Changes

==As King==

==As King==

He was born in [[1843]], the second son of King [[Sho Iku|Shô Iku]]. As his older brother died young, the future Shô Tai was then named Crown Prince (or, Prince Nakagusuku), at a very young age. When his father suddenly died in [[1848]] at the age of 35, the young prince ascended to the throne, receiving recognition from [[Satsuma han]] within the year. Due to his young age, a regent (''[[sessei]]'') and the Council of Three (''[[Sanshikan]]'') handled the actual matters of governance. Shô Tai was tutored by royal tutor [[Tsuhako Seisei]]<!--津波古政正--> and ''Sanshikan'' [[Giwan Choho|Giwan Chôho]] as he grew into his role as monarch.

He was born in [[1843]], the second son of King [[Sho Iku|Shô Iku]]. As his older brother died young, the future Shô Tai was then named Crown Prince (or, Prince Nakagusuku), at a very young age. When his father suddenly died in [[1847]] at the age of 35, the young prince ascended to the throne, receiving recognition from [[Satsuma han]] within the year. Due to his young age, a regent (''[[sessei]]'') and the Council of Three (''[[Sanshikan]]'') handled the actual matters of governance. Shô Tai was tutored by royal tutor [[Tsuhako Seisei]]<!--津波古政正--> and ''Sanshikan'' [[Giwan Choho|Giwan Chôho]] as he grew into his role as monarch.

The kingdom was already dealing with widespread poverty, drought, and famine at the time; in addition, a number of European ships had come to the islands, bringing Christian missionaries, and sometimes asking for trade, to use Ryûkyû as a coaling station, or other concessions. Shô Tai was 10 years old when [[Commodore Matthew Perry]] arrived in [[1853]]. Perry hoped to secure a [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|treaty]] between Ryûkyû and the US, as a first step towards [[kaikin|"opening"]] Japan. He forced his way into [[Shuri castle]], but met only with the ''sessei'', who took charge of the negotiations with Perry, and protected the young king from having to be involved. ''Sessei'' [[Ozato Chokyo|Ôzato Chôkyô]], along with State Ministers [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]] and others, originally refused to enter into any treaties with the Western powers, but succumbed in the end to the pressures exerted upon them; the Treaty of Amity between Ryûkyû and the United States was signed in [[1854]], with treaties with [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-France)|France]], [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-UK)|England]], and [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-Holland)|the Netherlands]] following soon afterwards.

The kingdom was already dealing with widespread poverty, drought, and famine at the time; in addition, a number of European ships had come to the islands, bringing Christian missionaries, and sometimes asking for trade, to use Ryûkyû as a coaling station, or other concessions. Shô Tai was 10 years old when [[Commodore Matthew Perry]] arrived in [[1853]]. Perry hoped to secure a [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|treaty]] between Ryûkyû and the US, as a first step towards [[kaikin|"opening"]] Japan. He forced his way into [[Shuri castle]], but met only with the ''sessei'', who took charge of the negotiations with Perry, and protected the young king from having to be involved. ''Sessei'' [[Ozato Chokyo|Ôzato Chôkyô]], along with State Ministers [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]] and others, originally refused to enter into any treaties with the Western powers, but succumbed in the end to the pressures exerted upon them; the Treaty of Amity between Ryûkyû and the United States was signed in [[1854]], with treaties with [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-France)|France]], [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-UK)|England]], and [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-Holland)|the Netherlands]] following soon afterwards.