 Since the establishment of the first shogunate in 1199, the Emperors of Japan have rarely taken on a role as supreme battlefield commander, unlike many Western monarchs.Japanese emperors have nearly always been controlled by external political forces, to varying degrees.For example, between 1192 and 1867, the "shōguns", or their "shikken" regents in Kamakura (1203–1333), were the "de facto" rulers of Japan, although they were nominally appointed by the Emperor.