It Might Be Said:
The 3 Unifiers
of Japan
The age of the warring
states
For the first hundred years of
their rule, the Ashikaga clan
maintained control of the
country by developing alliances
with other daimyo families.
Often they were able to maintain
this support because of the
personal skills of the family
member who held the position
of shogun. In 1464, a dispute
arose between two brothers of
the Ashikaga clan as to who
would succeed as shogun and
different daimyo clans declared
allegiance to each of the
brothers. This led to ten years of
civil war from 1467 to 1477,
severely weakening the authority
of the Ashikaga shogunate. The next hundred years saw frequent outbreaks of hostility as different
daimyo clans formed alliances and went to battle against each other to try and gain more power and
influence. The Ashikaga shoguns became little more than puppets, controlled by different clans at
different times throughout this period. During this age of the warring states, vassals overthrew their
lords, farmers led armed uprisings and the economy was seriously weakened. Japan needed a strong
leader to bring peace and order once again.
Order is restored
The long rule of the Ashikaga shoguns had descended into chaos and the situation was only resolved
when a succession of three powerful warlords gradually united the country under one authority. The
first of these was Oda Nobunaga who used his military power to impose his will on rival daimyo
clans. The second was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who brought an end to the period of the warring states.
The third was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603. These men are
sometimes referred to as the three great unifiers of Japan.
It Might Be Said:
First unifier: Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582)
Ruler of Owari, a coastal province in central Japan, Nobunaga was a
ruthless warrior who skilfully adapted new methods to his battlefield
tactics. He is known for his interest in western technology which began
entering Japan with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1543.
He clashed with Buddhist monasteries and warrior monks who
possessed great political power, and with other famous daimyo of the
period.
Oda won his most decisive battle at Nagashino in 1575 through the use
of muskets, defeating Shingen’s son, Katsuyori and destroying the
Takeda clan, paving Oda’s path to control.
At the pinnacle of his power Nobunaga succeeded in occupying the
imperial capitol of Kyoto, but was betrayed by one of his generals,
Akechi Mitsuhide, and was forced to commit suicide in the temple of
Honno-ji while his enemy set it alight.
Second unifier: Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)
Hideyoshi began his military career as the sandal-bearer to Oda
Nobunaga. The military genius of this low-ranking warrior was
soon recognized, and he became one of Oda’s trusted generals.
After waging successful campaigns in the name of his lord,
Hideyoshi successfully avenged Nobunaga’s death and quickly set
about taking his place at the top of the samurai order. Through
military and political means, he finished the task of unifying Japan
by 1590, establishing his headquarters in Osaka.
Hideyoshi was a great patron of the arts, and lavishly decorated his
castle of Azuchi. He is also known for his practice of the tea
ceremony under the great tea master, Sen no Rikyu.
In a move contrary to his own rise to power, he made the Japanese
class system rigid, taking weapons from the peasants and making
social mobility almost impossible.
In a final show of his lust for power, he launched a failed military
campaign to Korea shortly before his death.
It Might Be Said:
Third unifier: Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616)
Ruler of Mikawa province, land adjacent
to Owari, Ieyasu was also a general under
Nobunaga. He was a shrewd commander
who learned from his many victories, and
occasional defeats.
Also poised to avenge the death of
Nobunaga, he initially fell under the
control of Hideyoshi. However, upon the
death of Hideyoshi in 1598, Ieyasu
maneuvered to become the guardian of
his heir as a plot to seize power. Ieyasu
faced opposition from other Toyotomi generals and war for control of the country broke out again.
In 1600, forces loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori, Hideyoshi’s son, under general Ishida Mitsunari fought
Ieyasu at the battle of Sekigahara. Two hundred thousand troops are said to have participated.
Ieyasu was victorious and in 1615 Tokugawa forces eliminated the remaining Toyotomi resistance in
Osaka. Ieyasu established his new government, the Tokugawa Shogunate, in the city of Edo—
modern day Tokyo.
Unification
With the elimination of the Toyotomi clan the unification of Japan was finally truly achieved. The
Tokugawa government set into place new measures to prevent future uprisings. Daimyo were
assigned territories and positions based on whether they had supported the Tokugawa at Sekigahara
or had only submitted later. They were required to maintain a residence in Edo, where their families
were essentially held as hostages, and were also required to keep a residence in their home
provinces. The great cost of periodic travel between those residences ensured that the daimyo had
fewer resources to oppose the Edo government.
Answer the following questions in full sentences
1. What is Oda Nobunaga best known for?
2. What was Oda Nobunaga's accomplishment? And how did he manage to accomplish it?
It Might Be Said:
3. What occurred to Oda Nobunaga in Honno-ji Temple?
4. Who was Toyotomi Hideyoshi and what did he become?
5. What is Toyotomi Hideyoshi known for?
6. What did Toyotomi do after his contrary to power?
7.
What did Toyotomi do before his death?
8. Who was Tokugawa Ieyasu?
9. What occurred in 1600? And in 1615?
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It Might Be Said:
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