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==Fall of the Kingdom==

==Fall of the Kingdom==

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the new [[Meiji government]] made efforts to incorporate Ryûkyû into Japan. Collectively, these are known as the ''[[Ryukyu shobun|Ryûkyû shobun]]'', or "disposal of Ryûkyû." In [[1872]], the kingdom received an Imperial edict declaring Ryûkyû to no longer be a kingdom, but now a ''[[han]]'' (feudal domain), and Shô Tai to himself no longer be a "king," but now a domainal lord (''han'ô'') with a residence in [[Tokyo]]. This despite the fact that all the other ''han'' had been [[abolition of the han|abolished]] the previous year. Shô Tai was ordered to journey to Tokyo to pay his respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]], but responded with a petition that the status quo be maintained - that Ryûkyû be permitted to remain an independent kingdom, and that it be permitted to continue its [[tribute|tributary]] relationship with Qing China.

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the new [[Meiji government]] made efforts to incorporate Ryûkyû into Japan. Collectively, these are known as the ''[[Ryukyu shobun|Ryûkyû shobun]]'', or "disposal of Ryûkyû." In [[1872]], the kingdom received an Imperial edict declaring Ryûkyû to no longer be a kingdom, but now a ''[[han]]'' (feudal domain), and Shô Tai to himself no longer be a "king," but now a domainal lord (''han'ô'') with a residence in [[Tokyo]].<ref>The residence provided to him by the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] was located at Mochinokizaka 檎木坂 (today known as Mochinokizaka 冬青木坂), and was sold to the Ministry by former [[Saga han]] retainer [[Shima Yoshitake]] for 3000 [[yen]]. "Ryûkyû hanshu e teitaku o tamawaru" 「琉球藩主へ邸宅を賜はる」, ''Tokyo nichinichi shimbun'' 東京日日新聞 (1872/10/3), reproduced in ''Meiji hennen shi'' 明治篇年史, vol 1 (1934), 497. The location in Chiyoda-ku Fujimi 1-chôme is today just north of Kudanshita subway station, near Gyôsei Junior/Senior High School.</ref> This despite the fact that all the other ''han'' had been [[abolition of the han|abolished]] the previous year. Shô Tai was ordered to journey to Tokyo to pay his respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]], but responded with a petition that the status quo be maintained - that Ryûkyû be permitted to remain an independent kingdom, and that it be permitted to continue its [[tribute|tributary]] relationship with Qing China.

[[Matsuda Michiyuki]], official in charge of the ''shobun'', arrived in Ryûkyû in [[1877]], conveying various orders and commands that would overthrow the kingdom. A number of aristocrat-officials opposed these measures, forming a faction known as the [[Ganko-to|Ganko-tô]] ("Stubborn Party"), while others advocated a myriad of positions; the court was plunged into considerable debate and disagreement. Other officials, meanwhile, fled to China and petitioned the Qing Court to take action against Japan's takeover of the kingdom. All the while, Shô Tai supposedly fell seriously ill, and was confined to his sickbed; according to some historians, this illness was a ruse, or a false excuse, employed in order to delay or avoid the King having to go to Tokyo and formally submit to the Japanese emperor.

[[Matsuda Michiyuki]], official in charge of the ''shobun'', arrived in Ryûkyû in [[1877]], conveying various orders and commands that would overthrow the kingdom. A number of aristocrat-officials opposed these measures, forming a faction known as the [[Ganko-to|Ganko-tô]] ("Stubborn Party"), while others advocated a myriad of positions; the court was plunged into considerable debate and disagreement. Other officials, meanwhile, fled to China and petitioned the Qing Court to take action against Japan's takeover of the kingdom. All the while, Shô Tai supposedly fell seriously ill, and was confined to his sickbed; according to some historians, this illness was a ruse, or a false excuse, employed in order to delay or avoid the King having to go to Tokyo and formally submit to the Japanese emperor.

He was entombed alongside his predecessors in the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]]. His funeral would be one of the last Ryukyuan royal ceremonies to be performed in the traditional Ryukyuan manner; his eldest son's funeral in 1920 would be the last. The spirit of Shô Tai is enshrined at a number of major shrines in Ryûkyû, including [[Naminoue Shrine]] and (formerly) [[Sogen-ji|Sôgen-ji]].

He was entombed alongside his predecessors in the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]]. His funeral would be one of the last Ryukyuan royal ceremonies to be performed in the traditional Ryukyuan manner; his eldest son's funeral in 1920 would be the last. The spirit of Shô Tai is enshrined at a number of major shrines in Ryûkyû, including [[Naminoue Shrine]] and (formerly) [[Sogen-ji|Sôgen-ji]].

Shô Tai had many children, including: [[Sho Ten|Shô Ten]] (1864-1920), who succeeded him as Marquis in 1901; and [[Sho In|Shô In]] (1866-1905) and [[Sho Jun (1873-1945)|Shô Jun]] (1873-1945) who held the title of Baron (''danshaku'').<ref>Ishin Shiryô Hensankai, ''Kazoku Ryakufu'', Tokyo: Shueisha (1913), 625.</ref>

Shô Tai had many children, including: [[Sho Ten|Shô Ten]] (1864-1920), who succeeded him as Marquis in 1901; and [[Sho In|Shô In]] (1866-1905) and [[Sho Jun (1873-1945)|Shô Jun]] (1873-1945) who held the title of Baron (''danshaku''),<ref>Ishin Shiryô Hensankai, ''Kazoku Ryakufu'', Tokyo: Shueisha (1913), 625.</ref> as well as a daughter known as Amuro ''udun''.<ref>Roughly, "woman of the Amuro palace" or "woman of the Amuro noble lineage."</ref>

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