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Being a direct descendant of Shô Ikô, who Shô Shin worked to eliminate from the royal lineage, Shô Nei's accession to the throne inspired some considerable conflict at court. The circumstances surrounding his accession remain murky to historians still today, as he took the throne despite his predecessor, Shô Ei, having a younger brother, [[Sho Kyu|Shô Kyû]], who we might typically expect should have been next in the line of succession. Some historians have suggested that Shô Nei may have come to the throne due to factionalism at court, with an anti-Shimazu faction supporting Shô Nei against the pro-Shimazu policies of Shô Ei.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 212.</ref>

Being a direct descendant of Shô Ikô, who Shô Shin worked to eliminate from the royal lineage, Shô Nei's accession to the throne inspired some considerable conflict at court. The circumstances surrounding his accession remain murky to historians still today, as he took the throne despite his predecessor, Shô Ei, having a younger brother, [[Sho Kyu|Shô Kyû]], who we might typically expect should have been next in the line of succession. Some historians have suggested that Shô Nei may have come to the throne due to factionalism at court, with an anti-Shimazu faction supporting Shô Nei against the pro-Shimazu policies of Shô Ei.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 212.</ref>

The ''[[Kyuyo|Kyûyô]]'' suggests there was outright armed revolt against his taking the throne. According to that text, in [[1592]] Shô Nei responded to the uprising by dispatching [[Ikegusuku Anrai]] (Mô Hôgi) and [[Mabuni Anko|Mabuni Ankô]] (Kin Ôshô) to head a force to attack "the Jana family of Shuri Saishû." It is unclear exactly who, or where, this family was, but the kingdom's forces attacked the home with Chinese-style gunpowder weapons known as ''[[Firearms in Ryukyu|hyaa]]'' ("fire arrows") and ultimately defeated the Jana family forces.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 144.</ref>

The ''[[Kyuyo|Kyûyô]]'' suggests there was outright armed revolt against his taking the throne. According to that text, in [[1592]] Shô Nei responded to the uprising by dispatching [[Ikegusuku Anrai]] (Mô Hôgi) and [[Mabuni Anko|Mabuni Ankô]] (Kin Ôshô) to head a force to attack "the Jana family of Shuri Saishû." It is unclear exactly who, or where, this family was, but the kingdom's forces attacked the home with Chinese-style [[gunpowder]] weapons known as ''[[Firearms in Ryukyu|hyaa]]'' ("fire arrows") and ultimately defeated the Jana family forces.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 144.</ref>

Meanwhile, Japanese warlord [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] planned an [[Korean Invasions|invasion of Korea]]. Through messengers from Satsuma, he ordered in [[1591]] that the kingdom contribute warriors and food supplies to the invasion efforts; he also commanded that Ryûkyû temporarily suspend its official missions to China. The next scheduled [[tribute]] mission traveled to [[Beijing]] later that same year anyway, and related Hideyoshi's plans to Chinese Court officials in [[Fujian province]], if not in Beijing as well. A short while later, Shô Nei sent a missive to Hideyoshi, as was customary upon the installation of a new ruler. He formally congratulated Hideyoshi on having taken over Japan, and on bringing peace and prosperity to the realm, and sent along with the missive a gift of [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] [[lacquerware]]. The letter referred to Ryûkyû as a "small and humble island kingdom <nowiki>[which]</nowiki>, because of its great distance and because of lack of funds, has not rendered due reverence to you."<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing. p153.</ref> [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]], lord of Satsuma, then suggested that Ryûkyû be allowed to supply food and other supplies instead of manpower. Hideyoshi accepted this proposal, but Shô Nei sent supplies only at a later time, sending some food supplies in early [[1593]], and the rest that summer; Shimazu forces in Korea meanwhile suffered from a lack of supplies.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 215.</ref>

Meanwhile, Japanese warlord [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] planned an [[Korean Invasions|invasion of Korea]]. Through messengers from Satsuma, he ordered in [[1591]] that the kingdom contribute warriors and food supplies to the invasion efforts; he also commanded that Ryûkyû temporarily suspend its official missions to China. The next scheduled [[tribute]] mission traveled to [[Beijing]] later that same year anyway, and related Hideyoshi's plans to Chinese Court officials in [[Fujian province]], if not in Beijing as well. A short while later, Shô Nei sent a missive to Hideyoshi, as was customary upon the installation of a new ruler. He formally congratulated Hideyoshi on having taken over Japan, and on bringing peace and prosperity to the realm, and sent along with the missive a gift of [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] [[lacquerware]]. The letter referred to Ryûkyû as a "small and humble island kingdom <nowiki>[which]</nowiki>, because of its great distance and because of lack of funds, has not rendered due reverence to you."<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing. p153.</ref> [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]], lord of Satsuma, then suggested that Ryûkyû be allowed to supply food and other supplies instead of manpower. Hideyoshi accepted this proposal, but Shô Nei sent supplies only at a later time, sending some food supplies in early [[1593]], and the rest that summer; Shimazu forces in Korea meanwhile suffered from a lack of supplies.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 215.</ref>