WI Muslim/christian Ryukyu Kingdom?

What would happen if the Ryukyu islands converted to islam or christianity, thanks to muslim or christian merchants? Would Japan still conquer it? Could a separated Ryukyu identity survive japanese assimilation policies?

 

Ryukyu would probably see themselves as too distinct from Japan to tolerate a continuous annexation. Even if Japan conquered them anyway, it's possible that they might eventually lose control of these islands like they did with all their other colonial possessions, like Korea and Taiwan.

 

Now I wonder if a muslim Ryukyu under continuos occupation (say in a no WWII scenario) would become similar to the moro region in the Philipines.

 

It's difficult to see the Ryukyus adopting Islam - too far from existing Islamic states or spheres of influence. I suppose it could happen through the great Chinese influence in the islands - maybe all the trade with China is monopolised by Moslem Chinese merchants. More likely is conversion to Christianity through Portuguese/Dutch/Spanish influence. The Spanish and Portuguese were certainly likely to send out missionaries. But I wonder if this might actually lead to an earlier Japanese conquest? The shogunate sees a Christian Ryukyu kingdom as an advance guard for Portuguese or Spanish imperialism, and as likely to interfere with and stir up the local lords in Kyushu, so invades and conquers it to prevent this.

 

What if some other area expels their Christian traders and they migrate to the Ryukyus?

 

It is near the OTL Muslim Bruneian expansion.

 

As kasumingex has explained before, a way for the Ryukyus to adopt Islam would be the Spanish never conquering the Philippines, leading to the conversion of the Philippines to Islam and, then, to Muslim traders and missionaries travelling further north, first, to Taiwan and, then, to the Ryukyus.

 

They don't need to pass to Taiwan, Luzon was trading with Ryukyu IOTL, they can put in missionaries there turning the Ryukyus gradually muslim.

 

Maybe a christian power uses and christianizes the Ryukyus as a jumping off point for operations against China

 

Late to this thread but I think a good POD for a Catholic Ryukyu Islands would be a successful Portuguese presence in Asia (this would require an earlier POD for this one) and that they intervene in the Satsuma Domain invasion of the islands in 1609 if it still happens, leading to the Satsuma being defeated and the Amami islands still part of the Ryukyu kingdom. From there the Portuguese would engage in diplomacy with the Ryukyu Kingdom and make it a protectorate after the Ming collapse and eventually, part of the Ultramar as the "Província Portuguesa de Ruchu"

Which brings into question, if the Ryukyus become a Portuguese colony would the Ryukyuans (given that most of them became Catholic with the given POD) become culturally Lusitanized like the Goan Catholics? Like adopting Portuguese culture and surnames and blending it with the local culture? I think given the far lower population than all of Japan and if I recall correctly, little strict moral guidelines they have unlike the Japanese (loyalty to the emperor, Amaterasu and that kind of stuff), they could be easily assimilated.

@kasumigenx @Joao97 @Lusitania

 

it is possible.

 

The invasion of Ryukyu in 1609 could of been the POD to which Portuguese got involved in the islands. The closing of japan and expulsion of Catholics could of resulted in the thousands of both catholic missionaries and Japanese refugees fleeing to the islands. Subsequent Portuguese trade with Macau leads to stronger Portuguese presence. The invasion by the satsuma clan is beaten back due to Portuguese presence, ships, weapons and soldiers.

A formal alliance is established and Portuguese presence is enhanced. Continued attacks by dutch snd Japanese plus Chinese pirates gradually results in the kingdom becoming a Portuguese protectorate and finally colony by 1750.

 

Bruneians can convert Ryukyu via Luzon due to the old trade routes, they did not have a chance to do that IOTL..