Rokkaku Yoshikata

Rokkaku Yoshikata 六角 義賢
Rokkaku Yoshikata's portrait
Born	1521
Died	April 19, 1582 (aged 78)

Rokkaku Yoshikata (六角 義賢^?, 1521 – April 19, 1598) was a samurai head of the Rokkaku clan during Japan's Sengoku period. He was shugo (governor) and later daimyō of an area of southern Ōmi province, he served as castellan of Kannonji Castle. He later became a Buddhist monk, under the name Shōtei.

The son of Rokkaku Sadayori, Yoshikata fought in many of the battles for control of the Kyoto area during this period. In 1549, he became allied with Hosokawa Harumoto against Miyoshi Chōkei, and succeeded his father as head of the family in 1552. After a number of victories against the Miyoshi, the tides turned; Yoshikata and his Hosokawa allies in service of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru began to experience a string of defeats. In 1558, the shogun reconciled his differences with the Miyoshi clan, putting an end to the conflict.

Seeing an opportunity, Azai Hisamasa of northern Ōmi invaded the Rokkaku territory. Defeated, the Azai clan was forced to become vassals to the Rokkaku. Yoshikata entered the Buddhist priesthood in 1559, passing on his status within the family to his son Rokkaku Yoshiharu, but remained active in the family's battles nevertheless. Yoshikata led his clan's forces to battle the following year against Azai Nagamasa, seeking to maintain his control over the Azai and their territory. He was sorely defeated in this, the battle of Norada, which marked the beginning of the decline of the Rokkaku clan.