Ashikaga Yoshiharu (April 2, 1511 – May 20, 1550) held the position of the twelfth shogun in the Ashikaga shogunate from 1521 to 1546, during the late Muromachi period of Japan. He was born as the son of the eleventh shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshizumi, and was known by the childhood name Kameomaru.
Yoshiharu was a man known for his wisdom, respect, and considerable stature. He governed Japan for over two decades, from 1521 to 1546, displaying a notable grasp of power. However, like his predecessors, his rule was not without controversy.
As the twelfth shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, he was the offspring of the eleventh shogun, Ashikaga Yoshizumi, and his biological mother was a lady named Hino Akiko.
The Rule of Ashikaga Yoshiharu
Critics often argue that Ashikaga Yoshiharu's tenure as shogun was marked by ineffective leadership. Drawing from historical records, references, and books, scholars have observed how advisers wielded significant influence over him. In some instances, they even made decisions on his behalf.
There were multiple occasions when these advisers managed to remove the Shogun from the capital for various reasons, effectively placing him in exile while they ruled in his name. This typically occurred when the shogun attempted to assert his ultimate authority.
One of the most notable incidents took place in 1528, when Shogun Yoshiharu was forced into exile due to an intense power struggle with Miyoshi Nagamoto, a retainer of Hosokawa Takakuni. At the time, the shogun sought to gather more supporters to potentially remove these daimyos from the council and consequently from the city. However, Miyoshi and Hosokawa, being cunning strategists, were already steps ahead of him.
Later on, with the assistance of Hosokawa Harumoto and Miyoshi Nagayoshi, the Shogun brokered a peace with Takakuni and Nagamoto, allowing him to return to the city. During his reinstatement, they once again attempted to wrest power from Nagamoto, but their efforts ultimately failed. This led to Yoshiharu's exile once more.
This time, the Shogun made the decision to retire from his position, believing that his lack of authority merely attached a title to his name without granting him the true ability to govern. Faced with repeated exiles, he chose to live as an ordinary citizen and pave the way for his successors to ascend to the throne.
The Passing of Ashikaga Yoshiharu
In 1561, Ashikaga Yoshiharu officially resigned from his post as the leader of the Muromachi period's shogunate. He was in exile in the Omi province at this time, accompanied by his family. Recognizing his impotence as a ruler and the futility of ongoing power struggles, he grew weary of being pushed out of the capital and constantly contending with formidable daimyos for the authority he rightfully deserved.
He passed away on May 20, 1550. Later, in 1568, supported by Oda Nobunaga, his son Ashikaga Yoshiaki ascended to become the fifteenth shogun.
From a Western perspective, Yoshiharu holds significance as he was the shogun at the time of Japan's first contact with the European West in 1543. A Portuguese ship, blown off course to China, made landfall in Japan.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
