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Revision as of 17:46, 2 January 2003 by TakuyaMurata (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Toyotomi Hideoshi (豊臣 秀吉) (1536-1598), a Japanese genereal who united the Japan, succeeding his leader, Oda Nobunaga and invaded Korea.
He was born at the place which is now Nagoya.
Despite his poor peasant background, Toyotomi Hideyoshi quickly become one of Oda Nobunaga's most distinguished generals. After Oda's death in 1582, he succeeded him as military ruler and, aided by Tokugawa Ieyasu, eventually completed reunification of Japan by 1590, ending Sengoku period.
Hideyoshi wished to take the title of shogun because it was at that time considered the title of the practical ruler of Japan. But at first, he failed to get permission from the emperor given his poor lineage. Then he tried to get the Muromachi shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki to accept him as an adopted son, and was refused. Unable to become shogun, Hideyoshi took the position of regent or kampaku (関白) in 1585 in the same manner as the Fujiwara. In 1591, he resigned as kampaku and took the title of taiko (retired regent) while his adopted son Hidetsugu (actually his nephew) succeeded him as kampaku.
After he grapsed the control of Japan, he showed an ambisious to annex the Korea to its territory.
The period of his rule from 1582 to his death in 1598, or until Tokugawa Ieyasu seized power after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, is known as the Momoyama period, named after his castle.