Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
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Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (足利 義満? September 25, 1358—May 31, 1408) was the 3rd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was the son of the 2nd shogun Ashikaga Yoshiakira.
In the year after the death of his father Yoshiakira in 1367, Yoshimitsu became Seii Taishogun. He took Zeami Motokiyo as his lover in 1374. Yoshimitsu constructed his residence in the Muromachi section in the capital of Kyoto in 1378. As a result, in Japanese, the Ashikaga shogunate and the corresponding time period are always referred to as the Muromachi shogunate and Muromachi period.
Yoshimitsu united the Northern and Southern Court (Nanboku-cho) in 1392, ending the over 50 year long Northern and Southern Court Period. This finally firmly established the authority of the Muromachi shogunate and suppressed the power of the regional daimyo.
In 1394, Yoshimitsu retired and his son became the 4th shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi. However, Yoshimitsu still maintained authority over the shogunate until his death. In 1404, Chinese Ming Dynasty sent Zheng He to Japan in a diplomatic trip. Ming Dynasty entitled Yoshimitsu "The King of Japan" and presented him a "The King of Japan" seal, which he accepted. Yoshimitsu replied in letter ending with "The King of Japan, your vassal Yoshimitsu."("日本国王，臣源义满").
Yoshimitsu died in 1408. His villa became Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
| Preceded by: Ashikaga Yoshiakira |
Ashikaga Shogun 1368–1394 |
Succeeded by: Ashikaga Yoshimochi |
