After the Kamakura period, with the establishment of a power structure concerning land ruling based on shugo jito system (system to govern provinces by military governors and their estate stewards) in the samurai government, gokenin (immediate vassals of the shogunate) who were assigned multiple shugo posts in several provinces came to privately appoint shugodai (deputy shugo), who performed the shugo role on behalf of shugo.
鎌倉時代以降、守護地頭制に基づく武家政権の土地支配の権力構造が成立すると、複数の諸国に守護職を得た御家人が守護代を置くようになり、守護の職権を代行した。