TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI: A Japanese warlord 
who succeeded, with ODA NOBUNAGA and 
TOKUGAWA IEYASU, in reuniting JAPAN. 
The son of poor infantryman, Toyotomi rose 
through the ranks to become a leading 
warlord and a contender for the shogunate. 
By 1590 he had crushed all rival warlords and 
was appointed civil dictator by the emperor. 
He then turned  his intention to KOREA, 
reputedly the first step in an attempt to 
conquer CHINA. CHINA came to KOREA's 
aid and the Japanese army was forced to 
retreat. A second invasion was a similar 
negotiations for a peace treaty were 
underway. His family was wiped out in 1614-
1615 by his one-time ally, TOKUGAWA 
IEYASU, who wanted to seize all power in 
JAPAN for his own family. (See also Japan 
article).