Ashikaga Yoshiaki
Mitsuhide began serving the "wandering "shōgun"" Ashikaga Yoshiaki as one of his guardians under Hosokawa Yusai. "Shōgun" Ashikaga ordered Asakura Yoshikage to be his official protector, an offer which Yoshikage declined. Yoshiaki appealed to Mitsuhide, who suggested Oda Nobunaga instead.