Minye Kyawswa I of Ava
Minye Kyawswa I of Ava ဆင်ဖြူရှင် မင်းရဲကျော်စွာကြီး | |
---|---|
Theravada Buddhism |
Minye Kyawswa I of Ava (
His reign marked Ava's first attempt to forcefully reclaim the former vassal states that it had lost since the mid-1420s. As king, Minye Kyawswa implemented a more aggressive policy against the rebel states, which he had advocated for since his days as
Early life
The future king was the eldest child of a minor noble family of
Thado's rebellion
His small town life ended in February 1426.
On 20 May 1426, Thado formally ascended the throne, and made his eldest son
Crown prince years
Throughout his father's 13-year reign, Minye Kyawswa would prove a loyal deputy albeit with policy differences. The
It was not an isolated incident. The crown prince could not get his father to take a harder stance against Prince Minye Kyawhtin either. Although the second-most senior prince of the previous dynasty had never renounced his claim to the Ava throne, and by 1427 had occupied Pinle, only 70 km away from the capital,[14][15] Thado was unwilling to send the full force against the prince, grandson of his deceased lord, King Minkhaung. Indeed, Thado had even freed the prince back in August 1426, only to see him revolt again just a few months later.[12] Even when Thado finally authorized Minye Kyawswa to lead an expedition to Pinle in late 1428, he gave his son just a small force (1500 troops, 300 cavalry, and 20 elephants). The crown prince dutifully went on to laid siege to the fortified town but the outcome was never in doubt; he had to withdraw after three months, in early 1429.[16]
Minye Kyawswa would not get another chance for the next four years. By then, his father had essentially abandoned the reunification project; turned to religion; and began devoting much of the kingdom's resources on building Buddhist stupas and monasteries. (In all, Thado would build a total of 27 new pagodas, temples and monasteries, including one at Rajagaha (ရာဇဂြိုဟ်) in India during his reign. According to a preliminary calculation by Michael Aung-Thwin, the 27 projects may have cost the royal treasury, 1.62 million kyats (ticals) of silver, "not including the usual endowments of people and land for their subsequent upkeep."[17]) In 1431, Thado formally ceded the southernmost districts of Tharrawaddy and Paungde to King Binnya Ran I of Hanthawaddy Pegu without putting up a fight.[18] In late 1433, Minye Kyawswa managed to get his father's permission to lead an expedition to Pinle and other southeastern states in revolt. Although his army was larger (5000 infantry, 300 cavalry and 120 elephants), it still was not enough to take any rebel-held town. He again came back empty handed in early 1434.[19][20]
The failed campaign was the last one Thado would authorize. Over the next five years, the king continued to focus on his pagoda building spree, and little else. Even when Pegu openly seized Toungoo in 1436,[21] his response was not to launch a punitive campaign but to order a recalibration of the Burmese calendar, over the objection of the court.[22][23]
Reign
Thado died in April 1439, and Minye Kyawswa succeeded without incident.
The following major former vassal states remained out of Ava's orbit:[25][26]
Region | Ruler | Notes |
---|---|---|
Pinle | Minye Kyawhtin | Backed by Le Than Bwa of Onbaung |
Onbaung | Le Than Bwa | In revolt and supporter of Minye Kyawhtin since 1426 |
Toungoo (Taungoo) | Saw Oo II of Toungoo | In revolt 1426–1436 / vassal of Hanthawaddy 1436–1441 |
Taungdwin
|
Thihapate III of Taungdwin | In revolt since 1426 |
Yat Sauk Naung Mun | unnamed | Occupies Yamethin in 1433 |
Kale (Kalay) | unnamed | |
Mohnyin | unnamed | Vassal of Mogaung since 1427 |
Mogaung | Tho Ngan Bwa of Mogaung (Si Renfa in Chinese) |
In revolt since 1427 |
The new king immediately instituted a policy to reclaim the rebel states. (Chronicles attribute this urgency to the two competing prophecies given by the court astrologers at his accession. The story goes that all but one predicted that the new king would reign three years while a lone astrologer predicted that the new king would conquer three (unspecified) countries; Minye Kyawswa is said to have preferred the lone astrologer's prophecy.
His first target was not his nemesis Minye Kyawhtin at Pinle, just 70 km away from Ava, but his birthplace Mohnyin by the Chinese border, some 400 km away. It was entirely an opportunistic decision. Mohnyin's overlord
In 1440, Minye Kyawswa launched a campaign to conquer the southeastern states. But with the northern front was still in a stalemate, he could allocate only a smaller army (7000 men, 400 cavalry, 20 elephants) to the operation, which was led by his uncle
In the next dry season, Minye Kyawswa reopened the northern front, ordering an attack on Mogaung. (The
Aftermath
Minye Kyawswa did not leave a male heir. In fact, he had only one daughter,
Legacy
Minye Kyawswa's legacy was his policy to restore Ava's former borders. In a marked change from his father's policy, Minye Kyawswa used Ava's still considerable resources to expand his authority outside the core narrow zone he inherited. His goals of reestablishing a "miniature Pagan" were reflected in a 1440 inscription from his reign, which according to Aung-Thwin "used, perhaps for the first time, amyo-tha [အမျိုးသား] ("sons of the race, or countrymen") as a reference to the people in the Kingdom of Ava. Although it was likely a reference mainly to the dominant Burmese speakers of the kingdom, the context also suggests that it included many who were not originally born Burmese speakers, but belonged to other ethnolinguistic groups, who had become "citizens" of the kingdom."[37] In all, in his short reign of less than three years, Minye Kyawswa successfully had brought four key vassal states (Mohnyin, Kale, Taungdwin and Toungoo) back into the fold, and begun the eventual capture of Mogaung, which was achieved shortly after his death. His expansionist policy would be continued by his brother under whose reign Ava reached its "apogee".[3]
Administration
Minye Kyawswa kept his father's court led by Chief Minister
Vassal state | Region | Ruler (duration in office) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Pagan (Bagan) | Core | Einda Thiri (c. 1434–?) | His youngest sister Saw Hla Htut |
Pakhan
|
Core | Thihapate I and Shin Hla Myat (1429–1450/51) | Shin Hla Myat, his older younger sister, and her husband Thihapate were co-governors.[38] |
Pyinzi | Core | Thiri Zeya Thura the younger (1434–1442?) | His first cousin and brother-in-law[39] |
Sagaing | Core | Yazathingyan (1413–1450)
|
[40][41] |
Singu | Central-North | Baya Gamani (1412–1426, 1427–c. 1450) | Older brother of Yazathingyan[42] |
Myedu | Central-North | Nawrahta I (1429–?) | His paternal younger uncle, and Commandant of the Northern Cavalry[24] |
Prome (Pyay) | South | Thihathu III of Prome (1429–1442) | His younger brother |
Toungoo (Taungoo) | Southeast | Tarabya (1441–1446) | [29] |
Taungdwin
|
Southeast | Thiri Zeya Thura the younger (1441–1470s) | Still governor of Taungdwin in 1471/72[43] Also governor of Toungoo (1459–1466); [44] |
Kale (Kalay) | Northwest | Thiri Zeya Thura the younger (1439–1450/51) | [45] |
Mohnyin | North | Thihapate (1439–1450/51) | [29] |
List of military campaigns
The following is a list of military campaigns in which he went to the front per the royal chronicles. The campaigns which he ordered as king but did not go to the front are not included.
Military Campaigns of Minye Kyawswa I | |||
---|---|---|---|
Campaign | Period | Troops commanded | Summary |
Revolt against King Nyo | 1426 | unknown | He and his brother captured the Thissein garrison. The brothers led a regiment that blocked the eastern route out of Ava.[6][46] |
Battle of Pakhan against Tarabya II of Pakhan | 1426 | 1 regiment | Commanded one regiment (1000 infantry, 150 cavalry, 10 elephants)[47] |
Siege of Pinle | 1428–1429 | 5 battalions | Led a force of 1500 infantry, 300 cavalry, and 20 elephants against the fortified town of Pinle held by Prince Minye Kyawhtin[48][16] |
Pinle, Yamethin, Taungdwin | 1433–1434 | 5 regiments | Led an army of 5000 infantry, 300 cavalry and 20 elephants. Failed to take a single rebel town.[20] |
Historiography
The main chronicles all say that the king was an able leader who possessed good martial abilities but was also short-tempered.[30] But with regard to the key events of his life, various chronicles provide different information. In particular, the earlier chronicles the Zatadawbon Yazawin and Maha Yazawin erroneously say the king was born in 1401; the date was corrected to 1410/1411 in the later chronicles.
Source | Birth–Death | Age | Reign | Length of reign | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zatadawbon Yazawin (List of Kings of Ava Section) | c. 30 June 1401 – 1441/42 Thursday born |
39 (40th year) |
1438/39 – 1441/42 | 3 | [note 11] |
Zatadawbon Yazawin (Horoscopes Section) | c. 15 December 1401 [sic] – 1441/42 Thursday born |
1438 – 1441/42 | [note 12] | ||
Maha Yazawin | c. 1401 [sic] – December 1441/January 1442 Thursday born |
1439 – December 1441/January 1442 | [note 13] | ||
Yazawin Thit | 1410/11 – 1441/42 Thursday born |
29 (30th year) [sic] |
1439 – 1441/42 [early 1442 (late 803 ME) death implied] |
[note 14] | |
Hmannan Yazawin | 1410/11 – December 1441/January 1442 Thursday born |
31 (32nd year) |
1439 – December 1441/January 1442 | [note 15] |
Ancestry
The king was descended from a distant branch of the Pinya and Pagan royal lines from his father side, and from the maternal line, a two times great grandchild of King Thihathu of Pinya.
Ancestry of King Minye Kyawswa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notes
- ^ The c. December 1410 date is based on the king's horoscope as given in (Zata 1960: 76) but using the year (772 ME) given in (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 284) and (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 81). A Thursday in the 10th month of 772 ME = (27 November 4 December, 11 December 18 December 1410).
In all, various chronicles provide different dates for his date of birth. The 17th century Zatadawbon Yazawin chronicle alone contains two different dates in two different sections: (Zata 1906: 46): one Thursday in the 4th month [First Waso] of 763 ME (i.e. 16 June 23 June, 30 June or 7 July 1401); and (Zata 1906: 76): Born on a Thursday in the 10th month of 763 ME (1401/02) (8, 15, 22, 29 December 1401). The Maha Yazawin chronicle (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 73–74) gives c. 1401 as the birth date.
The Yazawin Thit chronicle (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 284) corrects the prior chronicles' date of birth for the king by citing the frescoes at the Golden Monastery (Shwe Kyaung) in Pagan donated by Minye Kyawswa's mother, which says that his parents were married in 771 ME (30 March 1409 – 29 March 1410), and he was born in 772 ME (30 March 1410 – 29 March 1411). The Hmannan Yazawin (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 81) accepts Yazawin Thit's correction. - Buddhist Lent(which ended on 23 September 1409), the events most probably took place in March.
- Shin Hla Myat and Shin Hla Htut.
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 271) and (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 59): Tabaung 787 ME = 6 February 1426 to 7 March 1426
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 272): Thursday, the 10th waxing of Nayon 788 ME = Wednesday, 15 May 1426. The editors of the chronicle (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 272, footnote 3) accept Thursday, 16 May 1426.
- ^ (Aung-Thwin 2017: 88–89, 323, citing (SMK Vol. 5 1998: 4)): The main chronicles and a contemporary inscription (SMK Vol. 5 1998: 4) say King Minye Kyawswa ascended the throne in 801 ME (30 March 1439 to 29 March 1440), an (Arthein [Asvini] Year). The chronicles (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 61, 72) and (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 61, 76) say King Thado died as his reign was about to turn 13, having come to power in the waxing half of Nayon of 788 ME. Thus, the latest Thado could have died would be the last waxing day of Nayon 801 ME (26 April 1439), and Minye Kyawswa would have been king by 26 April 1439.
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 284) and (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 80): He built no pagodas or stupas but three monasteries during his reign.
- ^ He likely died in January 1442. The chronicles Maha Yazawin (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 74) and Hmannan Yazawin (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 80) say King Minye Kyawswa died in Tabodwe 803 ME (12 December 1441 to 10 January 1442); however, the two chronicles' narrative on the selection of the next king by the court suggests Minye Kyawswa most probably died in late Tabodwe (early January 1442). The Yazawin Thit chronicle (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 283) does not mention Tabodwe or any specific month at all; its subsequent narrative (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 284–285) says after a brief search by the court, the next king, Narapati, arrived at Ava at the beginning of Late Kason 803 ME (11 March 1442), suggesting a more recent death, perhaps even later than January 1442, of King Minye Kyawswa.
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 2 2012: 284): Beginning of the month of Late Kason, 803 ME = Sunday, 11 March 1442
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 285, and footnote 2): Date of coronation (Friday, 12th waning of Kason 804 ME) per a contemporary inscription at the Htupayon Pagoda founded by the king himself. The editors of the 1798 Yazawin Thit chronicle (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 285, footnote 1) translated the date as 6 May 1442 which was a Sunday, not Friday as per the inscription. The reason for this error seems to be that the editors treated the previous year 803 ME as a great leap year, which added a leap day and a leap month. If 803 ME was a regular year, then the inscription date (Friday, 12th waning of Kason 804 ME) correctly translates to Friday, 6 April 1442.
The 1724 Maha Yazawin Chronicle (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 75) says that Narapati's coronation was on Friday, 1st waning of Kason 804 ME [sic], which is a copying error for the following reasons: (1) 804 ME did not begin until the 5th waning of Late Kason; and (2) 1st waning of Kason 803 ME did not fall on a Friday but on Monday, 26 March 1442. (The editors of the chronicle (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 75, footnote 1) erroneously translated "1st waning of Kason 804 ME" to 25 April 1442, which was a Wednesday.) The 1832 Hmannan Yazawin chronicle (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 82) follows the Maha Yazawin's date of 1st waning of Kason, 804 ME instead of Yazawin Thit's inscription-supported date. - ^ (Zata 1906: 46): Born on a Thursday in the 4th month [First Waso] of 763 ME (i.e. 16 June 23 June, 30 June or 7 July 1401). Became king in 800 ME (1438/39) in his 37th year (at age 36). Reigned 3 years. Died in 803 ME in his 40th year (at age 39).
- nekkhats(8, 15, 22, 29 December 1401).
- ^ (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 73–74): Thursday born; came to power in 801 ME (1439/40) in his 37th year (at age 36); reigned 3 years; and died in Tabodwe 803 ME (12 December 1441 to 10 January 1442) in his 40th year (age 39).
- ^ (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 282–284): He was born on a Thursday in 772 ME (30 March 1410 – 29 March 1411), and died in 803 ME in his 30th year [sic!] (at age 29). The age at death is a typographical error as the king must have been at least 31 (772–803 ME).
- ^ Hmannan largely follows Yazawin Thit, except for correcting the mathematical error of Yazawin Thit's age at death. (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 78–81): He was born in 772 ME (30 March 1410 – 29 March 1411); came to power in 801 ME (1439/40) in his 29th year (at age 28); reigned 3 years; and died in Tabodwe 803 ME (12 December 1441 to 10 January 1442) in his 32nd year (age 31).
References
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 78–81
- ^ a b Fernquest 2006: 61–62
- ^ a b Aung-Thwin 2017: 91–93
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 54
- ^ a b c Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 59
- ^ a b Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 271
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 83
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 272
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 61
- ^ Harvey 1925: 97
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 84–85
- ^ a b Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 274
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 65
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 275
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 66
- ^ a b Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 67
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 88
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 73–74
- ^ Sein Lwin Lay 2006: 29
- ^ a b Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 69–70, 166
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 166
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 282
- ^ a b c d e Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 78
- ^ a b Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 68–69
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 282–284
- ^ a b Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 78–80
- ^ a b c Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 282–283
- ^ a b c Fernquest 2006: 61
- ^ a b c d e f g Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 79
- ^ a b c Aung-Thwin 2017: 89
- ^ Sein Lwin Lay 2006: 30
- ^ Fernquest 2006: 62
- ^ a b c Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 80
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 89–90
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 81
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 286
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 90
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 277, 282
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 64, 70
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 246, 290
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 20, 89
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 65–66
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 79, 101
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 94–95
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 290
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 59–60
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 63
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 276
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