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*''Born: [[1166]]''
*''Died: [[1237]]''
*''Other Names'': 尊敦 ''(Sonton)''
*''Japanese'': 舜天 ''(Shunten)''
Shunten is the earliest "king"<ref>Though all chief leaders of Okinawa beginning with Shunten are commonly referred to by the title of "King", historian [[George Kerr]] points out that "it is misleading to attribute full-fledged 'kingship' to an Okinawan chief in these early centuries... distinctly individual leadership exercised through force of personality or preeminent skill in arms or political shrewdness was only slowly replaced by formal institutions of government - laws and ceremonies - supported and strengthened by a developing respect for the royal office" (Kerr, 52).</ref> of [[Okinawa]] for whom a name is known. He is said to have taken power after defeating a usurper to the throne by the name of [[Riyu|Riyû]] who had overthrown the 25th king of the [[Tenson Dynasty]]<ref name=jinmei>"Shunten." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p38.</ref>.
Known as Sonton prior to becoming king, at the age of 15 he became lord (''[[anji]]'') of [[Urasoe]]; in [[1187]], he overthrew Riyû and established his royal seat of power at [[Urasoe castle]], marking the beginning of a new dynasty of rulers<ref name=jinmei/>.
There are legends which state that Shunten was the son of [[Minamoto no Tametomo]], who had been exiled to [[Izu Oshima|Izu Ôshima]] following his defeat in the [[Hogen Rebellion|Hôgen Rebellion]]. According to this theory, Tametomo then became lost at sea some time later, arriving on Okinawa, settling down with the sister of the ''anji'' of [[Ozato|Ôzato]], and siring Shunten<ref name=jinmei/>. Most historians today, however, discount this entire story as a later invention, a piece of a revisionist history intended to legitimize Japanese domination over Okinawa and/or Okinawan membership in the Japanese nation.
Shunten died in 1237 and was succeeded by his son [[Shunbajunki]]. He is buried at [[Urasoe yodore|Urasoe yôdore]], and enshrined at [[Naminoue Shrine]] along with three other Ryukyuan kings<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Revised Edition. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p452.</ref>.
Shunten's dynasty ended in the third generation when his grandson [[Gihon]] abdicated, went into exile, and was succeeded by [[Eiso]], who began a new royal lineage.
==References==
<references/>
<center>
{| border="3" align="center"
|- align="center"
|width="32%"|Preceded by:<br>'''[[Tenson Dynasty]]'''
|width="35%"|'''"King" of [[Okinawa]]'''<br> 1187-1237
|width="32%"|Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Shunbajunki]]'''
|}
</center>
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Kamakura Period]]
*''Died: [[1237]]''
*''Other Names'': 尊敦 ''(Sonton)''
*''Japanese'': 舜天 ''(Shunten)''
Shunten is the earliest "king"<ref>Though all chief leaders of Okinawa beginning with Shunten are commonly referred to by the title of "King", historian [[George Kerr]] points out that "it is misleading to attribute full-fledged 'kingship' to an Okinawan chief in these early centuries... distinctly individual leadership exercised through force of personality or preeminent skill in arms or political shrewdness was only slowly replaced by formal institutions of government - laws and ceremonies - supported and strengthened by a developing respect for the royal office" (Kerr, 52).</ref> of [[Okinawa]] for whom a name is known. He is said to have taken power after defeating a usurper to the throne by the name of [[Riyu|Riyû]] who had overthrown the 25th king of the [[Tenson Dynasty]]<ref name=jinmei>"Shunten." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p38.</ref>.
Known as Sonton prior to becoming king, at the age of 15 he became lord (''[[anji]]'') of [[Urasoe]]; in [[1187]], he overthrew Riyû and established his royal seat of power at [[Urasoe castle]], marking the beginning of a new dynasty of rulers<ref name=jinmei/>.
There are legends which state that Shunten was the son of [[Minamoto no Tametomo]], who had been exiled to [[Izu Oshima|Izu Ôshima]] following his defeat in the [[Hogen Rebellion|Hôgen Rebellion]]. According to this theory, Tametomo then became lost at sea some time later, arriving on Okinawa, settling down with the sister of the ''anji'' of [[Ozato|Ôzato]], and siring Shunten<ref name=jinmei/>. Most historians today, however, discount this entire story as a later invention, a piece of a revisionist history intended to legitimize Japanese domination over Okinawa and/or Okinawan membership in the Japanese nation.
Shunten died in 1237 and was succeeded by his son [[Shunbajunki]]. He is buried at [[Urasoe yodore|Urasoe yôdore]], and enshrined at [[Naminoue Shrine]] along with three other Ryukyuan kings<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Revised Edition. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p452.</ref>.
Shunten's dynasty ended in the third generation when his grandson [[Gihon]] abdicated, went into exile, and was succeeded by [[Eiso]], who began a new royal lineage.
==References==
<references/>
<center>
{| border="3" align="center"
|- align="center"
|width="32%"|Preceded by:<br>'''[[Tenson Dynasty]]'''
|width="35%"|'''"King" of [[Okinawa]]'''<br> 1187-1237
|width="32%"|Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Shunbajunki]]'''
|}
</center>
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Kamakura Period]]