8-Three Warriors and the End of Sengoku

Overview of Sengoku Daiji

• Sengoku Daiji: A period of civil war in Japanese history, defining the rise of Tokugawa Edo period (1600-1868).

• The transition from Sengoku Jidai to the structured rule of the Tokugawa clan.

Historical Context

• Starts in the Muromachi Period and ends with the Edo Period.

• Azuchi Momoyama period: characterized by significant warfare and the emergence of three key warriors.

Comparison to European Wars

• Sengoku Jidai likened to long-lasting European wars (e.g., Hundred Years' War).

• Combination of peasants' revolts, religious tension, and the transitioning of political structures.

• Japan's unique evolution from feudal lords under an emperor to a dictatorial warlord system.

Onin War

• Often considered the catalyst for Sengoku Jidai, resulting from the weak Ashikaga leadership.

• First major conflict with widespread implications, leading to national strife.

• Local daimyos (feudal lords) established their power amidst civil war.

Impact of Local Daimyos

• Growth in power of local daimyos (1400s-1500s), eclipsing the Emperor's authority.

• Developed standing armies and mini-states (jizamurai) responsive to local rather than central demands.

• Chaos resulted in fragmented loyalties and control across Japan.

The Three Warriors of the Sengoku Era

Introduction to Key Figures

• Rise of three significant warlords during the Sengoku period, pivotal in shaping Japan's history:

  1. Oda Nobunaga

  2. Toyotomi Hideyoshi

  3. Tokugawa Ieyasu

• Each warrior played a critical role in the unification of Japan and the establishment of order during the subsequent Edo period.

Oda Nobunaga

• Local daimyo who rose to power after his father's death; initially struggled with leadership.

• Known for his militaristic approach, leveraging innovative strategies and gunpowder.

• Dismantled religious strongholds (e.g., destroyed Mount Hiei monastery, slaying tens of thousands).

• Moderately tolerant of Christianity due to the need for Western weaponry.

• Significant shifts in warfare dynamics, exemplified in the Battle of Nagashino against the Takeda clan.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

• A peasant-born general known for his strategic brilliance and ambitious nature.

• Continued Nobunaga's work, effectively unifying most of Japan by 1590.

• Implemented significant societal reforms (minting coins, surveying land, disarming the populace).

• Ambitiously aimed to conquer Korea, leading to disastrous military campaigns.

• Left a power vacuum after his death, due to the choice of leadership for succession.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

• Initially part of the coalition against Hideyoshi, eventually emerged as the primary leader.

• Elected Shogun in 1603, establishing a government that lasted over two centuries.

• Developed a centralized bureaucracy that controlled the daimyos and restricted their powers.

• Created diplomatic relationships with China while maintaining isolationist policies.

Legacy of the Sengoku Era

• Sengoku Daiji led to the establishment of a strong, organized central government under the Tokugawa shogunate.

• Influence of the three warriors laid the foundation for Japan’s socio-political landscape up to the mid-19th century.

• The period exhibited a unique blend of warfare, cultural interactions, and eventual isolationism that would define Japanese society for generations.