Changes

*''Born: [[1843]]''

*''Born: [[1843]]/7''

*''Died: [[1901]]''

*''Died: [[1901]]''

*''Titles: King of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]], [[1848]]-[[1872]], Lord of [[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]] 1872-[[1879]], [[Kazoku|Marquis]] (''kôshaku'') 1879-1901''

*''Titles: King of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]], [[1848]]/5-[[1872]], Lord of [[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]] 1872-[[1879]], [[Kazoku|Marquis]] (''kôshaku'') 1879-1901''

*''Japanese/Chinese'': [[尚]]泰 ''(Shou Tai / Shàng Tài)''

*''Japanese/Chinese'': [[尚]]泰 ''(Shou Tai / Shàng Tài)''

==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 [[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.

He was born in [[1843]]/7, 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.

==Fall of the Kingdom==

==Fall of the Kingdom==

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the new [[Meiji government]] made efforts to incorporate Ryûkyû into Japan. Collectively, these are known as the ''[[Ryukyu shobun|Ryûkyû shobun]]'', or "disposal of Ryûkyû." In [[1872]], the kingdom received an Imperial edict declaring Ryûkyû to no longer be a kingdom, but now a ''[[han]]'' (feudal domain), and Shô Tai to himself no longer be a "king," but now a domainal lord (''han'ô'') with a residence in [[Tokyo]]. This despite the fact that all the other ''han'' had been [[abolition of the han|abolished]] the previous year. Shô Tai was ordered to journey to Tokyo to pay his respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]], but responded with a petition that the status quo be maintained - that Ryûkyû be permitted to remain an independent kingdom, and that it be permitted to continue its [[tribute|tributary]] relationship with Qing China.

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the new [[Meiji government]] made efforts to incorporate Ryûkyû into Japan. Collectively, these are known as the ''[[Ryukyu shobun|Ryûkyû shobun]]'', or "disposal of Ryûkyû." In [[1872]], the kingdom received an Imperial edict declaring Ryûkyû to no longer be a kingdom, but now a ''[[han]]'' (feudal domain), and Shô Tai to himself no longer be a "king," but now a domainal lord (''han'ô'') with a residence in [[Tokyo]].<ref>The residence provided to him by the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] was located at Mochinokizaka 檎木坂 (today known as Mochinokizaka 冬青木坂), and was sold to the Ministry by former [[Saga han]] retainer [[Shima Yoshitake]] for 3000 [[yen]]. "Ryûkyû hanshu e teitaku o tamawaru" 「琉球藩主へ邸宅を賜はる」, ''Tokyo nichinichi shimbun'' 東京日日新聞 (1872/10/3), reproduced in ''Meiji hennen shi'' 明治篇年史, vol 1 (1934), 497. The location in Chiyoda-ku Fujimi 1-chôme is today just north of Kudanshita subway station, near Gyôsei Junior/Senior High School.</ref> This despite the fact that all the other ''han'' had been [[abolition of the han|abolished]] the previous year. Shô Tai was ordered to journey to Tokyo to pay his respects to the [[Meiji Emperor]], but responded with a petition that the status quo be maintained - that Ryûkyû be permitted to remain an independent kingdom, and that it be permitted to continue its [[tribute|tributary]] relationship with Qing China.

[[Matsuda Michiyuki]], official in charge of the ''shobun'', arrived in Ryûkyû in [[1877]], conveying various orders and commands that would overthrow the kingdom. A number of aristocrat-officials opposed these measures, forming a faction known as the [[Ganko-to|Ganko-tô]] ("Stubborn Party"), while others advocated a myriad of positions; the court was plunged into considerable debate and disagreement. Other officials, meanwhile, fled to China and petitioned the Qing Court to take action against Japan's takeover of the kingdom. All the while, Shô Tai supposedly fell seriously ill, and was confined to his sickbed; according to some historians, this illness was a ruse, or a false excuse, employed in order to delay or avoid the King having to go to Tokyo and formally submit to the Japanese emperor.

[[Matsuda Michiyuki]], official in charge of the ''shobun'', arrived in Ryûkyû in [[1877]], conveying various orders and commands that would overthrow the kingdom. A number of aristocrat-officials opposed these measures, forming a faction known as the [[Ganko-to|Ganko-tô]] ("Stubborn Party"), while others advocated a myriad of positions; the court was plunged into considerable debate and disagreement. Other officials, meanwhile, fled to China and petitioned the Qing Court to take action against Japan's takeover of the kingdom. All the while, Shô Tai supposedly fell seriously ill, and was confined to his sickbed; according to some historians, this illness was a ruse, or a false excuse, employed in order to delay or avoid the King having to go to Tokyo and formally submit to the Japanese emperor.

Shô Tai issued various orders, to go along with certain of the Japanese terms, but these were ignored by the members of the Ganko-tô, who sealed the gates to the palace and followed their own agenda; Kishaba Chôken is recorded as expressing that these officials were no longer acting in the interest of the kingdom, but were acting to protect their own personal power and wealth. Even so, their efforts proved fruitless, as Japan abolished the kingdom in [[1879]], establishing [[Okinawa prefecture]] in its place. Shô Tai handed over the palace, and departed for Tokyo along with his family, where he was granted a mansion, and named a Marquis (''kôshaku'') in the new ''[[kazoku]]'' system of peerage. Some years later, he would return to Okinawa for a few hundred days, as part of an effort to win over those members of the aristocracy who still opposed the Japanese takeover of the islands; but, other than this, he would never again return to Okinawa until his death in [[1901]] at age 59.

Shô Tai issued various orders, to go along with certain of the Japanese terms, but these were ignored by the members of the Ganko-tô, who sealed the gates to the palace and followed their own agenda; Kishaba Chôken is recorded as expressing that these officials were no longer acting in the interest of the kingdom, but were acting to protect their own personal power and wealth. Even so, their efforts proved fruitless, as Japan abolished the kingdom in [[1879]], establishing [[Okinawa prefecture]] in its place. Shô Tai handed over the palace, and departed for Tokyo along with his family, where he was granted a mansion, and named a Marquis (''kôshaku'') in the new ''[[kazoku]]'' system of peerage. Some years later, he would return to Okinawa for a few hundred days, as part of an effort to win over those members of the aristocracy who still opposed the Japanese takeover of the islands; but, other than this, he would never again return to Okinawa until his death in [[1901]] at age 59.

He was entombed alongside his predecessors in the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]]. His funeral would be one of the last Ryukyuan royal ceremonies to be performed in the traditional Ryukyuan manner; his son's funeral

He was entombed alongside his predecessors in the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]]. His funeral would be one of the last Ryukyuan royal ceremonies to be performed in the traditional Ryukyuan manner; his eldest son's funeral in 1920 would be the last. The spirit of Shô Tai is enshrined at a number of major shrines in Ryûkyû, including [[Naminoue Shrine]] and (formerly) [[Sogen-ji|Sôgen-ji]].

in 1920 would be the last. The spirit of Shô Tai is enshrined at a number of major shrines in Ryûkyû, including [[Naminoue Shrine]] and (formerly) [[Sogen-ji|Sôgen-ji]].

 

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