ToyotomiSugihara → Toyotomi
Nene
寧々（ねね）
“Kita no Mandokoro”
1548–1624 (aged 77)
- Rank / office
- Senior First Rank (Kōdai-in)
- Domain / base
- Osaka → Kyoto
- Banner / crest
- Paulownia
- Battles in 3D
- —
Portrait · Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Daughter of the Sugihara, a warrior family of Owari, she is said to have married for love the young Hideyoshi when he was still the foot soldier Kinoshita Tōkichirō. Childless herself, she raised the commanders of Hideyoshi's household such as Katō Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori as if they were her own sons and was deeply trusted. As Hideyoshi rose she was styled "Kita no Mandokoro" and received high rank from the court. As the ruler's wife she ran the inner quarters of Osaka Castle, but after Hideyoshi's death she kept her distance from Lady Yodo, moved to Kyoto and took the name Kōdai-in. She outlived the fall of the Toyotomi at the Siege of Osaka and quietly prayed for their souls.
Life and battles
- 1561Eiroku 4
Marriage to Tōkichirō
Married for love the foot soldier Kinoshita Tōkichirō (Hideyoshi).
- 1585Tenshō 13
Kita no Mandokoro
Received high rank from the court when Hideyoshi became Imperial Regent.
- 1598Keichō 3
Hideyoshi's Death
After her husband's death she cut her hair and took the name Kōdai-in.
- 1624Kan'ei 1
Death in Kyoto
Lived on after the fall of Osaka and prayed for the souls of the Toyotomi.
Related sites
FAQ
Who was Nene?
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's principal wife, "Kita no Mandokoro." She married Hideyoshi for love when he was still a foot soldier and raised the commanders of his household, such as Katō Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori, as her own sons. After his death she took the name Kōdai-in.
How did Nene differ from Lady Yodo?
Nene was Hideyoshi's principal wife (Kita no Mandokoro); Lady Yodo was the consort who bore Hideyori. After Hideyoshi's death the two are said to have kept their distance over their positions.
How did Nene die?
She lived on in Kyoto after the Toyotomi fell at the Siege of Osaka and died in Kan'ei 1 (1624). In her last years she quietly prayed for the Toyotomi dead at Kōdai-ji.
