Toyotomi HideyoshiJacques AversoSeptember 27th, 2013Japanese Culture Course, Tuesdays, 12:30 to 1:45pProfessor Aussicker

Younger Years

• Born in Owari Prefecture (Oda Clan) on February 2nd, 1536.

• Son of a peasant foot soldier (not samurai)

• Studied at a temple, but eventually left to search out adventure. He eventually returned back to Owari Prefecture to serve his lord, Oda Nobunaga

• Given the name 小猿 (Kozaru) by his lord because his facial features looked like a monkey.

Owari Prefecture

Gaining Power 1

• Started as a servant to Oda Nobunaga

• Supervised the repairing of the Kiyosu Castle

• Married Nene in 1561

• Built the Sunomata Castle in one night while in enemy territory

• Found a way into Mt. Inaba, which allowed his forces to successfully siege the Inabayama Castle

Kiyosu Castle

Inabayama Castle

Gaining Power 2

• Successfully convinced many lords in the Saito clan to surrender to Nobunaga

• Because of his efforts, Nobunaga promoted him to general.

• Won in the Battle of Anegawa, which allowed him to be promoted to Daimyo of much of the Omi Province/Shiga Prefecture

• Built Imahama Castle and dramatically increased firearm productions in the region for Nobunaga’s forces

Battle of Anegawa

(Takeda) Arquebusiers

Gaining Power 3

• While preparing to fight the Mori Clan, Nobunaga was assassinated by Akechi Mitsuhide.

• Hideyoshi made peace with the Mori and then fought the Akechi Clan at the Battle of Yamazaki

• Hideyoshi voted to have Oda Hidenobu (Oda Nobunga’s youngest son) take power, but Shibata Katsuie (Oda’s main general) wanted that power instead.

Battle of Yamazaki

Goshichi no Kiri (Hideyoshi’s Clan Symbol).

Also a symbol of the Japanese Imperial family

Gaining Power 4

• Hideyoshi crushed Katsuie at the Battle of Shizugatake and was able to gain even more strength.

• He built the almost impregnable Osaka Castle to consolidate his power.

• Oda Nobukatsu (Oda Nobunaga’s other son) allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu and fought Hideyoshi at the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, which ended in a stalemate. Ieyasu became Hideyoshi’s vassal

Battle of Shizugatake

Osaka Castle

Controlling Japan 1

• Wasn’t able to become Shogun, so he became a Lord Regent to the Emperor instead.

• Built a very lavish palace called Jurakudai in 1587 to house all his important guests and artists

• Eventually conquered the Chosokabe Clan (of Shikoku Region) and the clans in the Kyushu Region.

• Many Daimyo in Kyushu were Christians, so he banned all Christians in the region.

• Forbade the use of swords and guns by peasants (to prevent revolts), then took their weapons, melted them down, and created a statue of Buddha

Jurakudai

Hideyoshi arquebusiers in a firing line

Controlling Japan 2

• The final battle of the Sengoku Period during Hideyoshi’s reign was the Siege of Odawara, where Hideyoshi conquered the Hojo Clan.

• After the Sengoku Period, Hideyoshi promoted and encourage the arts, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, Noh musical dramas, and poetry. His best artists stayed at Jurakudai

• Still, Hideyoshi wanted to carry on Nobunaga’s dream of conquering China via the Korean Peninsula (then called Joseon, just a vassal to Ming China)

Odawara Castle

Ming China

(Dark Green shows China today)

Controlling Japan 3

• The Koreans didn’t want Korea to become a battlefield or have Japanese troops walk through their land, so they defended themselves against Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea.

• However, Hideyoshi’s forces were too strong and easily fought their way up to Pyongyang.

• The King of Korea, Seonjo, asked the Ming Dynasty to save them. Ming China sent 43,000 soldiers to push Hideyoshi’s men out of Korea.

• Hideyoshi’s men were pushed back into the south-eastern corner of Korea in Gyeonsang Province. With few reinforcements and morale wavering, and after a few years, Hideyoshi pulled his men out of Korea.

Hideyoshi’s men fighting Korean defenders

King Seonjo of Joseon

Gyeonsang Province

Controlling Japan 4

• In order to prevent Japan from being influenced by foreigners and having a possible Christian revolt, Hideyoshi crucified 26 Christians (The 26 Martyrs of Japan). They included European and Mexican Franciscans, Jesuit Priests, and many Japanese Christian followers (men, women, & children)

• Hideyoshi eventually died due to the Bubonic Plague on September 18th, 1598.

The crucifixion of the 26 Martyrs of Japan

Hideyoshi – older years

Why he’s the best

• Rose up from just a servant to a Lord Regent of the Emperor

• Built several, strong castles across Japan

• Skilled negotiator; convinced many opposing generals to surrender

• Ended the Sengoku Period by reuniting Japan

• Conquered much of Korea

• First to create surveys, a population census, and require people to stay in their fiefdoms unless they have permission. All samurai were required to be in castle towns. All done to control bandits in areas

• Shown in many famous video games and anime featuring Japanese history

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi & Nene (wife) -- Samurai Warriors video game

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotomi_Hideyoshi

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owari_Province

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-six_Martyrs_of_Japan

• http://www.samurai-archives.com/hideyoshi.html

• http://www.zenstoriesofthesamurai.com/Characters/ToyotomiHideyoshi.htm

• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/601340/Toyotomi-Hideyoshi

• http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/a/hideyoshibio.htm

• http://www.badassoftheweek.com/hideyoshi.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goshichi_no_kiri.svg