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At the time of Ashikaga
Yoshiteru's murder in 1565, Yoshiaki was known as Kakukei, the abbot of
the Ichijoin in Nara. Learning of his elder brother's death Yoshiaki left
his position at the monastery with the aid of Hosokawa
Fujitaka. Yoshiaki made it known that he intended to succeed his brother,
whose post was now being filled by a 2-year old child, the puppet Ashikaga
Yoshihide. To realize these hopes, however, Yoshiaki would need a patron,
and to this end he approached through letters the Takeda of Wakasa
and the Uesugi of Echigo, among others-to
no avail. In 1566 he went to Echizen
and accepted the protection of Asakura Yoshikage, who promised to help
Yoshiaki as soon as possible. After a year, however, Yoshikage finally
admitted that he was powerless to be of any assistance and Yoshiaki looked
elsewhere. By now, Oda Nobunaga had taken
Mino, and word of his skill and ambition
reached Yoshiaki, who dispatched Hosokawa to ask for his help. Unlike
Asakura, Nobunaga responded enthusiastically. On 7 October 1568, Nobunaga
marched on the capital and on the 26th entered Kyoto after accepting Matsunaga
Hisahide's surrender. In mid-November the Emperor Ogimachi formally acknowledged
Yoshiaki as the new Shogun. Almost immediately, Yoshiaki and Nobunaga
began to quarrel. Nobunaga had no intention of being anything less than
his own man, and ignored Yoshiaki's suggestion that he take the rank of
Vice-Shogun (Kanrei) and proceeded to issue documents curtailing the shogun's
authority (dated 30 January 1569 and 27 February 1570).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it would be Yoshiaki's turn to become the puppet,
and, like Yoshiteru, he would resist this role. During 1570 to 1573
he is said to have conspired against his champion, sending secret letters
to Takeda Shingen, Mori
Motonari, and the Asai and Asakura. While scholars debate on the
extent to which Yoshiaki actually worked against Nobunaga, it would
seem that his hopes were riding on Takeda Shingen. In fact, one of the
few surviving letters that seems to support the conspiracy theories
surrounding Yoshiaki is addressed to Shingen and signed by Yoshiaki
himself (June 1572). Initially, Shingen did not disappoint. In December
of 1572 he defeated allied Oda and Tokugawa troops in Totomi
(at Mikatagahara) and entered Mikawa
in the spring of 1573. Perhaps emboldened by Shingen's activities, Yoshiaki
openly broke from Nobunaga in March, fortifying Nijo Castle and urging
the Asai and Asakura to make renewed efforts. Unfortunately for Yoshiaki
(and his immediate allies), the 'Tiger of Kai' was not destined to challenge
Nobunaga directly. Shingen passed away on 12 May, and while the Takeda
endeavored to keep his death a secret, Nobunaga had at least suspected
something was wrong. Moving quickly, Nobunaga had already surrounded
Kyoto (3 May) and forced Yoshiaki, who had been caught completely off-balance,
to negotiate. The Emperor interceded, and for the time being an uneasy
truce of sorts existed between Oda and Yoshiaki. In August, Yoshiaki
again defied Nobunaga, and, leaving Nijo in the hands of Mizubuchi Fujihide,
set up camp in a stronghold near the Uji River (Makinoshima). Yoshiaki
had hoped to tie up Nobunaga long enough for his allies to intercede
(Makinoshima was a formidable defensive location), but by 18 August
spirited attacks by the Oda had forced Yoshiaki into submission. Yoshiaki
pleaded for his life-a request Nobunaga granted - but was never again
to play a role in Kyoto politics. Nobunaga drove the last Ashikaga shogun
into exile, forcing Yoshiaki to seek shelter on Shikkoku. For years
hence, Yoshiaki would present himself to various daimyo opposed to Nobunaga
and implore them to restore the Ashikaga. Needless to say, he received
no takers, and ultimately he settled down in the western provinces.
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