The Shoguns at War
The Rise and Fall of the Ashikaga Dynasty
Frederik CrynsA sweeping history of the shoguns who shaped medieval Japan
For more than two centuries, the Ashikaga shoguns stood at the centre of Japan’s political and cultural life. Founded by the rebel warrior Ashikaga Takauji in 1335, the dynasty oversaw periods of military conflict, political intrigue and extraordinary artistic achievement before its eventual collapse in the age of Oda Nobunaga. The Shoguns at War is the first comprehensive account in English of all fifteen Ashikaga shoguns, tracing their struggles to gain, wield and retain power in a rapidly changing world. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, Frederik Cryns brings to life the personalities, ambitions and rivalries that shaped medieval Japan, while showing how the dynasty fostered enduring cultural achievements. It is a story of power won and lost, and of a cultural legacy that outlasted the rulers who created it.
Note on Dates and Names
Introduction
Prologue: The Emergence of the Warrior Caste
Chapter One: Takauji: Charisma amid Chaos
Chapter Two: Yoshiakira: Struggle for Order
Chapter Three: Yoshimitsu: Refinement of Power
Chapter Four: Yoshimochi: Patron of Poetry and Zen
Chapter Five: Yoshikazu: A Father’s Hope
Chapter Six: Yoshinori: The Iron Hand
Chapter Seven: Yoshikatsu: A Child’s Burden
Chapter Eight: Yoshimasa: Culture amid Chaos
Chapter Nine: Yoshihisa: Poetry amid Frailty
Chapter Ten: Yoshitane: Fractured Authority
Chapter Eleven: Yoshizumi: Contested Legacy
Chapter Twelve: Yoshiharu: Valiant Decline
Chapter Thirteen: Yoshiteru: Death by Treachery
Chapter Fourteen: Yoshihide: Fleeting Power
Chapter Fifteen: Yoshiaki: The Last Shogun
References
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
Frederik Cryns is Professor of Japanese History at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto. He is the author of In the Service of the Shogun (Reaktion, 2024) and served as historical consultant to the Emmy-winning television series Shōgun (2024).
