Line 6: |
Line 6: |
| *''Japanese'': 朝直 ''(Chouchoku)'' | | *''Japanese'': 朝直 ''(Chouchoku)'' |
| | | |
− | Prince Ie Chôchoku was the fifth son of King [[Sho Ko|Shô Kô]] of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. He played a prominent role in internal court politics of the kingdom in the 1860s, and led a mission to [[Tokyo]] in [[1872]] to formally pay respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]] on behalf of his nephew, King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]]. | + | Prince Ie Chôchoku was the fifth son of King [[Sho Ko (尚灝)|Shô Kô]] of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. He played a prominent role in internal court politics of the kingdom in the 1860s, and led a mission to [[Tokyo]] in [[1872]] to formally pay respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]] on behalf of his nephew, King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]]. |
| | | |
| As a child, he was regarded as mere nobility, and not royalty. However, following the death of his father, King Shô Kô, in [[1834]], the young Chôchoku (then age 16) was adopted into the house of the ''[[anji]]'' of Ie, and was raised to the rank of "prince" (O: ''wuuji''). The following year, he was appointed ''[[Jito (Ryukyu)|sô-jitô]]'' over [[Iejima]], and took on the title of "Prince Ie." | | As a child, he was regarded as mere nobility, and not royalty. However, following the death of his father, King Shô Kô, in [[1834]], the young Chôchoku (then age 16) was adopted into the house of the ''[[anji]]'' of Ie, and was raised to the rank of "prince" (O: ''wuuji''). The following year, he was appointed ''[[Jito (Ryukyu)|sô-jitô]]'' over [[Iejima]], and took on the title of "Prince Ie." |
Line 14: |
Line 14: |
| In July 1872, Prince Ie was named lead envoy on an embassy that would travel to Tokyo to pay respects to the Meiji Emperor. The following month, he was named ''[[Sessei]]'' (the top administrative position within the Ryukyuan government).<ref>Kawabata Megumu 川端恵, ''Shô Tai: Saigo no Ryûkyû ô'' 尚泰:最後の琉球王, Yamakawa shuppan (2019), 21.</ref> | | In July 1872, Prince Ie was named lead envoy on an embassy that would travel to Tokyo to pay respects to the Meiji Emperor. The following month, he was named ''[[Sessei]]'' (the top administrative position within the Ryukyuan government).<ref>Kawabata Megumu 川端恵, ''Shô Tai: Saigo no Ryûkyû ô'' 尚泰:最後の琉球王, Yamakawa shuppan (2019), 21.</ref> |
| | | |
− | He traveled to Tokyo in 1872 alongside [[Giwan Choho|Giwan Chôho]] and 35 others, meeting with the Meiji Emperor on 9/14, and being formally told that the kingdom was to be annexed by Japan as ''[[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]]'', and that King Shô Tai was to become "king" of that [[han|domain]]. While in Tokyo, he also attended the formal ceremony for the opening of Japan's first [[railroads|railway]], connecting [[Shinbashi]] and [[Sakuragicho Station|Yokohama]]. Following his return to Ryûkyû, Ie was named ''[[sessei]]'' (prime minister, or regent). | + | He traveled to Tokyo in 1872 alongside [[Giwan Choho|Giwan Chôho]] and 35 others, meeting with the Meiji Emperor on 9/14, and being formally told that the kingdom was to be annexed by Japan as ''[[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]]'', and that King Shô Tai was to become "king" of that [[han|domain]]. While in Tokyo, he also attended the formal ceremony for the opening of Japan's first [[railroads|railway]], connecting [[Shinbashi]] and [[Sakuragicho Station|Yokohama]]. The embassy arrived back in Naha on [[1873]]/3/3 after being briefly castaway on [[Kikaijima]] earlier that year, while sailing from [[Kagoshima]] to Okinawa.<ref>''Shumi no Kikaijima shi'' 趣味の喜界島史, Tokyo: Kuroshio bunka kai (1960), 123-124.</ref> Following his return to Ryûkyû, Ie was named ''[[sessei]]'' (prime minister, or regent). |
| | | |
| Prince Ie was admitted to the ''[[kazoku]]'' (Meiji Japan's European-style nobility) in [[1890]] as a Baron (''danshaku''). He died six years later, at age 79. | | Prince Ie was admitted to the ''[[kazoku]]'' (Meiji Japan's European-style nobility) in [[1890]] as a Baron (''danshaku''). He died six years later, at age 79. |