Ryukyu Kingdom

The Ryukyu Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 14th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryukyu unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Yaeyama Islands near Taiwan.

Asian trade (15th-16th century)

Diplomatically, the kingdom established tributary relations with China, during its Ming and Qing Dynasties, and developed trade relations with Japan, Korea and many Southeast Asian countries, including Siam, Pattani, Malacca, Champa, Hue, and Java.

Related Topics:
China - Ming - Qing - Japan - Korea - Southeast Asian - Siam - Pattani - Malacca - Champa - Hue - Java

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Between the 15th and the 16th century, the main trading intermediary in Eastern Asia was Ryukyu Kingdom, exchanging Japanese products (silver, swords, fans lacquerware, folding screens) and Chinese products (medical herb, minted coins, glazed ceramics, brocades, textiles) for Southeast Asian , rhino horn, tin, sugar, iron, ambergris, Indian ivory and Arabian frankincense. Altogether 150 Ryukian ships are recorded between the kingdom and Southeast Asia, 61 one of them for Siam, 10 for Malacca, 10 for Pattani, 8 for Java (island)|Java etc...

Related Topics:
15th - 16th

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The commerce of the kingdom disapeared around 1570 with the rise of Chinese merchants and the intervention of Portuguese and Spanish ships, and corresponds with the beginnings of the Red Seal Ship system in Japan.

Related Topics:
1570 - Red Seal Ship - Japan

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