Warmatrix

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the second of Japan's three 'great unifiers'. He was the first to bring the whole country back under central control.
Hideyoshi was born in 1536 CE, during the "Sengoku Jidai", the 'Warring States Period', when dynastic struggles and European influence had destabilized Japan and caused a series of civil wars. Unlike almost all other generals, he was not a samurai, but the son of a peasant. His father died when he was 7 years old. His family sent him to a temple to become a monk, however the young Hideyoshi wanted adventure and wandered around.
In 1551 CE he entered the service of Matsushita Yukitsuna as an ashigaru, a foot soldier. This was a break with family tradition, which had been to serve Oda clan, led by Oda Nobunaga. In 1558 CE he returned home and joined the Oda clan yet. He started at the bottom, serving as a sandal bearer and kitchen supervisor. But he displayed great diplomatic skills, bribing several Saito samurai to side with Nobunaga. He also built a castle and led a raid that allowed the warlord to capture Inabayama Castle in 1567 CE. Nobunaga rewarded him by making him a general.
Hideyoshi was short and skinny and is said to have had two thumbs on his right hand. The brash Nobunaga later called him 'monkey' and 'bald rat'. But he made friends easily and had a keen talent for manipulating people. Throughout his career he developed great skill in siegecraft; much of his campaigns consisted of reducing castles.
When Nobunaga and his eldest son were forced to commit suicide by his former general Akechi Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi moved to take revenge. He defeated the Akechi at the Battle of Yamazaki, only 13 days after the death of his former lord. Nobunaga's role was taken over by one of his sons, but Hideyoshi was more experienced and stronger in the following power struggle. He fought against Tokugawa Ieyasu and despite a defeat at the Battle of Nagakute in 1584 CE, wore him down. By this time Hideyoshi was taking power in his own name, establishing the Toyotomi clan. Because of his common ancestry, he could not become shogun, so he claimed the title of "kampaku" and later "taiko", regent, instead.
During his reign Hideyoshi had a strategic view on the unification of Japan. He appeased daimyo who could be of use to him by redistributing fiefs and used force against those who opposed him. Also he reduced the number of castles, while building a great one of his own at Osaka. In 1588 CE he forbade commoners from owning weapons, especially muskets. Three years later he prohibited the hiring of ronin, masterless saumrai.
Meanwhile the country was conquered piece by piece: Shikoku in 1585 CE; Kyushu in 1587 CE. In 1590 CE, at the Siege of Odawara, he broke the power of the Hojo clan, the last to resist him. This effectively re-unified Japan. Hideyoshi had trouble securing his succession, as his infant son died and other pretenders eyed his position. He had several of them killed and also cracked down hard on other groups that threated his regime, like the christians.
By the early 1590's CE Hideyoshi's health was failing. He wanted to achieve one last great goal and launched an invasion of Korea, planning to use it as a springboard for China. After swift successes, the Chinese Ming dynasty intervened, the Koreans rallied and both drove the Japanese back. Hideyoshi, growing more megalomaniac, launched a second campaign in 1598 CE, which failed too. The adventure cost Japan a lot of money, yet gained it nothing.
In the fall of the same year Hideyoshi died. Tokugawa Ieyasu, suppressed earlier, rose up and managed to become shogun. He achieved what Hideyoshi had not: a lasting dynasty. But many aspects of the Tokugawa regime, like a strict separation of classes, a nationwide census and keeping children of nobles hostage in the capital, had been pioneered by Hideyoshi.