Shō Kō
King of Ryūkyū
About Shō Kō
Lived 1787 – 1834 (aged 46). Shō Kō was a king.
(14 July 1787 – 5 July 1834) was a king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, who held the throne from 1804 to 1828, when he was forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Shō Iku. This was only the second time in the history of the kingdom that a king abdicated; the 1477 abdication of Shō Sen'i was the first.
Life It is said that towards the end of his reign, Shō Kō's "behavior became strange, unbalanced, and unpredictable." If this were the case, perhaps the Sanshikan feared that such action was too radical, and too risky, and felt the need to prevent the king from going through with it.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Shō Kō's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Shō Kō's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Shō Kō?
King of Ryūkyū
When was Shō Kō born?
Shō Kō was born on 14 July 1787.
When did Shō Kō die?
Shō Kō died on 5 July 1834.
What was Shō Kō's occupation?
Shō Kō was a king.
What nationality was Shō Kō?
Shō Kō's recorded nationality: Ryukyu Kingdom.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shō Kō. https://biography.guide/sho-ko/
MLA: "Shō Kō." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sho-ko/.
Chicago: "Shō Kō." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sho-ko/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:04 UTC