the siege by constructing forts, including the hilltop fort at Hiraiyama that served as Hashiba Hideyoshi's headquarters.

After a siege lasting about twenty-two months, Bessho Nagaharu and his family took their own lives in exchange for sparing the garrison and townspeople, and Miki Castle surrendered to Hashiba Hideyoshi.

After pacifying Harima, Hashiba Hideyoshi received Himeji Castle from Kuroda Yoshitaka, rebuilt it, and made it the base for campaigns into Tajima, Inaba, and Bitchū.

Hideyoshi marches into Inaba, establishing bases to besiege Tottori Castle and gaining advantage in San’in.

Hideyoshi continues advances in Tajima and Inaba, escalating conflict with Mōri in western Honshu.

Through starvation tactics, Hideyoshi captures Tottori Castle, securing all of Inaba and depriving Mōri of a San’in base.

Hashiba Hideyoshi besieged Bitchū Takamatsu Castle, defended for the Mōri by Shimizu Muneharu, and conducted a water siege.

Oda Nobutaka had assembled near Osaka for an expedition to Shikoku, but abandoned it after the Honnōji Incident. He then joined Hashiba Hideyoshi's army against Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki.

Shimizu Muneharu took his own life, after which the Hashiba and Mōri sides concluded peace and Bitchū Takamatsu Castle surrendered.

After making peace with the Mōri, Hashiba Hideyoshi's army hurried from Bitchū through Himeji Castle toward the Kinai to confront Akechi Mitsuhide.

At Kiyosu Castle, Oda succession and territorial redistribution were discussed. Nobunaga's grandson Sanbōshi was chosen as heir over Oda Nobukatsu and Nobutaka, strengthening Hashiba Hideyoshi's influence.

Hashiba Hideyoshi defeated Akechi Mitsuhide near Yamazaki. Mitsuhide withdrew to Shōryūji Castle, escaped during the night, and died while attempting to reach Sakamoto Castle.

羽柴秀吉が織田信長の葬儀を京都の大徳寺で営み、信長の子で秀吉の養子となっていた羽柴秀勝とともに主催した。清須会議後の主導権を示す場となった。

The armies of Hashiba Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie fought around Shizugatake in Ika District, Ōmi Province, and the Shibata army was defeated.

After retreating from Shizugatake, Shibata Katsuie was attacked by Hashiba forces at Kitanoshō Castle and took his own life with Lady Oichi.

Hashiba Hideyoshi began constructing Osaka Castle on the former site of Ishiyama Hongan-ji as a political and military base for unifying the realm.

Hashiba Hideyoshi's army and the allied forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu confronted one another mainly in Owari Province, beginning a campaign that lasted about eight months.

Oda Nobukatsu and Hashiba Hideyoshi made a separate peace while confronting one another near Nagashima. Tokugawa Ieyasu then withdrew, ending the Komaki-Nagakute campaign.

The armies of Hashiba Hideyoshi and Hidenaga attacked the Negoro and Saika groups and advanced their conquest of Kii Province.

Hashiba Hideyoshi was appointed kampaku, gaining an imperial office through which to advance his rule over the country.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building Jurakudai in Kyoto as a government center and residence.

Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Osaka Castle and met Toyotomi Hideyoshi, entering the daimyō order under the Toyotomi government.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was appointed daijō-daijin, the highest office of the imperial court.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Kyushu after intervention in the Otomo-Shimazu conflict and compelled Shimazu Yoshihisa to submit.

Following the Toyotomi advance into Kyushu, Shimazu Yoshihisa submitted to Hideyoshi at Taiheiji in Sendai.

Jurakudai was completed in Kyoto and became Toyotomi Hideyoshi's center for government and control of the daimyō.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a large tea gathering at Kitano Tenmangū that was open to participants regardless of social rank.

Emperor Go-Yōzei visited Jurakudai, where Toyotomi Hideyoshi had the assembled daimyō pledge loyalty to the emperor and to himself.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi issued the Sword Hunt Edict, ordering weapons such as swords, spears, and firearms to be taken from peasants.

Inomata Norinao, the Later Hōjō castellan of Numata, seized Nagurumi Castle, which Toyotomi Hideyoshi's settlement had assigned to the Sanada.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi treated the seizure of Nagurumi Castle as a violation of his peace order and issued a declaration of war to Hōjō Ujinao.

The Later Hōjō strengthened Yamanaka Castle against an anticipated conflict with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, including the addition of the Daisaki outer enclosure.

The Toyotomi army attacked Yamanaka Castle, a Later Hōjō stronghold guarding the route to Odawara, and captured it within half a day.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi arrived at Odawara and his assembled armies began the siege of the Later Hōjō stronghold.

Hōjö Ujinao, who had held out in Odawara Castle, surrendered to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ending the Odawara campaign.

Former retainers in the confiscated Kasai and Osaki territories rose against the newly installed Kimura house before being defeated at Sanuma Castle.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi entered Aizu and settled the territories of the northern daimyō. Date Masamune lost Aizu, which was granted to Gamō Ujisato.

Surrounded at Kunohe Castle by the Toyotomi government's northern army, Kunohe Masazane surrendered, ending major organized resistance in Ōshū.

Construction began on Nagoya Castle in Hizen as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's base for the invasion of Korea, with daimyō from across Japan assigned to the works.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred the office of kampaku to his nephew Hidetsugu, who took up government duties at Jurakudai.

Nagoya Castle, the domestic base for the invasion of Korea, was completed as daimyō armies from across Japan assembled in camps around it.

Daimyō armies ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi began departing from Nagoya for the Korean Peninsula, opening the Bunroku campaign.

On Hideyoshi's orders 160,000 Japanese troops crossed to Busan, took Hanseong in twenty days and Pyongyang in two months. Yi Sun-sin's navy then cut the sea route, and righteous armies and Ming reinforcements pushed them back. In 1593 they withdrew from Hanseong to coastal forts in the south and opened talks.

After transferring the office of kampaku to Hidetsugu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building a retirement residence at Shigetsu Hill in Fushimi, the origin of Fushimi Castle.

While based at Nagoya, Toyotomi Hideyoshi wrote to Kita-no-Mandokoro reporting that Ming envoys had presented peace terms.

After Hideyori's birth, Toyotomi Hideyoshi moved to his Shigetsu residence in Fushimi and developed it into a full castle and new center of government.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son Hiroi, later known as Hideyori, was born at Osaka Castle, changing the political situation surrounding the Toyotomi succession.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi began transforming Fushimi Castle at Shigetsu into a full-scale fortress and political center intended to receive Ming envoys.

Shigetsu Fushimi Castle was completed and Toyotomi Hideyoshi entered it, making Fushimi a new center of government and transportation.

Alongside the construction of Fushimi Castle, Fushimi Port was opened and major works including the Taikō Embankment improved river and land transport.

After being stripped of the office of kampaku and exiled to Mount Kōya, Toyotomi Hidetsugu was ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to take his own life.

Following Toyotomi Hidetsugu's downfall, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the demolition of Jurakudai, Hidetsugu's residence.

Jurakudai was comprehensively dismantled, with some buildings and materials transferred to Fushimi Castle and other sites.

A major earthquake struck the Kinai region, destroying the recently completed Shigetsu Fushimi Castle and causing severe damage across Kyoto and Fushimi.

About ten days after Shigetsu Castle collapsed, Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building a new Fushimi Castle on Mount Kohata.

The Spanish ship San Felipe ran aground at Urado in Tosa. The seizure of its cargo and interrogation of its crew contributed to intensified persecution of Christians.

Twenty-six missionaries and believers arrested in Kyoto, Osaka, and nearby areas were executed at Nishizaka in Nagasaki.

With the peace talks broken, the Japanese crossed again, crushed the Korean navy at Chilcheollyang and took Namwon, securing Jeolla. Halted at Jiksan and beaten at Myeongnyang by the reinstated Yi Sun-sin, they were pinned to their coastal forts. Hideyoshi's death in August 1598 brought withdrawal, and the seven-year war ended with the sea battle of Noryang in November.

The Toyotomi government ordered a renewed invasion of Korea, and daimyō armies again crossed from the domestic base at Nagoya in Hizen.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a grand cherry-blossom viewing at Daigoji with Hideyori, Kita-no-Mandokoro, Yodo-dono, and a large entourage.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi died at Fushimi Castle, destabilizing the council system established to support the young Hideyori.

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, the daimyō armies withdrew from Korea, ending the invasions launched from Nagoya in Hizen.