Hideyoshi, after destroying the forces responsible for Nobunaga's death, is rewarded with a joint guardianship of Nobunaga's heir, who is a minor.

By 1584 Hideyoshi has eliminated the three other guardians, taken complete control of Kyoto, and become the undisputed successor of his late overlord.

A commoner by birth and without a surname, Hideyoshi is adopted by the Fujiwara family, given the surname Toyotomi, and granted the tide kanpaku, representing civil and military control of all Japan.

By the following year, he has secured alliances with three of the nine major daimyo coalitions and continued the war of reunification in Shikoku and northern Kyushu.

In 1590, with an army of two hundred thousand troops, Hideyoshi defeats his last formidable rival, who controls the Kanto region of eastern Honshu.

The remaining contending daimyo capitulates, and the military reunification of Japan is complete.