He was born a son of Ashikaga Takauji. His mother was Akahashi Toshiko of a Hojo branch, so as the son of the principal wife he was made heir. His childhood name was Senjuo. His father was then a powerful vassal of the Kamakura shogunate.
When his father turned on the shogunate in Kyoto, Senjuo escaped from Kamakura and joined the army of Nitta Yoshisada. Though only 3, he is said to have drawn many warriors as the Ashikaga representative. Thus the Kamakura shogunate fell.
Hojo Tokiyuki, son of Takatoki, raised troops and attacked Kamakura; Senjuo fled with his uncle Ashikaga Tadayoshi. His father Takauji came down from Kyoto and retook Kamakura, but this led Takauji into conflict with Emperor Go-Daigo.
Inside the Muromachi shogunate, the steward Ko no Moronao and his uncle Tadayoshi clashed bitterly. When Tadayoshi withdrew from government, Yoshiakira was called from Kamakura to Kyoto and given charge of affairs. His brother Motouji went to Kamakura instead, the start of the later Kamakura kubo.
During the feud between his father and uncle, the Kanno Disturbance, Takauji briefly made peace with the Southern Court. But Southern troops stormed Kyoto and Yoshiakira fled to Omi. As the retired emperors had been carried off, he enthroned Emperor Go-Kogon and rebuilt the Northern Court.
Yamana Tokiuji and others who sided with the Southern Court attacked Kyoto, and Yoshiakira fled to Mino protecting Emperor Go-Kogon. With his father Takauji he gathered troops and retook the city, but the struggle for Kyoto kept recurring and shogunal power stayed unstable.
His father Takauji died in Kyoto, and at the end of that year Yoshiakira was appointed shogun. His son Yoshimitsu was born the same year. Amid war with the Southern Court and feuds among great constables, he now had to steer the shogunate alone.
Hosokawa Kiyouji, who had wielded power as steward, fell after clashing with other lords and went over to the Southern Court. His forces entered Kyoto and Yoshiakira again left the city, but soon retook it. Controlling feuds among his vassals was a major challenge.
After rebuilding government with Shiba Yoshimasa, son of Shiba Takatsune, as steward, the powerful Ouchi Hiroyo and Yamana Tokiuji of western Honshu submitted to the shogunate. As major Southern Court warriors yielded one after another, the shogunate's advantage became clear.
Falling ill, Yoshiakira entrusted his nine-year-old son Yoshimitsu to the guardianship of Hosokawa Yoriyuki and died in Kyoto at 37. On the foundation he laid by holding Kyoto in unstable times, Yoshimitsu later reunited the two courts and brought the shogunate to its height.
Emperor Go-DaigoKō no MoronaoNitta YoshisadaAshikaga TakaujiAshikaga TadayoshiHosokawa YoriyukiAshikaga MotoujiAshikaga Yoshimitsu
Ashikaga TadayoshiNijō YoshimotoImagawa Sadayo (Ryōshun)Hosokawa YoriyukiKan'amiAshikaga MotoujiShiba YoshimasaAshikaga Yoshimitsu
People of the Muromachi period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.