Ashikaga Yoshiaki (5 December 1537 – 19 October 1597) was the fifteenth and final shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan, reigning from 1568 to 1573. His father, Ashikaga Yoshiharu, held the position of the twelfth shogun, and his brother, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, followed as the thirteenth shogun.
Born to Ashikaga Yoshiharu on 5 December 1537, Yoshiaki initially entered Kofuku-ji temple as a monk. However, when his elder brother Yoshiteru fell victim to the Miyoshi clan, Yoshiaki returned to secular life, assuming the name "Yoshiaki". During this time, the Ashikaga shogunate faced significant decline, with its authority largely disregarded throughout Japan. Nevertheless, various factions still vied for control of the central government, as it retained some prestige despite its weakened state. Ashikaga Yoshiteru made attempts to overthrow the Miyoshi, who effectively controlled him. Yet, his conspiracies led to a coup orchestrated by the Miyoshi and Matsunaga Hisahide, ultimately compelling Yoshiteru to take his own life. Subsequently, they attempted to install Ashikaga Yoshihide as the fourteenth shogun in Kyoto, but they struggled to maintain control over the capital.
Not until Ashikaga Yoshiaki secured the support of warlord Oda Nobunaga did an effective central authority return to Kyoto. In 1568, Oda's armies entered Kyoto, reinstating the Muromachi shogunate with Ashikaga Yoshiaki as a nominal shogun. This marked the onset of the Azuchi–Momoyama period. The fourteenth shogun, Yoshihide, was deposed without ever setting foot in the capital. In due course, Yoshiharu grew discontented with Oda Nobunaga's dominance and sought to reclaim state power.
In 1573, Ashikaga Yoshiharu sought the assistance of another warlord, Takeda Shingen, in overthrowing the Oda clan. In response, Oda Nobunaga deposed the shogun, compelling him to flee the capital. Most historians consider this the definitive conclusion of the Ashikaga shogunate. Yoshiaki embraced the life of a Buddhist monk, shaving his head and adopting the name Sho-san, later changed to Rei-o In. Nevertheless, Yoshiaki did not formally relinquish his shogunal title. Consequently, the Ashikaga shogunate's symbolic existence could be said to have persisted for several more years. Despite a restored central authority in Kyoto and Oda Nobunaga's efforts to unify the country, the power struggle among warring states persisted. Yoshiaki served as a focal point for anti-Oda forces. He even raised troops and dispatched them to engage Oda Nobunaga's army during the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War. Even after Oda Nobunaga's passing in 1582, the former shogun continued his endeavors to regain power.
See also
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Kasuya Takenori
There are several versions regarding the origins of Takenori. According to one account, he was the second son of Kasuya Tadayasu, a samurai who served the Bessho clan in Harima Province. In 1577, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched his campaign in Harima, on the advice of his close retainer Kuroda Yoshitaka, also known as Kanbei, he took Takenori into his service as a page. In this position, the young warrior participated in the siege of Miki Castle, which lasted from 1578 to 1580 and was aimed at suppressing the rebellion led by Bessho Nagaharu.
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Kajiwara Kagetoki
One of the finest generals and most loyal allies of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Kagetoki gained a notorious reputation as a jealous rival and persecutor of Yoshitsune, the legendary commander of the Genpei War. Kagetoki was an intelligent, calculating, and cautious man.
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Kawakubo (Takeda) Nobuzane
Nobuzane was the seventh son of Takeda Nobutora and the half-brother of the famous Takeda Shingen. The identity of his mother is unknown, as is the exact year of his birth. It is believed that he was born sometime in the 1530s. When Nobuzane reached adulthood, he was sent to the village of Kawakubo, located in the northern part of Kai Province near the border with the Saku region. His duty was to guard the road leading north. In that village, he built a residence and changed his family name to Kawakubo.
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Imagawa Sadayo
Imagawa Sadayo was one of the most outstanding figures of his era. Alongside Kusunoki Masashige and Kitabatake Chikafusa, he was considered one of the greatest generals and strategists of his time. In addition to his military talents, Sadayo was also a poet and historian, and his literary abilities earned him a prominent place at court and in scholarly circles.
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Ikeda Motosuke
Motosuke was the son of Ikeda Tsunooki and the older brother of the famous military commander Ikeda Terumasa. Sources differ on his year of birth—it was either 1559 or 1564. Motosuke was married to the sister of Oda Nobutada, the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga. Thus, Nobutada's son, Oda Hidenobu, was his nephew.
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
