Ashikaga Yoshikane (足利義兼) was a Japanese samurai military commander, feudal lord in the late Heian and early Kamakura period of Japan's history. He played an active part in the Jishō-Juei War and the later military campaign as a closely related person of the first Kamakura shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and made Ashikaga clan influential position in gokenin vassal of the Kamakura shogunate.

Genealogy

Yoshikane was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshiyasu who was the founder of the Ashikaga clan and the grandson of Minamoto no Yoshiie. In the Hōgen Rebellion, Yoshikane's father Yoshiyasu was one of the commanders of forces loyal to Emperor Go-Shirakawa including father of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Taira no Kiyomori and others. Yoshikane's mother was an adopted daughter and granddaughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, and was a niece of mother of Yoritomo.

Life

Family