Yoshihiro HATAKEYAMA (his name can also be read as Yoshinari) (畠山義就)
Yoshihiro Hatakeyama (1437 - January 30, 1491) was a general of the Muromachi period. He belonged to the Hatakeyama clan, a branch of the Ashikaga clan (Ashikaga Shogunate House) and one of the three Kanrei families, the shogunal deputies of the Muromachi Shogunate. He was the son of Mochikuni HATAKEYAMA, his mother was a concubine. At first he was given the name Yosinatsu, which can also be read as Yoshika. He had a son, Yoshitoyo HATAKEYAMA.
The reins of the HATAKEYAMA family were supposed to be given to Mochitoyo HATAKEYAMA (the younger brother of Mochikuni), who had been adopted into the family, but after Yoshihiro was born, Mochitoyo's succession was withdrawn in 1448 and Yoshihiro was designated the new successor after earning the official approval of Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA, the 8th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate. The Jimbo clan, who held the Shugo-dai (Deputy Military Governor) position, and other vassals were opposed to the succession of Yoshihiro, and resisted by supporting Yasaburo HATAKEYAMA, the son of Mochitoyo.
In 1454 Yoshihiro managed to defeat Yasaburo, but Yasaburo, supported the Tsutsui clan, local bushi from the Province of Yamato, and the Hosokawa clan, was pardoned by Yoshimasa and returned to Kyoto in September while Yoshihiro fled to Iga. In December, Yoshihiro returned from Kawachi to Kyoto in pursuit of Yasaburo and, following the death of his father Mochikuni in 1455, took over as head of the Hatakeyama family. In 1459 Yasaburo died from illness, and his younger brother, Masanaga HATAKEYAMA, was put forward as a successor, continuing the dispute with Yoshihiro. In September 1460, Yoshihiro fled to Kawachi and Masanaga became head of the family. Yoshihiro was ordered subjugated by the Emperor and was designated the Emperor's enemy. Yoshihiro was besieged at Gakusan-jo Castle (Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture) and fought the armies of the Hatakeyama, Hosokawa and Takeda. In 1463, Gakusan-jo Castle fell and Yoshihiro fled from Kishu to Yoshino.
Yoshihiro gained support from Sozen YAMANA (Mochitoyo) who was fighting against Katsumoto HOSOKAWA, returned to Kyoto from Kawachi, and was pardoned in December 1466. He was granted an audience with Yoshimasa, who ordered him to hand over the Hatakeyama residence to Mochinaga and stripped him of the position of Kanrei (shogunal deputy). The following year, 1467, they clashed at Kamigoryo-jinja Shrine and Yoshihiro, with the help of Yamana and the Shibashi clan, managed to defeat Masanaga (the Battle of Goryo). As a result of the Battle of Goryo, Yamana had gained the upper hand and the following year, the Hosokawa side tried to recover its losses, leading to the start of the Onin War.
During the war, Yoshihiro fought against Masanaga as part of the Western Forces led by Sozen. In September 1477, Yoshihiro moved into Kawachi in order to defeat Masanaga, bringing Kawachi under his control after driving away the Yusa clan. After the two armies had made peace and the Western generals had dissolved their armies and returned to their domains, in August 1482 Yoshihiro made peace with Masamoto HOSOKAWA but the dispute with Masanaga continued. In the Province of Yamashiro, where the main fighting took place, there was an uprising of the local people (Yamashiro no kuniikki), who demanded that both sides withdraw.