Shugo

Shugo (守護) was a post granted by both the Kamakura and Muromachi Bakufu, as well as Emperor Go-Daigo's short-lived Southern Court restoration, and were intended as replacements for the Imperial post of kokushi (Provincial Governors).

Shugo were to be the bakufu's representatives in the provinces, and their role was to undergo significant changes over the centuries.

Kamakura Shugo

After Yoritomo's victory in 1185 it became necessary to place trusted Kamakura representatives in the provinces, and the post of Shugo was created for this purpose. The Shugo were to be coordinators of their assigned province's gokenin (Kamakura bakufu housemen) in ôbanyaku (guard duty of Kyoto) and battle, an adjunct of Kamakura's judicial system, and to prevent rebellions and capital crimes. These three duties were formally incorporated into Kamakura law in 1231 as taibon sankajo, or the Three Regulations for Great Crimes.

The judicial duties carried out by the Shugo were varied and included interrogating local witnesses, summoning defendants, subpoenaing relevant documents, forwarding investigate reports, issuing enforcement orders, and announcing judgements. These duties brought them in to regular conflict with gokenin, jitô (land stewards), and other powerful estate owners. Much like the kokushi who came before, they were also prone to misconduct and abuse of their powers.

There were no regular taxes or rents payable to the bakufu by the Shugo, though there were tribute obligations, such as providing labour and horses, as well as ôbanyaku duties in the capital.

In an effort to limit the power held by the Shugo it was made clear that the post was revocable at will, and Shugo not hailing from the ruling Hojo clan were assigned to provinces not local to themselves, thus taking them away from their traditional powerbases, and often they found themselves with Hojo clan Shugo as neighbours. They also do not appear to have held land as part of their post and could not pass their position to an heir.

Because of these reasons, some Shugo chose to remain in their original province while appointing a delegate of their own, known as a Shugodai, to administer in their name. Other Shugo managed to successfully entrench themselves in their assigned provinces, but all were still reliant on the bakufu for their authority, and were not able to operate autonomously enough to pose a threat to the bakufu.

The Mongol invasions of the late 13th century saw an increase in Shugo power as it became necessary for some Shugo to recruit and maintain standing armies and prepare defences, but it was not until the breakdown of the Kamakura Bakufu and the subsequent warring that the Shugo saw a significant rise in their power.

References

• The Cambridge History of Japan: Volume 3, edited by Kozo Yamamura, Cambridge University Press, reprinted 1990.

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