In the Kamakura period, individual Gokenin directly paid homage to the Shogun (although there were exceptions such as being hired by a strong Gokenin), and shugos were mere supervisors of Gokenin within their lands.
鎌倉時代においては（有力御家人の被官のような例外はあるが）個々の御家人が直接将軍と主従関係を結んでおり、守護は国内の御家人の監督者に過ぎなかった。