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.

History

In the three Ryukyu historical annals, Chuzan Seikan(????, History of Chuzan), Chuzan Seifu(????, Genealogy of Chuzan), and Kyuyo (??, Chronicle of Ryukyu), the history of Ryukyu Kingdom began in the Tenson Dynasty (????, Dynasty of Descent of Heaven), which lasted 17,000 years. But many historians today believe that this is a mythological legend created in the 16th or 17th century, to declare a more superior blood of the ruling chieftain, Sho family, over other local chieftains.

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The Tenson Dynasty was succeeded by the Shunten Dynasty (????), which lasted 3 reigns in around 70 years. According to Chuzan Seikan, the founder of the dynasty was a descendant of Minamoto no Tametomo, a Japanese aristocracy and descendant of Tenno's family. Minamoto no Tametomo was sent to Izu Island after his failure of taking power in Kyoto court, then he fled and drifted to Ryukyu, and his son Shunten established their own dynasty. Some Japanese and Chinese scholars claim that the Shunten dynasty was also created by the Sho family, for the reason same as they created the Tensun legend.

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In the 14th centry, small domains scattered on the Okinawa Island were unified into three principalities, Hokuzan (??, Northern Hill), Chuzan (??, Mid Hill) and Nanzan (??, Southern Hill). These three principalities, or tribal federations led by major chieftains, fought each other and received Chinese investiture in the early 15th century. The ruler of Chuzan passed his throne to Hachi (he received the surname "Sho" from Ming emperor in 1430, also known as Sho Hachi, ???), he conquered Hokuzan in 1416, Nanzan in 1429, founded the first Sho Dynasty.

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Sho Hachi adopted Chinese hierarchical court system, built Shuri castle and the town, as his capital, also constructed Naha harbor. In 1469, the king died without male descent, a palatine servant declared he was adopted son of the last king and got Chinese investiture. This pretender, Sho En, began the Second Sho Dynasty. It's Ryukyu's golden age in Sho Shin, the second king's reign (1478 - 1526).

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