was a Ryukyuan Lord (

Aji Aji or AJI may refer to: Location *Aji (town), Tieling County, Liaoning, China *Aji Island, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan *Aji, Kagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan * Aji River (disambiguation), rivers with the same name Other * Aji (Go), a latent tr ...

)"Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")
Ryukyu Shimpo
(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009. of Yomitanzan and, later, Nakagusuku. He was also known as Seishun (盛春), and by the Chinese name Mao Guoding (毛國鼎, J: ''Mō Kokutei''). He supported

Shō Hashi was the last King of Chūzan and the first king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, uniting the three polities of Chūzan, Hokuzan, and Nanzan by conquest and ending the Sanzan period. Family * Father: Shishō * mother: daughter of Miiko * Wife: sister of I ...

, first king of the

Ryukyu Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...

, in his conquest of

Hokuzan , also known as before the 18th century, located in the north of Okinawa Island, was one of three independent political entities which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century during Sanzan period. The political entity was identified as a tiny co ...

and unification of

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...

. He committed suicide in 1458 during a battle with the Katsuren Aji,

Amawari {{nihongo, Amawari, 阿麻和利, , extra=d. 1458 was a Ryukyuan Lord (Aji) of Katsuren Castle, known for his ambitions for the throne of the Ryukyu Kingdom and scheme and attack against Gosamaru, Aji of Yomitanzan and Nakagusuku. Life Amawar ...

Life

Gosamaru was born in

Yamada Castle was a Ryukyuan gusuku during the Gusuku Period of Ryukyuan history. It is famous for being the birthplace of the Ryukyuan general Gosamaru."Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")Ryu ...

, in the village of

Onna Onna is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Its name comes from an acronym of the names of the four predominant clans in the area: Oniong, Nnung Ndem, Awa Afaha and Awa. Onna has a population of about 495,000 ...

."Gosamaru." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p29. He succeed his father as the Aji of Yomitanzan, and in 1416 he led the forces of Yomitanzan in support of Shō Hashi, king of the Okinawan kingdom of

Chūzan was one of three kingdoms which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century. Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire island, split into these three more so ...

, in his invasion and conquest of the neighboring kingdom of Hokuzan. Hashi would conquer the kingdom of

Nanzan Nanzan (), also known as Sannan (山南) before the 18th century, located in the south of Okinawa Island, was one of three independent political entities which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century. The political entity was identified as a tiny ...

to the south several years later, uniting Okinawa Island, ending the

Sanzan Period The is a period in the history of the Okinawa Islands when three lines of kings, namely , and , are said to have co-existed on Okinawa Island. It is said to have started during King Tamagusuku's reign (traditional dates: 1314–1336) and, accord ...

, and founding the unified

. In recognition of his support, Gosamaru was made custodian of Hokuzan, and given

Nakijin Castle is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' located in Nakijin, Okinawa. It is currently in ruins. In the late 14th century, the island of Okinawa consisted of three principalities: Nanzan to the south, Chūzan in the central area, and Hokuzan in the north. Na ...

, which had until then served as the royal seat of Hokuzan. Some time later, Gosamaru left Nakijin for Zakimi, where he built

Zakimi Castle is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' in Yomitan, Okinawa. It is in ruins, but the walls and foundations have been restored. In 2000, Zakimi Castle was designated as a World Heritage Site, as a part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom o ...

; it is said he mobilized workers from as far away as the

Amami Islands The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest o ...

for this project, and that stones were moved by hand from Yamada Castle to build the new castle. For many years, Gosamaru served the kingdom loyally, and developed ties with the royal family, his daughter marrying King

Shō Taikyū was a king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the sixth ruler of the first Shō dynasty. His reign saw the construction of many Buddhist temples, the casting of the , and the battle between the lords Gosamaru and Amawari. Life and reign Shō Taikyū was ...

. Upon the wishes of the king, he oversaw the construction of

Nakagusuku Castle is a ''gusuku'' in the village of Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa, Japan. It is one of a number of castles built on the island of Okinawa by the Ryukyu Kingdom now in ruins. The legendary Ryukyuan commander, Gosamaru, built the fortress in the early 1 ...

and established himself there, serving to watch over another local lord,

Katsuren Castle is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' in Uruma, Okinawa. In 2000, Katsuren Castle was designated as a World Heritage Site, as a part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. History Katsuren Castle was built on a large hill of ...

, who had grown powerful and wealthy from maritime trade and who had his eye on the throne.Okinawa G8 Summit Host Preparation Council. "Three Castles, Two Lords and a Ryukyuan Opera.
The Okinawa Summit 2000 Archives
. Accessed 25 July 2009. In 1458, however, Amawari reported to the king that it was Gosamaru who was planning a revolt, and so the kingdom's forces, led by Amawari, assaulted Nakagusuku Castle. It is said that Gosamaru refused to fight back, out of loyalty to the kingdom, and killed himself rather than betray his loyalties and oppose his king. Amawari was executed soon afterwards, his duplicity having been discovered by a note to the king which Gosamaru placed in his mouth, knowing Amawari would bring his head to present to the king. An alternate theory claims that the entire affair was organized by the royal government, in order to remove both Gosamaru and Amawari as powerful rivals and potential threats to the succession."Gosamaru-Amawari no hen." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")

(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.

In popular culture

The tale of Gosamaru's betrayal and destruction by Amawari is among the more famous and popular of local historical legends. A '' Kumi odori'' (narrative dance-play) telling of Gosamaru's sons' quest for revenge against Amawari, was once performed as part of the kingdom's formal entertainment of Chinese investiture envoys to Ryukyu, and has in more recent times become re-popular. Another version of events where Gosamaru plotted to take over the kingdom and was jealous of Amawari's growing power is presented in the play titled "Amawari."{{citation needed, date=February 2014 Tomb of gosamaru

References

1458 deaths Aji (Ryukyu) Year of birth unknown 15th-century Ryukyuan people