Person

Shō En

1415–1476 · 15th century · Also known as Kanemaru, Sho En

Shō En, born Kanemaru, was the founder of the Second Shō dynasty of the Ryukyu Kingdom. A man of humble origins from Izena Island, he rose to become royal treasurer, and after the death of King Shō Toku in 1469 he was chosen king, reigning from 1470 to 1476. His dynasty ruled Ryukyu until 1879, and his son Shō Shin brought the kingdom to its height.

Shō En
Image: Sho Genko, 1748-1841 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 profile

Ryukyu KingdomFoundation, Summary

Mentioned in 1 state history

Ryukyu Kingdom

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Shō En. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sho-en
MLA
“Shō En.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sho-en. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Shō En.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sho-en.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Shō En’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sho-en (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻