Akamatsu Mitsusuke

Akamatsu Mitsusuke (赤松 満祐?, 1381 - September 25, 1441) was a leading head over the clan of Akamatsu during the early years of the Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan.

Fearing that Ashikaga Yoshinori, the 6th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate was aiming to tear up the domain of the Akamatsu, its head Akamatsu Mitsusuke took the step of feigning mental illness, leaving proxy control in the hands of his son Noriyasu. The Shōgun, however feared, was a worthy guest and early in 1441 it was the turn of Noriyasu to entertain Yoshinori and his retinue, and a night of drinks and Nō performances ensued until chaos broke out and the horses were released from the back of the residence. To Yoshinori’s shocked samurai it was clear that Yoshinori had been fatally tricked by Mitsusuke. Two Akamatsu men grabbed Yoshinori roughly, held him in a kneeling position, and a third, Azumi Yukihide, delivered the coup de grace. Setting his residence alight, Mitsusuke left with his samurai and the head of the once-feared Shōgun. As the Emperor watched the flames from the palace, the Bakufu sat on its hands as Kanrei Hosokawa Mochiyuki (1400-1442) pondered how to react. No one would miss Yoshinori and his horrendous tempers but as Kanrei he needed to take the lead and punish the Akamatsu. After weeks however, Akamatsu Mitsusuke grew bored waiting in Harima province (in the West of Honshū) so he challenged the Bakufu to send a punitive force. Eventually Yamana Sōzen (1404-1473) led the assault, supported by Awaji samurai at sea, and forced the Akamatsu to Kinoyama where Mitsusuke was forced to make his last stand, and the reputation of the Bakufu was temporarily salvaged.