Chūzan

Chūzan (Japanese中山, dt " Central Mountain " ) was one of the three kingdoms, which controlled the island of Okinawa during the Yong Jiang - time in the 14th and early 15th centuries. The island was divided into numerous chiefdoms and small kingdoms that make up made ​​out in the years from 1314 three major kingdoms. These were in addition to Chūzan the realms Nanzan and Hokuzan. Chūzan could gain control over Hokuzan and 1429 over Nanzan in 1416 and so united the island. In the same year King Shō Hashi of Chūzan founded the Kingdom of Ryukyu.

History

Prior to founding Chūzans the rulers subordinate to Okinawa to loose a supreme prince of Okinawa. After the death of Prince Eiji in 1313 his son Tamagusuku took office. However Tamagusuku did not manage to bring all the princes to look at him as the legitimate ruler, so that it came almost immediately to rebellions against him. Therefore, he called in 1314 of its future capital Urasoe from the Kingdom of Chūzan. Several princes fled with their followers in the north and south of the island and brought the local areas under their control. So finally formed in 1322, the Kingdom Hokuzan in the north and in 1337 the Kingdom of Nanzan in the south of the island. Although the island was now divided into three kingdoms, however, managed the rulers of the Three Kingdoms, establishing itself as the undisputed kings against the other tribal leaders, so that Okinawa was united for the first time more or less central.

Tamagusuku died in 1336, even before the founding of Nanzan and was succeeded by his then ten- year-old son Seii. His mother took the time being for her son the regency, but gave himself is a bad manager and angered many potential supporters of her son. Even after Seii himself had taken over the business of government, he could not recover for the power. He was sometime 1349-1355 by the masters of the city Urasoe, Satto, deposed and killed. Under the reign of King Satto was the port of NAFA, which was already important for the ever-increasing maritime trade in the region, continued to expand, making the kingdom was able to generate a great advantage over Nanzan and Hokuzan itself. Due to the growing importance Chūzans for trade Satto managed to make his kingdom was incorporated in 1372 as the first in the tribute system of China's Ming Dynasty, which allowed an official trade with the Empire. Although Nanzan and Hokuzan were also later included in the system, but they could only 19 and nine missions to China Send Chūzan during the same period, 52 legations sent to action in the Empire.

Over the following years of contact with China was widely extended. Chūzans inhabitants were sent to study in China and Chinese teachers and traders arrived in the kingdom. For this the district Kumemura was founded in NAFA. That soon the cultural center of the kingdom developed.

In 1406 Sattos successor Bunei reached a special honor. After the death of the Chinese Emperor Hongwu in 1398 sent all three kingdoms Ambassador to Nanjing who asked for their rulers asked to be officially recognized as king. Hongwu had this been denied because there was only one ruler on Okinawa for him. The request was not until 1406 answered when a Chinese delegation came to Chūzan and Bunei officially recognized from the king. Although the King of Nanzan in 1415 has also been formally recognized, but he could not beat a more profit from this, the imminent end of his kingdom.

Although the rule Buneis was crowned with success, but he was able to keep the princes of his country can not effectively control. So it was in 1407 to a rebellion of Prince Hashi, the Bunei deposed and killed and his father Shisho installed on the throne. In 1416 Hashi took advantage of internal strife in the kingdom Hokuzan to conquer it and incorporate his kingdom. After the death of his father in 1421 he ascended the throne himself, and set his brother as powerless governor in Hokuzan one. In the following years he and his family from the Ming received the official dynastic name Shang (尚, Shō in Japanese and ryūkyūisch ) which was then carried before the name of the respective rulers. In 1429, finally took Shō Hashi disputes about the succession in the kingdom of Nanzan to occupy it and incorporate his kingdom. After Okinawa so united, he cried out in the same year of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.