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===Age of Maritime Trade===
===Age of Maritime Trade===
The rise of Okinawa, and concordant fall of Amami, Kikai, and Tokara, as the chief center in the region came in the 14th century, and may have contributed to (or been aided by) a shift in regional trade routes, as merchant ships increasingly came to travel from [[Fujian]] to [[Higo province]] ([[Kumamoto prefecture]]) via Okinawa, rather than from [[Ningbo]] to [[Hakata]].<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 31.</ref>
By the beginning of the 14th century, the various chiefs of areas of Okinawa Island were unified under a single head chieftain, sometimes today retroactively called a "king." However, in the 1310s, the headchieftain [[Eiji]] was succeeded by his son [[Tamagusuku]] who, whether for lack of personal charisma or leadership ability, or for some other reason, failed to command the loyalty of the other chieftains. The island of Okinawa thus came to be divided into three chiefdoms, or kingdoms, known as [[Hokuzan]], [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and [[Nanzan]]. This period of division is known as the [[Sanzan period]].
By the beginning of the 14th century, the various chiefs of areas of Okinawa Island were unified under a single head chieftain, sometimes today retroactively called a "king." However, in the 1310s, the headchieftain [[Eiji]] was succeeded by his son [[Tamagusuku]] who, whether for lack of personal charisma or leadership ability, or for some other reason, failed to command the loyalty of the other chieftains. The island of Okinawa thus came to be divided into three chiefdoms, or kingdoms, known as [[Hokuzan]], [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and [[Nanzan]]. This period of division is known as the [[Sanzan period]].