Revolt of Ashikaga Yoshiaki

In January 1569, Nobunaga introduced the 'Denchu on'okite', a set of nine articles, which he compelled Yoshiaki to accept. He followed this with an additional seven articles in January 1570.^{[citation needed]} By 1572, Yoshiaki became dissatisfied with his level of authority.^[2] Initially grateful towards Nobunaga, he addressed him as 'my father ODA Danjo no Chu (Nobunaga)' in a thank-you letter dated October 24. Despite maintaining an amicable relationship by offering Nobunaga positions such as vice shogun and Kanrei, tensions arose as Nobunaga started to curtail the Shogun's power.^{[citation needed]}

In 1573, five years into his tenure as shogun, Yoshiaki initiated a siege against Nobunaga under the directive of the monk Kennyo. Azai Nagamasa, Matsunaga Hisahide, Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, and others also participated in the siege against Nobunaga, while Asakura Shingen and Asakura Yoshikage fought with Nobunaga. Although the siege initially cornered Nobunaga's forces, it was interrupted by the death of Takeda Shingen, who succumbed to an undisclosed illness. After the failed siege, Yoshiaki sought assistance from the Matsunaga clan and formed an alliance with them. In April and July,^[10] Yoshiaki and the Matsunaga clan gathered their forces at Makishima Castle, marking the beginning of the revolt. This angered Nobunaga, who marched his armies into Kyoto. According to reports, Nobunaga set fire to Kyoto, forcing Yoshiaki to retreat. Yoshiaki's journey to seek asylum in Sakai, near Osaka, was marred by an incident in which he was robbed by a thief and derided by civilians as a 'poor Kubo' (a destitute court noble). As a result, he renounced his position and became a Buddhist monk, purportedly adopting this guise to conceal his identity while in hiding.^[11]

Following the retreat, Yoshiaki faced a sentence of execution or forced Seppuku. However, thanks to the intervention of the monk Kennyo of the Hōgan-ji Temple,^{[citation needed]} Yoshiaki was banished by Nobunaga to Kawachi Province, specifically Sakai. Despite being ordered to go to Sakai, Yoshiaki fled to Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, one of the leaders of the Miyoshi clan, the feudal lord of the Kawachi region, and Yoshiaki's sister's husband. Yoshiaki spent the next three years as a Buddhist monk in Wakae, where he changed his name to Sho-san, later changing it to Rei-o In.^[12] Some sources also suggest he was known as Buke Gosho.^{[citation needed]} Yoshitsugu provided shelter for Yoshiaki in Wakae-Jo castle. In November, several months later, Nobunaga sent troops to destroy Yoshitsugu's castles and undermine him. The Oda forces, led by Sakuma Nobumori, laid siege to Wakae-Jo castle. Yoshitsugu was betrayed by his senior vassals, known as the 'Wakae Triumvirate'. The castle fell quickly, leading Yoshitsugu, his wife, and children to commit Seppuku.^{[citation needed]}

In 1570, Oda Nobunaga started a war against the Ikkō-ikki movement, attacking their fortifications, castles, and communities. Yoshiaki, a devout Buddhist, sided with the Ikkō-ikki in their fight against Nobunaga. In early 1575, Yoshiaki requested Mōri Terumoto's help in providing supplies to the Ikkō-ikki. Eventually, Yoshiaki gathered troops from the Iga and Koga provinces to aid the besieged.^[10]

Following the revolt and retreat from Kyoto, Yoshiaki refused to relinquish his title as shogun. In 1576, he established a government in exile (Shogunate) at Tomo-No-Ura in the Bingo Province, which was under the Mōri clan domain at that time. During this period, Ashikaga Takauji, a relative of Yoshiaki, provided assistance to Yoshiaki by issuing orders to various feudal lords to suppress Nobunaga.^{[citation needed]}

After Nobunaga's suicide in the Honnō-ji Incident of 1582, which took place while he was staying in Tomo, Bingo Province, Yoshiaki tried to return to Kyoto with the help of Mōri Terumoto. He also sought support from Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie. However, his relationship with the Mori clan soured due to Kobayakawa Takakage's opposition to aiding Yoshiaki, as Takakage was close to Hideyoshi. Yoshiaki's alignment with Katsuie conflicted with the Mori clan's stance towards Hideyoshi. In 1585, Hideyoshi became the unofficial shogun of Japan. By 1588, Yoshiaki formally relinquished his position as Seii Taishogun and Toyotomi Hideyoshi assumed the title of shogun. Recognized by the Imperial Court, Yoshiaki was granted the title of Jusangu and became a Shozan priest. He also received a fief of 10,000 koku and became the lord of Makishima Castle in Yamashiro Province.^{[citation needed]}