Ashikaga Takauji (足利 尊氏; August 18, 1305 – June 7, 1358) also known as Minamoto no Takauji was a Japanese samurai, daimyo and the founder and first shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358. He was a male-line descendant of the samurai of the (Minamoto) Seiwa Genji line (meaning they were descendants of Emperor Seiwa) who had settled in the Ashikaga area of Shimotsuke Province, in present-day Tochigi Prefecture.
According to Zen master and intellectual Musō Soseki, who enjoyed his favor and collaborated with him, Takauji had three qualities: he kept his cool in battle and was not afraid of death, he was merciful and tolerant, and he was very generous with those below him.
Due to his rise to power by betraying his former masters, such as the Kamakura shogunate and Emperor Go-Daigo, he has a historical reputation as one of Japan's Three Great Villains (日本三大梟雄), a nickname which he shared with Dōkyō and Taira no Kiyomori; who also known with similar sobriquet as Japan's Three Great Villains by Confucian-minded history scholars due to their lack of loyalty to the throne.
His childhood name was Matagorō (又太郎). Takauji was a general of the Kamakura shogunate sent to Kyoto in 1333 to put down the Genkō War which had started in 1331. After becoming increasingly disillusioned with the Kamakura shogunate over time, Takauji joined the banished Emperor Go-Daigo and Kusunoki Masashige, and seized Kyoto. Soon after, Nitta Yoshisada joined their cause, and laid siege to Kamakura. When the city fell to Nitta, the Shogunal regent, Hōjō Takatoki, and his clansmen committed suicide. This ended the Kamakura shogunate, as well as the Hōjō clan's power and influence. Go-Daigo was enthroned once more as emperor, reestablishing the primacy of the Imperial court in Kyoto and starting the so-called Kenmu Restoration.
However, shortly thereafter, the samurai clans became increasingly disillusioned with the reestablished imperial court, which sought to return to the social and political systems of the Heian period. As the new government made mistakes, Takauji gained favor among the samurai, who believed he could restore the feudal government. Prince Moriyoshi, also known as Morinaga, had the favor of the imperial court and was a rival to Takauji's political ambitions. In July 1334, Takauji heard a rumor that Moriyoshi was planning to attack him, leading Takauji to send out armed men to defend his mansion. Months later, Takauji had Moriyoshi arrested and, in August 1335, had his brother Ashikaga Tadayoshi execute Moriyoshi.
Hōjō Tokiyuki, son of Takatoki, took the opportunity to start the Nakasendai rebellion to try to reestablish the shogunate in Kamakura in 1335. Takauji put down the rebellion and took Kamakura for himself. Taking up the cause of his fellow samurai, he claimed the title of Sei-i Taishōgun and allotted land to his followers without permission from the court. Takauji announced his allegiance to the imperial court, but Emperor Go-Daigo sent Nitta Yoshisada to reclaim Kamakura.
Takauji defeated Yoshisada in the battles of Sanoyama and Mishima. This cleared the path for Takauji and Tadayoshi to march on to Kyoto. He captured Kyoto for a few days in February 1336, only to be driven out and fled to Kyūshū due to the arrival of forces under Prince Takanaga, Prince Norinaga, Kitabatake Akiie and Yūki Munehiro.
After Takauji and his brother were forced to retreat to the west, he then allied himself with the clans native to Kyūshū. After defeating the Kikuchi clan at Hakata Bay in the Battle of Tatarahama (1336), Takauji swayed many of Kikuchi's men to his side, giving Takauji control over Kyushu. His brother advanced simultaneously by land and both reached the environs of present-day Kobe in July.
At the decisive Battle of Minatogawa in 1336, Takauji defeated Yoshisada again and killed Masashige, allowing him to seize Kyoto for good. Emperor Kōmyō of the illegitimate Northern Court (see below) was installed as emperor by Takauji in opposition to the exiled Southern Court, beginning the turbulent Northern and Southern Court period (Nanbokuchō), which saw two emperors fight each other and which would last for almost 60 years.
Besides other honors, Emperor Go-Daigo had given Takauji the title of Chinjufu-shōgun, or Commander-in-chief of the Defense of the North, and the courtly title of the Fourth Rank, Junior Grade. His Buddhist name was Tojiinden Niyama Myogi dai koji Chojuji-dono (等持院殿仁山妙義大居士長寿寺殿).
Father: Ashikaga Sadauji (足利 貞氏; 1273–1331)
Mother: Uesugi Kiyoko (上杉 清子; 1270–1343)
Half-siblings: Ashikaga Takayoshi (足利高義; 1297–1317)
Natural Siblings: Ashikaga Tadayoshi (足利 直義; 1307–1352)
Wife: Akahashi Toshi (赤橋 登子; 1306 – 4 May 1365)
Son: Ashikaga Yoshiakira (足利 義詮; July 4, 1330 – December 28, 1367)
Son: Ashikaga Motouji (足利基氏) (1340–1367)
Son: Ashikaga Takewakamaru (足利 竹若丸; d. 1333)