Topic summary
Kingdom of Ryukyu
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Ryukyu Kingdom.
Invasion of neighbouring islands and the Amami islands
In 1429, during the reign of King Shō Hashi, Ryukyu invaded Okinoerabu Island and Yoron Island. This was the first stage of Ryukyu's southward expansion policy (南下政策) beyond Okinawa Island. In 1447, King Shō Shitatsu conquered Amami Oshima. In 1466, King Shō Toku attacked Kikai Island on two occasions. Despite fierce resistance from the islanders, which resulted in heavy casualties, the island was ultimately brought under the control of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. King Shō Toku himself led 2,000 soldiers in large-scale military operations, but the cost of the war fuelled domestic discontent. The Amami Islands, along with the other Nansei Islands, became part of the Ryukyu Kingdom's territory from the Muromachi period onwards.