Changes

Shô Shin also effected significant changes to the organization of the native ''[[noro]]'' (high priestesses) cult and its relationship to the government. He owed his uncle's abdication, and his own succession to his sister, the ''noro'' of the royal family, a special position known as the ''[[kikoe-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]''. He established a new residence for the ''kikoe-ôgimi'' just outside the gates to the castle, and erected high walls in 1519 around the [[Sonohyan Utaki]], the sacred space and accompanying sacred hearth which she tended. A system by which the king and ''kikoe-ôgimi'' appointed local ''noro'' across the kingdom was established, tying this element of the native Ryukyuan religion into formal systems of authority under the government<ref>Kerr. p111.</ref>.

Shô Shin also effected significant changes to the organization of the native ''[[noro]]'' (high priestesses) cult and its relationship to the government. He owed his uncle's abdication, and his own succession to his sister, the ''noro'' of the royal family, a special position known as the ''[[kikoe-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]''. He established a new residence for the ''kikoe-ôgimi'' just outside the gates to the castle, and erected high walls in 1519 around the [[Sonohyan Utaki]], the sacred space and accompanying sacred hearth which she tended. A system by which the king and ''kikoe-ôgimi'' appointed local ''noro'' across the kingdom was established, tying this element of the native Ryukyuan religion into formal systems of authority under the government<ref>Kerr. p111.</ref>.

Shô Shin had two notable consorts over the course of his reign. He first married his cousin [[Kyojin]] 居仁, a daughter of his uncle Shô Sen'i, but some kind of internal family or court politics led to their son, [[Sho Iko|Shô Ikô]], being driven from the court. Shô Shin then had multiple children with a consort named Kagô 華后, including his fifth son, who would be named crown prince in [[1508]] or [[1509]] and then later succeed him as King [[Sho Sei|Shô Sei]].<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii (2019), 132-133.</ref>

Shô Shin had two notable consorts over the course of his reign. He first married his cousin [[Kyojin]] 居仁, a daughter of his uncle Shô Sen'i, but some kind of internal family or court politics led to their first son, [[Sho Iko|Shô Ikô]], being driven from the court. Shô Shin then had multiple children with a consort named Kagô 華后, including his fifth son, who would be named crown prince in [[1508]] or [[1509]] and then later succeed him as King [[Sho Sei|Shô Sei]].<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii (2019), 132-133.</ref>

After a fifty year reign, Shō Shin died in 1526, and was succeeded by his son Shô Sei. It is said that after such a long reign, officials encountered difficulties in determining the proper way to conduct the royal funeral, succession rituals, and other important related ceremonies<ref>Kerr. p115.</ref>. Historian George Kerr writes that "Okinawa was never again to know the halcyon days of Sho Shin's reign<ref>Kerr. p116.</ref>."

After a fifty year reign, Shō Shin died in 1526, and was succeeded by his son Shô Sei. It is said that after such a long reign, officials encountered difficulties in determining the proper way to conduct the royal funeral, succession rituals, and other important related ceremonies<ref>Kerr. p115.</ref>. Historian George Kerr writes that "Okinawa was never again to know the halcyon days of Sho Shin's reign<ref>Kerr. p116.</ref>."