He was the younger brother by the same mother of the seventh shogun Yoshikatsu ASHIKAGA and the eighth shogun Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA, and was the elder brother by a different mother of Masatomo ASHIKAGA, Horigoe kubo, quasi-shogun.
第7代将軍・足利義勝と第8代将軍・足利義政の同母弟にあたり、堀越公方の足利政知は異母兄にあたる。