Toyotomi Hidenaga

Toyotomi Hidenaga (1540–1591) was a half-brother of the great unifier Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of the most indispensable figures of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Known as Hideyoshi's brain and right arm, he served alongside his brother under Oda Nobunaga, steadily accumulating military achievements and administrative responsibilities.

As the Toyotomi regime took shape, Hidenaga proved essential to its stability, acting as a mediator between Hideyoshi and the many powerful daimyo under their banner. He rose to hold domains totaling over one million koku across Yamato, Kii, and Izumi provinces, and was honored with the court title of Dainagon, earning him the epithet the Great Counselor of Yamato.

Hidenaga's death in 1591, following a prolonged illness that worsened around the time of the Odawara Campaign, dealt a severe blow to the Toyotomi regime. Many historians regard his passing as a turning point that left Hideyoshi without a trusted check on his own authority, ultimately contributing to the regime's later instability.