At first he was in the service of the shogun Yoshiteru, and when Yoshiteru was assassinated by three major vassals of the Miyoshi clan and Hisahide MATSUNAGA,he rescued from confinement Yoshiteru's brother Kakukei ICHIJOIN (later Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA after his return to secular life), and seeking help from Yoshikata ROKKAKU in Omi Province, Yoshizumi TAKEDA in Wakasa Province, Yoshikage ASAKURA in Echizen Province and others, he exerted himself to have Yoshiaki appointed as the next shogun.
幕臣として将軍義輝に仕えるが、永禄8年（1565年）の永禄の変で義輝が三好三人衆や松永久秀に暗殺されると、幽閉された義輝の弟・一乗院覚慶（後に還俗して足利義昭）を救出し、近江国の六角義賢、若狭国の武田義統、越前国の朝倉義景らを頼って義昭の将軍任官に奔走した。