In the Muromachi bakufu, management of the ranks of the samurai family was critically important to deal with, because the bakufu obtained its own financial resources by mediating the appointment of the ranks of kanrei (Deputy to shogun), tandai (political post), shugo, and shugodai (representative of shugo), appointing and naming of the shogun, and intermediating the appointment of the ranks of shugo and kokujin-ryoshu (residing load).
室町幕府は有力大名に対し管領・探題・守護・守護代の補任、将軍の偏諱、守護や国人領主の叙位任官の仲介を以って独自の財源を獲得していたこともあり、幕府における武家の官位の取扱はきわめて重要な役割を担っていた。