Changes

Succession disputes which broke out following the death of King [[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]] in [[1453]] led to the destruction of the palace buildings at that time, and the loss of many artifacts including silver seals granted the kings of Ryûkyû by the Hongwu Emperor as signs of authority<ref>Kerr. p97.</ref>. The castle was rebuilt shortly afterward.

Succession disputes which broke out following the death of King [[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]] in [[1453]] led to the destruction of the palace buildings at that time, and the loss of many artifacts including silver seals granted the kings of Ryûkyû by the Hongwu Emperor as signs of authority<ref>Kerr. p97.</ref>. The castle was rebuilt shortly afterward.

The reigns of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] (r. 1477-1526) and [[Sho Sei (1497-1555)|Shô Sei]] (r. 1527-1555) saw considerable renovation and expansion of the castle, including the construction or expansion of the outer ring of stone walls, addition of the stone dragon pillars ([[1508]]) at the entrance to the Seiden,<ref>Though some sources have indicated there was confusion, during the reconstruction of the palace in the 1990s as to which direction the dragons should face, pre-war photos clearly show the dragons facing inwards, towards the staircase and towards one another. Kikuchi Yuko, ''Japanese Modernisation and Mingei Theory'', Routledge Curzon (2004), 146. In the end, today, they once again stand facing one another.</ref> and the construction of a number of temples and secondary buildings outside the castle complex proper, including the royal mausoleum of [[Tamaudun]], completed in [[1501]]<ref name=Kerr109>Kerr. p109.</ref>. The castle would remain through the centuries largely in the form it took at this time<ref name=chanpuru>Kadekawa, Manabu. ''Okinawa Chanpurû Jiten'' (沖縄チャンプルー事典, "Okinawa Champloo Encyclopedia"). Tokyo: Yamakei Publishing, 2001. p54.</ref>.

The reigns of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] (r. 1477-1526) and [[Sho Sei (1497-1555)|Shô Sei]] (r. 1527-1555) saw considerable renovation and expansion of the castle, including the construction or expansion of the outer ring of stone walls in [[1544]]-[[1546]], addition of the stone dragon pillars at the entrance to the Seiden in [[1508]],<ref>Though some sources have indicated there was confusion, during the reconstruction of the palace in the 1990s as to which direction the dragons should face, pre-war photos clearly show the dragons facing inwards, towards the staircase and towards one another. Kikuchi Yuko, ''Japanese Modernisation and Mingei Theory'', Routledge Curzon (2004), 146. In the end, today, they once again stand facing one another.</ref> and the construction of a number of temples and secondary buildings outside the castle complex proper, including the royal mausoleum of [[Tamaudun]], completed in [[1501]]<ref name=Kerr109>Kerr. p109.</ref>. The castle would remain through the centuries largely in the form it took at this time<ref name=chanpuru>Kadekawa, Manabu. ''Okinawa Chanpurû Jiten'' (沖縄チャンプルー事典, "Okinawa Champloo Encyclopedia"). Tokyo: Yamakei Publishing, 2001. p54.</ref>.

It was famously sieged in [[1609]], when [[invasion of Ryukyu|the kingdom fell]] to forces of the [[Shimazu clan]] of [[Satsuma han]]. Ryukyuan defenses fell quickly to the samurai invaders, who entered the castle on 1609/4/3; King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] surrendered two days later. The castle was looted: many artifacts and documents were stolen or destroyed, and the king was taken hostage along with the queen, crown prince, and a great many government advisors and officials. Shô Nei was allowed to return to Shuri, however, in [[1611]], and to resume governance of the kingdom, under the watchful eye and strict guidelines of Satsuma; Shuri castle remained the center of governance until the abolition of the kingdom in [[1879]].

It was famously sieged in [[1609]], when [[invasion of Ryukyu|the kingdom fell]] to forces of the [[Shimazu clan]] of [[Satsuma han]]. Ryukyuan defenses fell quickly to the samurai invaders, who entered the castle on 1609/4/3; King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] surrendered two days later. The castle was looted: many artifacts and documents were stolen or destroyed, and the king was taken hostage along with the queen, crown prince, and a great many government advisors and officials. Shô Nei was allowed to return to Shuri, however, in [[1611]], and to resume governance of the kingdom, under the watchful eye and strict guidelines of Satsuma; Shuri castle remained the center of governance until the abolition of the kingdom in [[1879]].