Daimyo

'Daimyô (Japanese:　大名) literally means 'big name'. It generally refers to regional military lords who were able to excercise de facto military and administrative control of an area.

During the Muromachi Period, the breakdown of centralized authority left the shugo with little of their original power. This power vacuum was exploited by ambitious families, who took the reigns of power into their own hands. Conflict between the daimyo erupted in the late 15th century, with some of the bloodiest fighting during the Ônin War, ushering in the Sengoku Period.

Eventually, the role of the daimyô was solidified and incorporated into the official government structure as the lands once again came under a strong centralized authority in the Edo Period.

References

• Sansom, George. A History of Japan 13334-1615. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1963.
• Hall, John Whitney. Government and Local Power in Japan 500 to 1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province". Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1966.
• Hall, John Whitney and Toyota, Takeshi. Japan in the Muromachi Age. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1977.