Shugo

Shugo (守護), commonly translated as '[military] governor', 'protector', or 'constable', was a title given to certain officials in feudal Japan.

The position gave way to the emergence of the daimyo (military feudal lords) in the late 15th century, as shugo began to claim power over lands themselves, rather than serving simply as governors on behalf of the shogunate.

[1] Some shugo lost their powers to subordinates such as the shugodai, while others strengthened their grip on their territories.

As a result, at the end of the 15th century, the beginning of the Sengoku period, the power in the country was divided amongst military lords of various kinds (shugo, shugodai, and others), who came to be called daimyōs.

Below is a list of some of the major clans that produced shugos and daimyōs during the Muromachi era and Sengoku period, as well as the regions over which they ruled.