Hirotsugu KAWAKATSU served the 12th Shogun Yoshiharu ASHIKAGA and the 13th Shogun Yoshiteru ASHIKAGA, setting the family's base at Shima-jo Castle in Miyamacho-shizuhara (Kita-kuwata County) to counter the other strong commanders of Tanba Province such as the Naito clan who had been Shugodai (Deputy of Shugo, provincial constable) of Yagi, the Uzu clan of Keihoku, and the Hatano clan of Sasayama.
川勝広継は12代将軍足利義晴、13代将軍足利義輝に仕え、北桑田郡美山町静原の島城を本城とし、八木の守護代内藤氏、京北の宇津氏、篠山の波多野氏など、丹波の武将と対峙した。