In the end, Tamekage's second son Kenshin (the latter Kenshin UESUGI) took over from the sickly Harukage, expanded their political power, fought many bloody battles with the Takeda clan, conquerors of Koshin; finally at the request of Norimasa UESUGI of the Uesugi clan who were under attack and losing ground to the Hojo clan, he succeeded to leadership of the Uesugi clan and Kanto Kanrei, thereby achieving a position higher than any regular Shugo.
やがて、病弱な晴景に代わり、為景次男の謙信（後の上杉謙信）が家督を継ぐと、勢力拡大、甲信を制した武田氏と雌雄を決する大戦を繰り返し、やがて北条氏に攻められ勢力を失いつつあった上杉氏の上杉憲政の懇願で、上杉氏の家督と関東管領を継承し、通常の守護よりも格段に高い地位を得ることとなった。