Shō En

Shō En (1415 – 28 July 1476), born Kanemaru (金丸), was king of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1470 to 1476. The official histories of the kingdom place his birth on Izena Island, although nothing is known concretely about his origins or family. Later folk tradition in the kingdom traced him to the mythical Shunten dynasty. He is said to have settled in northern Okinawa around the 1440s after a water dispute on his home island, eventually settling in Shuri and serving as a retainer for Shō Taikyū, the Prince of Goeku. Taikyū became king in 1454 and appointed Kanemaru as his treasurer, granting him lordship over Uchima. Shō Toku succeeded his father after his death in 1460. The official histories depict Toku as a cruel ruler who forced Kanemaru into seclusion. Kanemaru was chosen to succeed him after Toku's death in 1470, killing Toku's surviving family and taking the regnal name Shō En.

Shō En's reign saw diplomatic and trade difficulties with Japan and China. The Ming dynasty restricted the size and frequency of Ryukyuan tribute missions after emissaries were alleged to have attacked and looted a Chinese household. The outbreak of the Ōnin War in Japan led to widespread piracy, making it unsafe for Ryukyuan ships to travel to the port of Sakai, although the kingdom continued to expand its trade network in Kyushu and the surrounding islands. Shō En died in 1476, initially succeeded by his younger brother Shō Sen'i. Sen'i's reign only lasted six months before his resignation, possibly due to a coup d'état launched by Queen Ogiyaka, and En's son Shō Shin became king. Shō En's descendants, the Second Shō dynasty, would rule the Ryukyu kingdom for over four centuries.