In 1568, Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, the younger brother of the 13th Muromachi Shogun Yoshiteru ASHIKAGA--who had been toppled in a rebellion by the Miyoshi sanninshu (the Three Chief Retainers of the Miyoshi clan) that had been led by Yoshihide ASHIKAGA of Ashikaga clan--begged Nobunaga to come visit him in Mino Province; consequently, the Oda family threw their support behind him and marched on Kyoto to install Yoshiaki as the new shogun.
永禄11年（1568年）、足利一門・足利義栄を旗頭とする三好三人衆の謀叛に倒れた室町幕府の第13代将軍・足利義輝の弟・足利義昭が信長を頼って美濃国を訪れてきた為、織田家は義昭を新将軍に推戴するため、義昭を奉じ上洛の途につく。