Ashikaga Yoshinori (July 12, 1394 – July 12, 1441) assumed the role of the sixth shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate, governing from 1429 to 1441 during Japan's Muromachi period. Born as the son of the third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, he was known as Harutora in his youth.
Following the passing of the fifth shogun, Ashikaga Yoshikazu, in 1425, the fourth shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimochi, resumed leadership of the shogunate. Yoshimochi, having no other sons and having not designated a successor before his own demise in 1428, left the future of the shogunate uncertain.
Upon Yoshimochi's passing, Yoshinori, who had embraced monastic life at the age of ten, assumed the role of Sei-i Taishogun. His appointment was orchestrated by the shogunal deputy, Hatakeyama Mitsuie, who, within the sanctum of Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine in Kyoto, selected Yoshinori from a pool of potential Ashikaga successors. It was believed that the influence of Hachiman played a role in this auspicious decision.
Yoshinori officially took the mantle of shogun in 1429, a year prior to the Southern Court's surrender. However, his reign was marked by several uprisings, including the Otomo rebellion and the insurrection of rebel monks on Mount Hiei in 1433. Additionally, the Eikyo Rebellion, led by Kanto kubo Ashikaga Mochiuji, transpired in 1438. In the same year, Yoshinori consolidated the authority of the shogunate by quelling Ashikaga Mochiuji, who took his own life the following year due to growing dissatisfaction with Yoshinori's rule.
During this era, there was heightened contact with China, and Zen Buddhism gained influence, resulting in broad cultural ramifications. For instance, the main hall (Hon-do) at Ikkyu-ji stands today as the oldest extant Tang-style temple in the Yamashiro and Yamato provinces, constructed in 1434 and dedicated by Yoshinori.
Several significant events occurred during Yoshinori's reign: the establishment of the Tosen bugyo in 1434 to oversee foreign affairs; the destruction of the Yasaka Pagoda at Hokanji in Kyoto by fire in 1436, followed by its reconstruction four years later under Yoshinori's patronage; and in 1441, Yoshinori granted the Shimazu clan suzerainty over the Ryūkyū Islands.
In 1432, trade and diplomatic relations between Japan and China were reinstated, a connection that had been severed during Yoshimochi's rule. The Chinese emperor reached out to Japan by sending a missive to the shogunate via the Ryūkyū Islands, to which Yoshinori responded favorably.
Yoshinori's reign also witnessed the establishment of the Tosen-bugyo system in 1434 to mediate overseas trade. This body's functions encompassed safeguarding trading ships in Japanese waters, procuring export goods, mediating between the Muromachi shogunate and shipping interests, and maintaining record-keeping. Notably, the Muromachi shogunate was the first to appoint members of the samurai class to high-ranking positions in its diplomatic bureaucracy.
Yoshinori's rule, however, was marred by his oppressive measures and unpredictable autocratic tendencies. In 1441, he met his demise at the hands of Akamatsu Noriyasu, the son of Akamatsu Mitsusuke, who had invited Yoshinori to a Noh performance at their residence and assassinated him during the evening play. Yoshinori was 48 years old at the time of his assassination. Mitsusuke orchestrated the plot after learning of Yoshinori's intention to bestow three provinces, belonging to Mitsusuke, upon his cousin Akamatsu Sadamura. This decision was influenced by the fact that Sadamura's younger sister had become Yoshinori's concubine and had borne him a son.
In the aftermath, it was decided that Yoshinori's 8-year-old son, Yoshikatsu, would succeed as the new shogun. Mitsusuke had already clashed with the fifth Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi in 1427, leading to Mitsusuke's relocation to Harima province and the burning of his residence in Kyoto. This act further escalated tensions with Yoshimochi, resulting in a deadly pursuit.
While the Ashikaga line persisted through this seventh shogun, the authority of the shoguns gradually waned, leading to the eventual decline of the shogunate. The events surrounding Yoshinori's assassination and betrayal represented a departure from the previous code of military loyalty.
See also
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Saito Tatsuoki
Saito Tatsuoki (6 September 1548 - 1573) was a daimyo of Mino Province during Japan's Sengoku period and the third-generation lord of the Saito clan. He was the son of Saito Yoshitatsu and grandson of Saito Dosan. His mother was a daughter of Azai Hisamasa, making him a nephew of Azai Nagamasa and a relative of Oda Nobunaga's first wife, Nohime, who was also a daughter of Saito Dosan.
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Kyogoku Tadataka
Kyogoku Tadataka (1593–1637) was a Japanese nobleman and the head of the Kyogoku clan during the early 17th century, a pivotal time marked by the Tokugawa consolidation of power. His childhood name was Kumamaro, and he hailed from a lineage claiming descent from Emperor Uda (868–897). Tadataka was the son of Kyogoku Takatsugu and one of his concubines, with his paternal grandfather being Kyogoku Takayoshi.
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Matsudaira Naomasa
The late Muromachi period, also known as the Sengoku period, was an era of continuous conflict and upheaval, often likened to periods of chaos in Chinese history. This turbulent era was brought to an end by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who, with the support of loyal retainers, established the Edo Shogunate and became the ruler of Japan. Among Ieyasu’s descendants, Naomasa Matsudaira, his grandson, played a significant role during the Osaka Siege. He earned praise from his adversary, Nobushige Sanada (Yukimura Sanada), for his valor as a young warrior and maintained strong relations with successive Tokugawa shoguns.
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Ishikawa Kazumasa
Ishikawa Kazumasa (1534–1609) was a prominent Japanese retainer who began serving Tokugawa Ieyasu during his youth. Their relationship began in 1551 when both were hostages under the Imagawa clan. Kazumasa remained a loyal companion to Ieyasu, participating in key events such as the Siege of Terabe in 1558 and the Siege of Marune in 1560. After Ieyasu broke away from the Imagawa following the latter event, Kazumasa became a trusted retainer and administrator in his service.
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Shimazu Toyohisa
Shimazu Toyohisa (July 1570 – October 21, 1600), also known as Shimazu Tadatoyo, was a samurai of the Shimazu clan and the son of Shimazu Iehisa. He was the nephew of Shimazu Yoshihiro and held command over Sadowara Castle. Known for his valor, Toyohisa participated in numerous key battles of the late Sengoku period, earning recognition for his bravery and tactical acumen.
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Ikeda Terumasa
Ikeda Terumasa (January 31, 1565 – March 16, 1613) was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period, recognized by his court title, "Musashi no Kami," and known as the "Shogun of Western Japan." Terumasa, a distinguished military leader, participated in numerous significant battles during the late Azuchi-Momoyama period. His service at the Battle of Sekigahara earned him control over the Himeji domain. Originally named Araokojimaru, he was the son of Ikeda Tsuneoki and the brother of Ikeda Sen. He later became the heir to Ikeda Nobuteru and held Ikejiri Castle in Mino Province.
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Mori Tadamasa
Mori Tadamasa (1570 - July 31, 1634) was a notable military commander during Japan’s Warring States period and an early Edo-period daimyo. Initially, he governed Kawanakajima Domain in Shinano Province (modern-day Nagano Prefecture) and later became the first lord of Tsuyama Domain in Mimasaka Province (now northern Okayama Prefecture). He founded the Mori family line of the Ako Domain. Tadamasa’s family origins trace back to the Genji (Minamoto) clan, specifically the Kawachi-Genji branch from Kawachi Province (in present-day southeastern Osaka Prefecture), a lineage tied to Emperor Seiwa through his ancestor Yorisada Mori, a great-grandson of the famed Minamoto no Yoshiie.
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Sanada Masayuki
Sanada Masayuki (1547 – July 13, 1611) was a daimyo and prominent lord of Japan's Sengoku period. Head of the Sanada clan from Shinano Province, he served the powerful Takeda clan of Kai Province alongside his father and brothers during Takeda Shingen’s leadership. Following the Takeda clan's decline, Masayuki took charge of the Sanada, and despite limited resources, he established his clan as an independent power under the Toyotomi regime by navigating alliances with dominant clans such as the Tokugawa, Hojo, and Uesugi. Renowned as one of his era's greatest strategists, Masayuki achieved notable victories against the Tokugawa forces in the Battle of Kami River and the Siege of Ueda.
