Shō Shin
The "noro" became more priestess than queen, though they still possessed some measure of political influence, as they eventually came to wield royally sanctioned religious authority through appointments first begun by the [[History of Ryukyu Islands|Ryūkyū king]] [[Shō Shin]] (Kerr 110). These appointments were primarily from local powerful families, to serve at their local sacred sites throughout the main island of Okinawa; this system of appointment also served [[Miyako-jima|Miyako Island]] and the [[Yaeyama Islands]]. The system was an attempt to bring under royal control the autonomous centers of power that were the "noro" priestesses. The association of the "noro" with political power persisted even until the late 19th century in the outer islands (Kerr 32).