足利尊氏 (Ashikaga Takauji) was a prominent Japanese military leader and the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1336 to 1573. Born in 1305, he initially served the Kamakura shogunate but later rebelled against it, leading to the Nanboku-chō period, a time of civil war and political strife. Takauji established his power in the Kanto region and played a crucial role in the transition from the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period. His leadership marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese history, characterized by the rise of the samurai class and the development of a more centralized government.