Changes

*''Built: c. 12th-13th century''

*''Built: c. 12th-13th century''

*''Destroyed: [[1458]]''

*''Destroyed: [[1458]]''

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 勝連城 ''(Katsuren-jou, Katsuren gusuku / Kacchin gushiku)''

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': [[勝連]] 城 ''(Katsuren-jou, Katsuren gusuku / Kacchin gushiku)''

Katsuren castle was an [[Okinawa Island|Okinawan]] ''[[gusuku]]'' fortress on the Katsuren (or Yokatsu) peninsula, in the northeast of central Okinawa. Built around the 12th or 13th centuries, the castle flourished in the 14th and [early] 15th centuries through overseas trade, up until its fall in [[1458]], as the tenth lord of the castle, [[Amawari]], was defeated by the armies of the royal government of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]].

Katsuren castle was an [[Okinawa Island|Okinawan]] ''[[gusuku]]'' fortress on the Katsuren (or Yokatsu) peninsula, in the northeast of central Okinawa. Built around the 12th or 13th centuries, the castle suddenly became a major center of regional trade in Chinese [[porcelains]] and other high-quality items in the 14th and [early] 15th centuries, and flourished until its fall in [[1458]], when the tenth lord of the castle, [[Amawari]], was defeated by the armies of the royal government of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]].

==History==

==History==

The lineage continued for several generations, but after the fifth lord of Katsuren died without an heir, the sixth son of Ifa ''anji'' became the sixth lord of Katsuren. He too died without an heir, and the 7th and 8th lords of Katsuren came from the line of Hamakawa ''anji''; the ninth, Mochizuki ''anji''<!--茂知附-->.

The lineage continued for several generations, but after the fifth lord of Katsuren died without an heir, the sixth son of Ifa ''anji'' became the sixth lord of Katsuren. He too died without an heir, and the 7th and 8th lords of Katsuren came from the line of Hamakawa ''anji''; the ninth, Mochizuki ''anji''<!--茂知附-->.

The tenth lord of Katsuren is easily the most famous. Amawari, who married [[Momoto Fumiagari]], a daughter of King [[Sho Taikyu|Shô Taikyû]], warned the royal government of treasonous plots by [[Gosamaru]], lord of [[Nakagusuku gusuku|Nakagusuku]], and helped the royal armies attack and take Nakagusuku castle in 1458. However, before the end of that same year, the royal government turned on Amawari, after some number of people at court suggested that Gosamaru may have been innocent, and that Amawari's accusations may have been a plot on his own part to destroy Gosamaru, and further, that Amawari might even be plotting against the royal government himself. Thus, Katsuren was also besieged and taken by the royal government, and Amawari killed. Today, some suggest that the entire affair may have been a scheme by the royal government to eliminate both of these strong and dangerous political rivals.<ref>"Amawari." Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p10.; "Gosamaru-Amawari no hen." Okinawa konpakuto jiten (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). Ryukyu Shimpo (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref> Others, particularly locals of the Nakagusuku and Katsuren areas, support stories presenting one side or the other as the tragic hero. Indeed, local tradition has it that earlier lords of Katsuren, and the 9th lord in particular, were tyrannical despots and drunkards, that Amawari was the popular choice and was actively supported by the local people in his overthrow of the 9th lord, and that as ruler, he was a most gracious lord who brought great prosperity to the domain. By contrast, the plot of the popular ''[[kumi udui]]'' play ''[[Nidu tichiuchi|Nidû tichiuchi]]'' features fictional sons of Gosamaru as the protagonists, and paints Amawari as the villain against whom the two sons seek vengeance.

The tenth lord of Katsuren is easily the most famous. Amawari, who married [[Momoto Fumiagari]], a daughter of King [[Sho Taikyu|Shô Taikyû]], warned the royal government of treasonous plots by [[Gosamaru]], lord of [[Nakagusuku gusuku|Nakagusuku]], and helped the royal armies attack and take Nakagusuku castle in 1458. However, before the end of that same year, the royal government turned on Amawari, after some number of people at court suggested that Gosamaru may have been innocent, and that Amawari's accusations may have been a plot on his own part to destroy Gosamaru, and further, that Amawari might even be plotting against the royal government himself. Thus, Katsuren was also besieged and taken by the royal government, and Amawari killed. Today, some suggest that the entire affair may have been a scheme by the royal government to eliminate both of these strong and dangerous political rivals.<ref>"Amawari." Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p10.; "Gosamaru-Amawari no hen." Okinawa konpakuto jiten (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). Ryukyu Shimpo (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref> Others, particularly locals of the Nakagusuku and Katsuren areas, support stories presenting one side or the other as the tragic hero. Indeed, local tradition has it that earlier lords of Katsuren, and the 9th lord in particular, were tyrannical despots and drunkards, that Amawari was the popular choice and was actively supported by the local people in his overthrow of the 9th lord, and that as ruler, he was a most gracious lord who brought great prosperity to the domain. By contrast, the plot of the popular ''[[kumi udui]]'' play ''[[Nidu tichiuchi|Nidû tichiuchi]]'' features fictional sons of Gosamaru as the protagonists, and paints Amawari as the villain against whom the two sons seek vengeance.

The fortress then continues downhill, through a third and fourth enclosure, with the fourth being at the bottom of a valley, representing the ground level of the fortress complex, and including the main gates of the complex as a whole. Beyond the fourth enclosure is the east enclosure (''higashi no kuruwa''), which sits on a slight elevation compared to the fourth. These areas contained simpler homes, and some amount of land used for agricultural purposes; Katsuren is known to have been home to numerous cattle and horses, as well as some number of imported tropical creatures such as parrots. The third enclosure is also believed to have included a large open area for conducting ceremonies. A large stone called Tunumutu was regularly used by ''[[noro]]'' (local priestesses) as a place to sit and rest when they came to the castle; nearby are a number of small sacred spaces, chiefly in the form of small caves dug into the hillside. One of these, known as Kimutaka-no-utaki, is dedicated to the worship of the Ishizuka deity.

The fortress then continues downhill, through a third and fourth enclosure, with the fourth being at the bottom of a valley, representing the ground level of the fortress complex, and including the main gates of the complex as a whole. Beyond the fourth enclosure is the east enclosure (''higashi no kuruwa''), which sits on a slight elevation compared to the fourth. These areas contained simpler homes, and some amount of land used for agricultural purposes; Katsuren is known to have been home to numerous cattle and horses, as well as some number of imported tropical creatures such as parrots. The third enclosure is also believed to have included a large open area for conducting ceremonies. A large stone called Tunumutu was regularly used by ''[[noro]]'' (local priestesses) as a place to sit and rest when they came to the castle; nearby are a number of small sacred spaces, chiefly in the form of small caves dug into the hillside. One of these, known as Kimutaka-no-utaki, is dedicated to the worship of the Ishizuka deity.

This overall shape of the fortress, long and narrow, with elevations at both ends and dipping in the middle, has traditionally often been compared to the image of a sailing ship. Excavations in the area of the fourth enclosure in 2012-2013 revealed foundation stones and other indications that the fourth enclosure likely once held sizable wooden buildings like the second enclosure (the main palace) did. Archaeological work in 2014-2015 then uncovered a cobblestone (''ishi-tatami'') path leading from the main gate of the compound, the Nishihara Gate (''Nishihara ujô''), into the fourth enclosure. They also discovered some 73 gun emplacements, and some number of bunkers, built in the 1930s when defensive positions were being constructed across much of Okinawa Island, in anticipation of the Pacific War. While the Nishihara Gate stood on the northeast side of the compound, a second gate, known as the Haebaru Gate (''Feebaru ujô'') stood on the opposite side of the fourth enclosure, to the southwest.

This overall shape of the fortress, long and narrow, with elevations at both ends and dipping in the middle, has traditionally often been compared to the image of a sailing ship. Excavations in the area of the fourth enclosure in 2012-2013 revealed foundation stones and other indications that the fourth enclosure likely once held sizable wooden buildings like the second enclosure (the main palace) did. Archaeological work in 2014-2015 then uncovered a cobblestone (''ishi-tatami'') path leading from the main gate of the compound, the Nishihara Gate (''Nishihara ujô''), into the fourth enclosure. They also discovered some 73 gun emplacements, and some number of bunkers, built in the 1930s when defensive positions were being constructed across much of Okinawa Island, in anticipation of the Pacific War. While the Nishihara Gate stood on the northeast side of the compound, a second gate, known as the Haebaru Gate (''Feebaru ujô'') stood on the opposite side of the fourth enclosure, to the southwest.