Athinhkaya
Encyclopedia
Athinhkaya was a co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom
in today's central Burma (Myanmar). A former commander in Pagan Empire's military, Athinhkaya was the eldest of the Three Shan Brothers that founded Myinsaing Kingdom
, which filled the void in central Burma following the collapse of Pagan
's authority in 1287. The three brothers ruled as co-regents from their respective capitals in Kyaukse
district, Athinhkaya from Myinsaing. After the middle brother Yazathingyan
had died of natural causes in 1305, Athinhkaya was poisoned in 1310 by the youngest brother Thihathu
, who then took over the throne for himself.
mother in the early 1260s. He had two younger brothers and a sister. Their father, Theinkhabo, was a younger brother of Shan saopha
from the Shan Hills
who had taken shelter in Kyaukse as a political refugee in 1260. Their mother was a daughter of a Burman banker from Myinsaing.
When the brothers became young men, they all entered King Narathihapate
's service in the waning days of Pagan. After a few years, they received minor titles of nobility and were appointed joint commanders of the garrison at Myinsaing, their hometown. Their only sister was even married to a son of the king, Prince Thihathu
, later governor of Prome (Pyay).
. On 19 February 1293 (12th waxing of Tabaung 654 ME), they were formally recognized by the king as lords of Kyaukse. In December 1298, the brothers formalized their rule of central Burma by forcing the nominal king of Pagan Kyawswa
, who had become a Mongol
vassal
, to abdicate the throne, and ruled as co-regent
s from their respective palaces in Myinsaing, Mekkara and Pinle
. In 1301, the brothers successfully fought off another (and last) invasion by the Mongols who sought to restore Kyawswa. After the Mongols also vacated their Upper Burma base of Tagaung in 1303, all of central Burma came under their rule. Nonetheless Myinsaing, along with Hanthawaddy
and Toungoo
(Taungoo) kingdoms and various minor Shan States
, was still one of many petty kingdoms that sprouted across the former territories of the Pagan Empire.
by the Irrawaddy river, and founded the Pinya Kingdom
.
Myinsaing Kingdom
The Myinsaing Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled central Burma from 1298 to 1313. Founded by three brothers of Shan and Burman descent, it was one of many petty kingdoms that emerged following the collapse of Pagan Empire in 1287....
in today's central Burma (Myanmar). A former commander in Pagan Empire's military, Athinhkaya was the eldest of the Three Shan Brothers that founded Myinsaing Kingdom
Myinsaing Kingdom
The Myinsaing Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled central Burma from 1298 to 1313. Founded by three brothers of Shan and Burman descent, it was one of many petty kingdoms that emerged following the collapse of Pagan Empire in 1287....
, which filled the void in central Burma following the collapse of Pagan
Pagan Kingdom
The Pagan Kingdom or Pagan Dynasty was the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute the modern-day Burma...
's authority in 1287. The three brothers ruled as co-regents from their respective capitals in Kyaukse
Kyaukse
Kyaukse is a small town in Mandalay Region, Myanmar. It is famous for the Kyaukse Elephant Dance.-Education:Kyaukse is home to the Kyaukse Education College, Technological University, Kyaukse and Kyaukse University.-Economy:...
district, Athinhkaya from Myinsaing. After the middle brother Yazathingyan
Yazathingyan
Yazathingyan was a co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom in today's central Burma . A former commander in Pagan Empire's military, Yazathingyan was the middle brother of the Three Shan Brothers that founded Myinsaing Kingdom, which filled the void in central Burma following the collapse of Pagan's...
had died of natural causes in 1305, Athinhkaya was poisoned in 1310 by the youngest brother Thihathu
Thihathu
Thihathu was a co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom, and the founder of the Pinya Kingdom in today's central Burma . A former commander in Pagan Empire's military, Thihathu was the youngest and most ambitious of the Three Shan Brothers that founded Myinsaing Kingdom, which filled the void in central...
, who then took over the throne for himself.
Early life
Athinhkaya was a born to Shan father and a BurmanBamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
mother in the early 1260s. He had two younger brothers and a sister. Their father, Theinkhabo, was a younger brother of Shan saopha
Saopha
Saopha, Chaofa, or Sawbwa was a royal title used by the rulers of the Shan States of Myanmar . The word means "king" in the Shan and Tai languages...
from the Shan Hills
Shan Hills
The Shan Hills , also known as Shan Highland, are part of the range of hills that extends through Yunnan to Burma and Thailand, linking to the Himalayas, of which they may be considered foothills.-Etymology:...
who had taken shelter in Kyaukse as a political refugee in 1260. Their mother was a daughter of a Burman banker from Myinsaing.
When the brothers became young men, they all entered King Narathihapate
Narathihapate
Narathihapate was the last king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1254 to 1287. The king is unkindly remembered for two things: his gluttonous appetite which supposedly required all his dinners to have 300 varieties of dishes; and his panic flight from Mongol invasions. He is forever remembered as ...
's service in the waning days of Pagan. After a few years, they received minor titles of nobility and were appointed joint commanders of the garrison at Myinsaing, their hometown. Their only sister was even married to a son of the king, Prince Thihathu
Thihathu of Prome
Thihathu of Prome was a Pagan prince who killed his father Narathihapate, the last sovereign king of the Pagan Empire.In 1287, Narathihapate fled Pagan to Lower Burma in panic just before Mongols sacked the capital. Thihathu, who was governor of Prome , arrested his father and forced the king to...
, later governor of Prome (Pyay).
Myinsaing
After the Pagan Empire fell in 1287, the brothers gradually gained control of central Burma based out of their hometown of Myinsaing located in Kyaukse districtKyaukse District
-Townships:The district contains the following townships:*Kyaukse Township*Sint Kaing Township*Myit Thar Township*Tada-U Township...
. On 19 February 1293 (12th waxing of Tabaung 654 ME), they were formally recognized by the king as lords of Kyaukse. In December 1298, the brothers formalized their rule of central Burma by forcing the nominal king of Pagan Kyawswa
Kyawswa of Pagan
Kyawswa was a king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1287 to 1298. Son of the last sovereign king of Pagan Narathihapate, Kyawswa was one of many "kings" that proliferated after the collapse of the Pagan Empire. Though still styled as King of Pagan, Kyawswa's effective rule amounted to just the area...
, who had become a Mongol
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
, to abdicate the throne, and ruled as co-regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s from their respective palaces in Myinsaing, Mekkara and Pinle
Pinle
Pinle is an archaeological excavation site, located in Myittha Township, Mandalay Division, Myanmar. Pinle was a capital of the Myinsaing Kingdom from 1298 to 1312....
. In 1301, the brothers successfully fought off another (and last) invasion by the Mongols who sought to restore Kyawswa. After the Mongols also vacated their Upper Burma base of Tagaung in 1303, all of central Burma came under their rule. Nonetheless Myinsaing, along with Hanthawaddy
Hanthawaddy Kingdom
The Hanthawaddy Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled lower Burma from 1287 to 1539. The Mon-speaking kingdom was founded as Ramannadesa by King Wareru following the collapse of the Pagan Empire in 1287 as a nominal vassal state of Sukhothai Kingdom, and of the Mongol Yuan dynasty...
and Toungoo
Toungoo Dynasty
The Toungoo Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Burma from the mid-16th century to 1752. Its early kings Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung succeeded in reunifying the Pagan Empire for the first time since 1287, and in incorporating the Shan States for the first time...
(Taungoo) kingdoms and various minor Shan States
Shan States
The Shan States were the princely states that ruled large areas of today's Burma , Yunnan Province in China, Laos and Thailand from the late 13th century until mid-20th century...
, was still one of many petty kingdoms that sprouted across the former territories of the Pagan Empire.
Assassination
Athinhkaya, like Kyawswa before him, had to deal with the ambitious Thihathu who wanted to be sole king, in the style of ancient Pagan kings. In 1305, Yazathingyan died. In 1309, he blatantly crowned himself king even though Athinhkaya was still alive. In 1310, Thihathu poisoned the eldest brother. In 1312, following the advice of court astrologers, Thihathu moved his capital to a new city of PinyaPinya
Pinya was the capital of the Kingdom of Pinya, located near Ava, Mandalay Region, Myanmar. It was the residence of a dynasty of six kings who ruled this part of central Myanmar from 1313 to 1364.-History:...
by the Irrawaddy river, and founded the Pinya Kingdom
Pinya Kingdom
The Pinya Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled part of central Burma from 1313 to 1364. It was the successor state to the Myinsaing Kingdom, one of many petty kingdoms that emerged after the fall of the Pagan Empire in 1287...
.