Ashikaga Yoshiteru

Ashikaga Yoshiteru (Jp. 足利 義輝; March 31, 1536–June 17, 1565) was the 13th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1546 to 1565 during the late Muromachi period of Japan. He was the eldest son of the 12th shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu. His mother is a daughter of Konoe Taneie who would later be come to called Keijuin(慶寿院). His younger brother Ashikaga Yoshiaki became 15th shogun.

End of Reign

On 1564, the long time supporter and oppresor Nagayoshi died of illness and Yoshiteru saw an opportunity to fully reclaim the shogun's authority. However, Matsunaga Hisahide and three member council of Miyoshi who wanted to rule just as Nagayoshi had was willing to go to any length to remove Yoshiteru from the power and to have Ashikaga Yoshihide as the puppet shogun.

Related Topics:
1564 - Matsunaga Hisahide - Miyoshi - Ashikaga Yoshihide

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On 1565, Hisahide, three Miyoshi and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu laid a siege against a collection of buildings what would later become Nijo Castle where Yoshiteru lived. Yoshiteru cherished kenjutsu and had Kamiizumi Nobutsuna and Tsukahara Bokuden teach him the art and skills of using katana. Bringing out over a dozen of katana given to him by various daimyo and Yoshiteru was said to have killed a large number of enemy troops on his own throwing aside priceless katana that broke down. However, with no help arriving from daimyo that would have supported him in time, few troop under Yoshiteru and Yoshiteru himself was overrun by Miyoshi. His mother is recorded to have died on the same day.

Related Topics:
1565 - Miyoshi Yoshitsugu - Nijo Castle - Kenjutsu - Kamiizumi Nobutsuna - Tsukahara Bokuden - Katana

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Three years would pass before his cousin Ashikaga Yoshihide became the 14th shogun.

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