Ashikaga Yoshiharu

• Birth: 1510
• Death: 1550
• Distinction: 12th Ashikaga shôgun
• Sons: Ashikaga Yoshiteru and Ashikaga Yoshiaki

Yoshiharu was a son of Ashikaga Yoshizumi and was nominated for the post of shôgun by Hosokawa Takakuni. He thus became the 12th Ashikaga shôgun in 1521. Takakuni feuded with his nephew Harumoto and in 1527 Yoshiharu was forced to flee Kyoto to avoid the advance of Takakuni's enemies. Takakuni committed suicide in 1531 and his place was taken by Harumoto, who brought Yoshiharu back to Kyoto. Yoshiharu, weary of Kyoto politics, fled the capital and took up residence in Ômi Province, abdicating in favor of his son Yoshiteru. He died at Sakamoto in 1550.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005