Bayinnaung
Encyclopedia
Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was the third king of the Toungoo dynasty
of Burma (Myanmar). During his 30-year reign, which has been called the "greatest explosion of human energy ever seen in Burma", Bayinnaung assembled the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia
, which included much of modern day Burma, Manipur
, Chinese Shan States
(southern Yunnan
), Lan Na (northern Thailand
), Siam
(central and southern Thailand) and Lan Xang
(Laos and northeastern Thailand).
Although he is best remembered for his empire building, Bayinnaung's greatest legacy was his integration of Shan States
into the Irrawaddy-valley-based Burmese
kingdoms, which eliminated the threat of Shan raids into Upper Burma, an overhanging concern to Upper Burma
since the late 13th century. After the conquest of Shan States in 1557, the king put in an administrative system that reduced the power of hereditary Shan saopha
s (chiefs), and brought Shan customs in line with low-land norms. His Shan policy was followed by Burmese kings right up to the final fall of the kingdom to the British in 1885.
He could not replicate this administrative policy everywhere in his far flung empire, however. His empire was a loose collection of former sovereign kingdoms, whose kings were loyal to him as the Cakravartin (Universal Ruler), not the kingdom of Toungoo. Indeed, Siam revolted just after three years of his death in 1584. By 1599, all the sub-kings had revolted, and Bayinnaung's empire completely collapsed.
He is considered one of the three greatest Burmese kings, along with Anawrahta
and Alaungpaya
. Some of the most prominent places in modern Myanmar are named after him. He is also well-known in Thailand on account of a popular song and a popular book both titled "Phu Chana Sip Thit" meaning "the Conqueror of Ten Directions."
in 1531. As an acquinted childhood friend to the king, Ye Htut gained the royal trust and was made Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta (Bayinnaung means "the royal brother-in-law.).
After the failed campaign against Ayutthaya
in 1548, Tabinshweti lost his momentum and suffered mental illness. The Crown Prince Bayinnaung then took control of state affairs to protect the kingdom. Smim Htaw, a son of the last Mon
king of Pegu, staged a rebellion and Tabinshweti himself was assassinated in 1550 by Smim Sawhtut - his close Mon advisor who was also of Pegu dynasty descent. Smim Sawhtut then crowned himself as the king of Pegu but found himself also under competition with Smim Htaw. Smim Htaw led the Mon armies to assault Pegu and was able to execute Smim Sawhtut after three months of rule.
, the founder of the Second Burmese Empire, nearly 3 centuries after the fall of Bagan
in 1287 to the Mongol invasion under Kublai Khan
. After Tabinshwehti was assassinated by Mon
members of his court in Pegu in 1550, Bayinnaung fought to recover Tabinshwehti's kingdom retaking Toungoo and Prome
in 1551, Pegu, Martaban
, and Bassein
in 1552, and finally Ava
in 1555.
and Lower Burma
, he led a military expedition northwards to the Shan region and took Mong Mit, Hsipaw, Yawnghwe, Mong Yang, and Mogaung
in 1557.
kingdom of Chiang Mai
in 1558 taking both cities. In 1562, he conquered the Chinese Shans of Mong Mao
.
installed as the vassal king. In 1568, Mahinthrathirat revolted when his father managed to return back from Pegu as a monk. The ensuing invasion captured Ayutthaya in August 1569, and Bayinnaung made Maha Thammarachathirat
vassal king. Siamese nobles, including one Prince Naresuan
, were brought to Pegu.
Starting in the late 1560s several European travellers such as Cesar Fedrici and Gaspero Balbi travelled to Pegu, the capital of Burma, and left detailed descriptions of Bayinnaung's kingdom in their travel journals (See external links below).
(Laos) proved to be Bayinnaung's longest and most pesky problem. Although the Burmese armies first captured the Laotian capital Vientiane
in 1565, they had little control beyond the city. They could not defeat Laotian resistance led by King Setthathirat who ruled the countryside and kept eluding multiple Burmese invasions. After Setthathirat death in 1572, Bayinnaung sent another invasion force led by his best general Binnya Dala once again but it too failed. Finally, the king himself led an invasion force in 1574 that finally brought Lan Xang to his fold.
but could not take a heavily fortified capital of Mrauk-U. Bayinnaung sent reinforcements in October 1581, and even planned to lead the campaign himself. But he was unwell, and died soon after. The Burmese withdrew after his death. (The Arakanese would later retaliate by sacking Pegu in 1599).
.
into the Irrawaddy-valley-based Burmese
kingdoms, which eliminated the threat of Shan raids into Upper Burma, an overhanging concern to Upper Burma since the late 13th century. After the conquest of Shan States in 1557, the king put in an administrative system that reduced the power of hereditary Shan saopha
s (chiefs), and brought Shan customs in line with low-land norms. His Shan policy was followed by Burmese kings right up to the final fall of the kingdom to the British in 1885.
He could not replicate this administrative policy everywhere in his far flung empire, however. His empire was a loose collection of former sovereign kingdoms, whose kings were loyal to him as the Cakravartin (Universal Ruler), not the kingdom of Toungoo. Indeed, Siam revolted just after three years of his death in 1584. By 1599, all the sub-kings had revolted, and Bayinnaung's empire completely collapsed.
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...
of Burma (Myanmar). During his 30-year reign, which has been called the "greatest explosion of human energy ever seen in Burma", Bayinnaung assembled the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, which included much of modern day Burma, Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, Chinese Shan States
Mong Mao
Mong Mao or Mao kingdom was an ethnically Dai state that controlled several smaller Tai states or chieftainships along the frontier of what is now Myanmar and China in the Dehong region of Yunnan with a capital near the modern-day border town of Ruili...
(southern Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
), Lan Na (northern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
), Siam
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
(central and southern Thailand) and Lan Xang
Lan Xang
The Lao kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Kao was established in 1354 by Fa Ngum.Exiled as an infant to Cambodia, Prince Fa Ngum of Xieng Dong Xieng Thong married a daughter of the Khmer king. In 1349 he set out from Angkor at the head of a 10,000-man army to establish his own country...
(Laos and northeastern Thailand).
Although he is best remembered for his empire building, Bayinnaung's greatest legacy was his integration of 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...
into the Irrawaddy-valley-based Burmese
Bamar
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...
kingdoms, which eliminated the threat of Shan raids into Upper Burma, an overhanging concern to Upper Burma
Upper Burma
Upper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
since the late 13th century. After the conquest of Shan States in 1557, the king put in an administrative system that reduced the power of hereditary 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...
s (chiefs), and brought Shan customs in line with low-land norms. His Shan policy was followed by Burmese kings right up to the final fall of the kingdom to the British in 1885.
He could not replicate this administrative policy everywhere in his far flung empire, however. His empire was a loose collection of former sovereign kingdoms, whose kings were loyal to him as the Cakravartin (Universal Ruler), not the kingdom of Toungoo. Indeed, Siam revolted just after three years of his death in 1584. By 1599, all the sub-kings had revolted, and Bayinnaung's empire completely collapsed.
He is considered one of the three greatest Burmese kings, along with Anawrahta
Anawrahta
Anawrahta Minsaw was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that formed the basis of modern-day Burma...
and Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...
. Some of the most prominent places in modern Myanmar are named after him. He is also well-known in Thailand on account of a popular song and a popular book both titled "Phu Chana Sip Thit" meaning "the Conqueror of Ten Directions."
Early life
The legend holds that Bayinnaung was born to a couple living near Pagan, and was named Shin Ye Htut . Ye Htut's mother later moved to Toungoo to become Prince Mintaya's milkmaid. At Toungoo, Ye Htut was married to Mintaya's sister. Prince Mintaya was then crowned as King Tabinshweti of ToungooToungoo 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...
in 1531. As an acquinted childhood friend to the king, Ye Htut gained the royal trust and was made Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta (Bayinnaung means "the royal brother-in-law.).
After the failed campaign against Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
in 1548, Tabinshweti lost his momentum and suffered mental illness. The Crown Prince Bayinnaung then took control of state affairs to protect the kingdom. Smim Htaw, a son of the last Mon
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
king of Pegu, staged a rebellion and Tabinshweti himself was assassinated in 1550 by Smim Sawhtut - his close Mon advisor who was also of Pegu dynasty descent. Smim Sawhtut then crowned himself as the king of Pegu but found himself also under competition with Smim Htaw. Smim Htaw led the Mon armies to assault Pegu and was able to execute Smim Sawhtut after three months of rule.
Reconquest of Burma (1550–1555)
Bayinnaung was the name conferred by his brother-in-law King TabinshwehtiTabinshwehti
Tabinshwehti was a king who unified Burma in 1539 and known as the founder of the Second Burmese Empire.Tabinshwehti succeeded his father Mingyinyo as ruler of the Toungoo dynasty in 1530...
, the founder of the Second Burmese Empire, nearly 3 centuries after the fall of Bagan
Bagan
Bagan , formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana and also known as Tambadipa or Tassadessa , it was the capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma...
in 1287 to the Mongol invasion under Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
. After Tabinshwehti was assassinated by Mon
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
members of his court in Pegu in 1550, Bayinnaung fought to recover Tabinshwehti's kingdom retaking Toungoo and Prome
Pyay
Pyay is a town in the Bago Division in Burma. It has an estimated population of 123,800 . Pyay is positioned on the Ayeyarwady River and is northwest of Yangon....
in 1551, Pegu, Martaban
Mottama
Mottama, formerly Martaban, is a small town in the Thaton district of Mon State, Myanmar. Located on the north bank of the Thanlwin river, on the opposite side of Mawlamyaing, Mottama was the first capital of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries, and an entrepôt of international...
, and Bassein
Pathein
Pathein , also called Bassein, is a port city with a 2004 population estimated at 215,600, and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Burma. It lies on the Pathein River , which is a western branch of the Irrawaddy River....
in 1552, and finally Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
in 1555.
Shan States(1556–1557)
After he had retaken both Upper BurmaUpper Burma
Upper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
and Lower Burma
Lower Burma
Lower Burma is a geographic region of Burma and includes the low-lying Irrawaddy delta , as well as coastal regions of the country ....
, he led a military expedition northwards to the Shan region and took Mong Mit, Hsipaw, Yawnghwe, Mong Yang, and Mogaung
Mogaung
Mogaung is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line.-External links:* Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.* Maplandia.com...
in 1557.
Lan Na (1558)
The following year he marched to the LannaLanna
The Kingdom of Lanna was a kingdom centered in present-day northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries. The cultural development of the people of Lanna, the Tai Yuan people, had begun long before as successive Tai Yuan kingdoms preceded Lanna...
kingdom of Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
in 1558 taking both cities. In 1562, he conquered the Chinese Shans of Mong Mao
Mong Mao
Mong Mao or Mao kingdom was an ethnically Dai state that controlled several smaller Tai states or chieftainships along the frontier of what is now Myanmar and China in the Dehong region of Yunnan with a capital near the modern-day border town of Ruili...
.
Ayutthaya (1563–1564, 1564–1569)
In 1563, Bayinnaung launched an invasion of Siam, and forced Siamese king Maha Chakkraphat to surrender in April 1564. The royal family was taken to Pegu, with the king's eldest son MahinthrathiratMahinthrathirat
Somdet Phra Mahinthrathirat was the King of Ayutthaya kingdom in 1568 and again from 1568 to 1569. Mahinthrathirat was the last monarch of the Suphannabhum dynasty as the kingdom fell to the Burmese in 1569...
installed as the vassal king. In 1568, Mahinthrathirat revolted when his father managed to return back from Pegu as a monk. The ensuing invasion captured Ayutthaya in August 1569, and Bayinnaung made Maha Thammarachathirat
Maha Thammarachathirat
Phra Maha Thammarachathirat or Somdet Phra Sanphet I or formerly known as Khun Phiren Thorathep was the first King of Ayutthaya kingdom of the Sukhothai dynasty ruling from 1569 to 1590. As a powerful Sukhothai noble, Pirenthorathep gradually rose to power...
vassal king. Siamese nobles, including one Prince Naresuan
Naresuan
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat or Somdet Phra Sanphet II was the King of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1590 until his death in 1605. Naresuan was one of Siam's most revered monarchs as he was known for his campaigns to free Siam from Burmese rule...
, were brought to Pegu.
Starting in the late 1560s several European travellers such as Cesar Fedrici and Gaspero Balbi travelled to Pegu, the capital of Burma, and left detailed descriptions of Bayinnaung's kingdom in their travel journals (See external links below).
Lan Xang (1565, 1569–1570, 1572–1574)
The remote kingdom of Lan XangLan Xang
The Lao kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Kao was established in 1354 by Fa Ngum.Exiled as an infant to Cambodia, Prince Fa Ngum of Xieng Dong Xieng Thong married a daughter of the Khmer king. In 1349 he set out from Angkor at the head of a 10,000-man army to establish his own country...
(Laos) proved to be Bayinnaung's longest and most pesky problem. Although the Burmese armies first captured the Laotian capital Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
in 1565, they had little control beyond the city. They could not defeat Laotian resistance led by King Setthathirat who ruled the countryside and kept eluding multiple Burmese invasions. After Setthathirat death in 1572, Bayinnaung sent another invasion force led by his best general Binnya Dala once again but it too failed. Finally, the king himself led an invasion force in 1574 that finally brought Lan Xang to his fold.
Arakan (1580–1581)
In November 1580, Bayinnaung turned his attention to the western coastal kingdom of Arakan, and sent in an invasion force. As with their last Arakan campaign of (1546–1547), the Burmese easily took ThandweThandwe
-Ngapali Beach:Ngapali Beach is a beach located 7 kilometres from the town of Thandwe , in Rakhine State, Myanmar. It is the most famous beach in Myanmar and is a popular tourist destination...
but could not take a heavily fortified capital of Mrauk-U. Bayinnaung sent reinforcements in October 1581, and even planned to lead the campaign himself. But he was unwell, and died soon after. The Burmese withdrew after his death. (The Arakanese would later retaliate by sacking Pegu in 1599).
Death (1581)
Bayinnaung died in November 1581 at age 65. Bayinnaung was succeeded by his son NandaNanda Bayin
Nanda Bayin , was the king of the Toungoo Dynasty of Myanmar from 1581 to 1599. Nanda was the first son of King Bayinnaung. He was made the crown prince upon the ascension of his father in January 1551. As the crown prince, he led subjugation of Lanna and the sack of Vientiene in 1565...
.
Legacy
Although he is best remembered for his empire building, Bayinnaung's greatest legacy was his integration of Shan StatesShan 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...
into the Irrawaddy-valley-based Burmese
Bamar
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...
kingdoms, which eliminated the threat of Shan raids into Upper Burma, an overhanging concern to Upper Burma since the late 13th century. After the conquest of Shan States in 1557, the king put in an administrative system that reduced the power of hereditary 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...
s (chiefs), and brought Shan customs in line with low-land norms. His Shan policy was followed by Burmese kings right up to the final fall of the kingdom to the British in 1885.
He could not replicate this administrative policy everywhere in his far flung empire, however. His empire was a loose collection of former sovereign kingdoms, whose kings were loyal to him as the Cakravartin (Universal Ruler), not the kingdom of Toungoo. Indeed, Siam revolted just after three years of his death in 1584. By 1599, all the sub-kings had revolted, and Bayinnaung's empire completely collapsed.
Siamese views
- As conqueror of predecessor of Thailand, he was well-known by the Thai people, and often with respect. Chote Praepan (pen name "Jacob"), an influential Thai journalist and author expanded his story into an epic historical fiction, "ผู้ชนะสิบทิศ" or "Puchana Sib Tid", literally winner (conqueror) of the ten directions.
- The Thai novel later spawned a television and a movie series. The song of the same name from the movie series, performed by Charintra Nanthanakorn, remains one of the most recognizable and popular songs in Thailand.
Commemorations
Bayinnaung is considered one of the three greatest Burmese kings, alongside Anawrahta and Alaungpaya, the founders of the First and Third Burmese Empires, respectively.- Team Bayinnaung, one of five student teams in Burmese primary and secondary schools
- Statute of Bayinnaung is one of three statutes of kings that towers over the Naypyidaw square. The other two are the statutes of Anawrahta and Alaungpaya.
- UMS Bayinnaung, Myanmar Navy Corvette
- Bayinnaung Bridge, a suspension bridge in Yangon
- Bayinnaung Road, a road in Yangon
- Bayinnaung MarketBayinnaung MarketBayinnaung Market , located in northwestern Yangon, is the largest agricultural commodities trading market in Myanmar. Established in 1990, the market complex consists of two-story shop houses with floor areas of 1200 and...
, a major commodities market in Yangon
External links
- The Changing Nature of Conflict between Burma and Siam as seen from the Growth and Development of Burmese States from the 16th to the 19th Centuries, by Pamaree Surakiat,Mar 2006, Asia Research Institute, Singapore.
- Account of Pegu (1586–1587), by Cesar Fedrici.
- Voyage to Pegu, and Observations There, Circa 1583, Gaspero Balbi
- A king of Burma and the Sacred Tooth Relic
- The Flight of Lao War Captives from Burma back to Laos in 1596:A Comparison of Historical Sources Jon Fernquest, Mae Fa Luang University, SOAS bulletin, Spring 2005
- The Kinder Side of a Burmese King The Back Page, The IrrawaddyThe IrrawaddyThis article is about a newsmagazine. For other uses of the term, please see Irrawaddy.For the Second World War battle honour, see Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations...
, February 2007 - Thai-Burmese Historical Film Breaks Box Office Records Khun Sam, The Irrawaddy, January 25, 2007
- Thai Tourists in Burma Sai Silp, The Irrawaddy, February 2007