Database: Toyotomi Hideyoshi

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Hideyoshi, the second great unifier of Japan in the late 16th century, rose from humble origins as the son of a mere foot soldier to the highest echelons of the state. Despite his small stature and deformed hands, Hideyoshi possessed extraordinary military and political intelligence, which caught the attention of Nobunaga during his service. Nobunaga, who held Hideyoshi in high regards, nicknamed him "the monkey" or "the bald rat" and entrusted him with part of the Azai's assets in Ōmi and later with the command of an army tasked with conquering western Honshu.

In the aftermath of the Honnō-ji incident in 1582, Hideyoshi astounded everyone by swiftly negotiating peace with the Mōri and marching on Kyoto to crush the traitorous vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide. This marked the beginning of Hideyoshi's unstoppable accent. [sic] He eliminated his rival Shibata Katsuie and sidelined Nobunaga's son, Nobukatsu, securing prestigious positions from the imperial court and adopting the surname Toyotomi in 1586.

Following several victorious campaigns against the Negoro-ji and the Chōsokabe of Shikoku, Hideyoshi allied with the Mōri to subjugate Kyushu in 1587, during which he enacted the first anti-Christian measures. In 1590, he targeted the Hōjō in the Kantō region, destroying their power and entrusting the area to Tokugawa Ieyasu, thereby unifying Japan under his rule.

Hideyoshi commissioned the construction of Osaka Castle, conducted a comprehensive land survey, initiated the sword hunt, and separated warriors from peasants, laying the foundations for the future Tokugawa system. However, his two military campaigns in Korea in 1592 and 1597 ended in failure.