He was a high ranking Samurai, and also a court noble, he gradually prepared to pretend to start the Cloistered government, and he planned to have his son, Yoshitsugu ASHIKAGA succeed to the throne, however this Imperial succession did not happen as he died just before his plan was about to come to fruition.
武家としてだけでなく、公家としても官位を極めた義満は、治天の君としての行動を徐々に始め、自身の子である足利義嗣を皇位につけることを計画していたが、計画成就の寸前に死去したため皇位簒奪がならなかったとしている。