The shōgun Ashikaga Takauji appointed branch family members as "shugo" lords in the different provinces of western and central Japan. The "shugo" acted as governors, and served the function of mediating between the regime center and periphery. As local governors, and lords in their own right, they represented the authority of the regime in the provinces. The "shugo" of this period had greater power than of the Kamakura, including sending envoys where land disputes occurred, law enforcement, issuing "hanzei" (a half-tax), and to levy taxes. They came to hold much greater authority than the samurai houseman by virtue of having a province-wide appointment, not limited to single estates.