Ryukyu Kingdom

Ryukyu Kingdom 琉球國 Ruuchuu-kuku
1429–1879
Royal crest
Anthem: "Ishinagu nu uta" (石なぐの歌)[1][better source needed]
Royal seal:
The Ryukyu Kingdom at its maximum extent (present-day Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami Islands)
Status	Tributary state of the Ming dynasty (1429–1644) Tributary state of Southern Ming (1644–1646)[2] Tributary state of the Qing dynasty (1646–1875) Vassal state of Satsuma Domain (1609–1872) Vassal state of the Empire of Japan (1872–1879)
Capital	Shuri
Common languages	Ryukyuan languages (indigenous), Classical Chinese, Classical Japanese
Religion	Ryukyuan religion (State Religion), Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism
Demonym(s)	Ryukyuan
Government	Monarchy
King (國王)
• 1429–1439	Shō Hashi
• 1477–1526	Shō Shin
• 1587–1620	Shō Nei
• 1848–1879	Shō Tai
Sessei (摂政)
• 1666–1673	Shō Shōken
Regent (國師)
• 1751–1752	Sai On
Legislature	Shuri cabinet (首里王府), Sanshikan (三司官)
History
• Unification	1429
• Satsuma invasion	5 April 1609
• Reorganized into Ryukyu Domain	1872
• Annexed by Japan	27 March 1879
Currency	Ryukyuan, Chinese, and Japanese mon coins[3]
Preceded by Succeeded by Hokuzan Chūzan Nanzan Empire of Japan Satsuma Domain Ryukyu Domain
Today part of	Japan

History of Ryukyu
Periods Prehistoric pre–14,000 BC Early Shell Mound 14,000–300 BC Middle Shell Mound 300 BC–750 AD Late Shell Mound 750–1187 Gusuku period 1187–1314 Tenson dynasty 16616 BC?– 1186 AD? Shunten dynasty 1187?– 1259? Eiso dynasty 1260?– 1349 Sanzan 1314–1429 Hokuzan 1314?–1416 Chūzan 1314?–1429 Nanzan 1314?–1429 Ryukyu Kingdom 1429–1879 First Shō dynasty 1429–1469 Second Shō dynasty 1469–1879 Satsuma Invasion 1609 Ryukyu Domain 1872–1879 Japanese Annexation 1879 Meiji 1879–1912 Taishō 1912–1926 Pre-World War II 1926–1945 Militarism Battle of Okinawa 1945 U. S. administration 1945–1972 Military Government 1945–1950 Civil Administration 1950–1972 Government 1952–1972 Tokara Reversion 1952 Amami Reversion 1953 Koza riot 1970 Okinawa Reversion Agreement 1971 Okinawa Reversion 1972 Okinawa Prefecture 1972–present Kagoshima Prefecture 1953–present
Topics Missions to Imperial China Missions from Imperial China Missions to Joseon Missions from Joseon Missions to Edo Independence movement
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The Ryukyu Kingdom^[a] was a kingdom in the Ryukyu Islands from 1429 to 1879. It was ruled as a tributary state of imperial Ming China by the Ryukyuan monarchy, who unified Okinawa Island to end the Sanzan period, and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands and Sakishima Islands. The Ryukyu Kingdom played a central role in the maritime trade networks of medieval East Asia and Southeast Asia despite its small size. The Ryukyu Kingdom became a vassal state of the Satsuma Domain of Japan after the invasion of Ryukyu in 1609 but retained de jure independence until it was transformed into the Ryukyu Domain by the Empire of Japan in 1872.^[b] The Ryukyu Kingdom was formally annexed and dissolved by Japan in 1879 to form Okinawa Prefecture, and the Ryukyuan monarchy was integrated into the new Japanese nobility.

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