Kyawswa of Pagan
Encyclopedia
Kyawswa was a king of Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) 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 around Pagan city. Felt threatened by the Three Shan Brothers, who were nominally his viceroys, Kyawswa decided to become a Mongol
vassal
in January 1297, and received such recognition from the Mongols in March 1298. He was ousted by the brothers in December 1298.
(part of today's Yangon
) in 1287 when the Mongols
sacked Pagan, forcing his father King Narathihapate
to flee to Lower Burma. But the king was assassinated by his second son Thihathu
, Governor of Prome. Thihathu also killed his eldest brother before he himself was accidentally killed. This opened way for Kyawswa as the main claimant to the throne. In 1289, two years later, Kyawswa was elected king by Narathihapati's widow, Queen Saw, and the ministers who survived the Mongol invasions.
of Kyaukse
district from their fortified base of Myinsaing. Kyawswa had no choice but to recognize the brothers as lords of Kyaukse district. The nominal king appointed the eldest brother Athinhkaya
as viceroy of Myinsaing, the second brother Yazathingyan
as viceroy of Mekkara, and the youngest brother Thihathu
as viceroy of Pinle. Although the territories were very small, it was the title viceroy that attracted the brothers.
, a younger son of Kyawswa, was elected king by the dowager Queen Saw but soon became a governor under the authority of Myinsaing. Another of Kyawswa's sons, Kumara Kassapa, escaped to China, and came back with the Mongol army in early 1301 to restore Kyawswa. With the Mongol army returning, the brothers executed Kyawswa.
The Mongols declared Kumara Kassapa as the new king of Burma, and laid siege to Myinsaing in January 1301 but were unsuccessful. Kumara Kassapa retreated back to Tagaung with the Mongols. In 1303, the Mongols abolished the province of Chiang-Mien based in Tagaung, and withdrew entirely from Upper Burma.
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 ...
, 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 around Pagan city. Felt threatened by the Three Shan Brothers, who were nominally his viceroys, Kyawswa decided to 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...
in January 1297, and received such recognition from the Mongols in March 1298. He was ousted by the brothers in December 1298.
Reign
Kyawswa was the governor of DalaDala Township
Dala Township is located on the southern bank of Yangon river across from downtown Yangon, Myanmar. The township, consisted of 23 wards, is bounded by the Yangon river in the north and east, the Twante Canal in the west, and Twante Township in the south...
(part of today's Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
) in 1287 when the Mongols
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...
sacked Pagan, forcing his father 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 ...
to flee to Lower Burma. But the king was assassinated by his second son 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...
, Governor of Prome. Thihathu also killed his eldest brother before he himself was accidentally killed. This opened way for Kyawswa as the main claimant to the throne. In 1289, two years later, Kyawswa was elected king by Narathihapati's widow, Queen Saw, and the ministers who survived the Mongol invasions.
Ruler of Pagan (1289–1297)
Although Kyawswa was styled as king, he had little power beyond a few miles outside Pagan. The Pagan Empire ceased to exist and every region of the former kingdom had its own king or pretenders. The Mongols could not hold the searing Irrawaddy valley but stayed up north in Tagaung. In central Burma, Pagan's natural power base, the real power rested with the Shan Brothers who held the main granaryGranary
A granary is a storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries, pottery is the most common use of storage in these buildings. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals.-Early origins:From ancient times grain...
of 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 from their fortified base of Myinsaing. Kyawswa had no choice but to recognize the brothers as lords of Kyaukse district. The nominal king appointed the eldest brother Athinhkaya
Athinhkaya
Athinhkaya was a co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom in today's central Burma . 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...
as viceroy of Myinsaing, the second 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...
as viceroy of Mekkara, and 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...
as viceroy of Pinle. Although the territories were very small, it was the title viceroy that attracted the brothers.
Mongol vassal (1297–1298)
With the Three Shan Brothers increasingly acting as sovereign kings, Kyawswa sent his son to the Mongols in Tagaung and asked for recognition as their vassal king in January 1297. He received the official recognition and a Chinese title in March 1298. In December, the brothers invited the now puppet king to Myinsaing, their stronghold, to take part in the dedication ceremony of a monastery built by them. The king, with the backing of the Mongols, felt secure and went to Myinsaing. But as soon as the ceremony was over, he was arrested, dethroned, and forced to become a monk in the very monastery he had just dedicated. It was December 1298 (Friday, 3rd waxing of Tabodwe 660 ME).Aftermath
After deposing Kyawswa, the Three Shan Brothers went on found the Kingdom of Myinsaing which covered central Burma along the upper Irrawaddy valley. SawhnitSawhnit
Sawhnit was a viceroy of Pagan from 1298 to 1325 under the suzerain of Myinsaing Kingdom in central Burma . He was a son of the Mongol vassal king Kyawswa, and a grandson of Narathihapate, the last sovereign king of Pagan dynasty. Sawhnit succeeded as "king" after his father was forced to...
, a younger son of Kyawswa, was elected king by the dowager Queen Saw but soon became a governor under the authority of Myinsaing. Another of Kyawswa's sons, Kumara Kassapa, escaped to China, and came back with the Mongol army in early 1301 to restore Kyawswa. With the Mongol army returning, the brothers executed Kyawswa.
The Mongols declared Kumara Kassapa as the new king of Burma, and laid siege to Myinsaing in January 1301 but were unsuccessful. Kumara Kassapa retreated back to Tagaung with the Mongols. In 1303, the Mongols abolished the province of Chiang-Mien based in Tagaung, and withdrew entirely from Upper Burma.