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*''Japanese'': [[尚]] 徳 ''(Shou Toku)''

*''Japanese'': [[尚]] 徳 ''(Shou Toku)''

Shô Toku was the seventh king of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]], and the last of the First Shô Dynasty. He was the third son of King [[Sho Taikyu|Shô Taikyû]], who he succeeded in [[1461]].

Shô Toku was the seventh king of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]], and the last of the First Shô Dynasty. According to traditional accounts, he was the third son of King [[Sho Taikyu|Shô Taikyû]], who he succeeded in [[1461]].

The reign of Shô Toku is known primarily for the king's military adventures, chiefly the conquest in [[1466]] of [[Kikaigashima]], a nearby island which served no economic, political, or strategic purpose. This campaign saw the adoption of the ''mitsu-domoe'' banner of [[Hachiman]], commonly used by ''[[wako|wakô]]'' at the time, as the royal crest.

The reign of Shô Toku is known primarily for the king's military adventures, chiefly the conquest in [[1466]] of [[Kikaigashima]], a nearby island which served no economic, political, or strategic purpose. This campaign saw the adoption of the ''mitsu-domoe'' banner of [[Hachiman]], commonly used by ''[[wako|wakô]]'' at the time, as the royal crest. This and a number of other historical or legendary incidents, including Shô Toku's establishment of the [[Azato Hachiman-gu|Hachiman Shrine]] in the village of Asato (today part of [[Naha]] City), have led a number of historians to suggest that Shô Toku was himself a ''wakô'' lord.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 118.</ref>

The kingdom's coffers being already depleted by his father's campaigns of temple building, lavish entertainments, and ritual and ceremony, this would come to be seen in later generations as an extravagance, and an unnecessary drain on resources.

The kingdom's coffers being already depleted by his father's campaigns of temple building, lavish entertainments, and ritual and ceremony, this would come to be seen in later generations as an extravagance, and an unnecessary drain on resources.

Shô Toku died in 1469, with no obvious successor. He was succeeded by the royal treasurer, Kanamaru, who took the throne as King [[Sho En|Shô En]], who was chosen by a council of the top court elders, marking the beginning of the Second Shô Dynasty. Histories such as the ''[[Chuzan Seikan|Chûzan Seikan]]'' and other accounts created under the latter dynasty describe Shô Toku as an unvirtuous ruler, lacking the [[Mandate of Heaven]], a man filled with violence and cruelty. Other tales tell of his infatuation with a priestess of [[Kudaka Island]], and that his dalliance with her provided the opportunity for Kanamaru's rebellion.

Shô Toku died in 1469, with no obvious successor. He was succeeded by the royal treasurer, Kanamaru, who after being chosen by a council of the top court elders took the throne as King [[Sho En|Shô En]], marking the beginning of the Second Shô Dynasty. Histories such as the ''[[Chuzan Seikan|Chûzan Seikan]]'' and other accounts created under the latter dynasty describe Shô Toku as an unvirtuous ruler, lacking the [[Mandate of Heaven]], a man filled with violence and cruelty. Other tales tell of his infatuation with a priestess of [[Kudaka Island]], and that his dalliance with her provided the opportunity for Kanamaru's rebellion. It is these same sources, written by officials in service to Shô En's descendants, which also emphasize Shô En's virtue and legitimacy.

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