Min Shin Saw
Encyclopedia
Min Shin Saw was the eldest son of King Alaungsithu
of Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar). The prince was the heir apparent
of the kingdom for a long time until he ran into disagreements with his father, late in his father's life. He was exiled to a place near Ava
, a few miles north of Pagan
. He turned the area into a highly cultivated region by building lakes and canals. When Alaungsithu died in 1167, Min Shin Saw came back to Pagan to claim the throne. He was consecrated king but later that night, he was assassinated by his half-brother Narathu
.
, Min Shin Saw had two specific run-ins with his father. In the first incident, the king's newest young queen, a daughter of the king of Pateikkara--a tributary to Pagan, stayed on the royal couch beside the king when the king's sons came to pay homage to him. Min Shin Saw refused to kneel down in front of the young queen whose name was Pabhavati. He said: "I'm the eldest son. Shall this Kala wench abide in the couch in my presence before all the ministers and councilors?" He left, saying "I'm not well." (Kala today means Indian but may have meant foreign in those days. Pateikkara is believed to be a kingdom near today's Chin State
.)
In the second incident, Alaungsithu awarded a royal attendant a robe of princely attire, worn only by princes. When the attendant showed up with the robe at the royal council, Min Shin Saw stripped the robe off the attendant, saying "This garment is not for a king's usher or nurse to wear. Only the king's brothers and sons are worthy to wear it." The old king was greatly disturbed that Min Shin Saw was acting like a king even when the king was still alive.
, a few miles northeast of Pagan. The prince dammed the Aungpinle Lake, and another lake nearby. He built three canals, creating additional cultivated land. Because the land was fertile, three crops a year were raised. Min Shin Saw's enlightened policies raised funds for his treasury, and attracted a host of followers. He invited scholars and monks to write many books and teach them.
Despite his success in exile, the prince remained loyal to his father. At Pagan, however, Alaungsithu had chosen Narathu
as the heir-apparent.
Alaungsithu
Alaungsithu or Sithu I was king of Pagan Dynasty of Burma from 1113 to 1167. Sithu's reign was a prosperous one in which Pagan was an integral part of in-land and maritime trading networks...
of Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar). The prince was the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of the kingdom for a long time until he ran into disagreements with his father, late in his father's life. He was exiled to a place near 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...
, a few miles north of Pagan
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...
. He turned the area into a highly cultivated region by building lakes and canals. When Alaungsithu died in 1167, Min Shin Saw came back to Pagan to claim the throne. He was consecrated king but later that night, he was assassinated by his half-brother Narathu
Narathu
Narathu was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1167 to 1170. Narahthu ascended to the throne by murdering his father King Alaungsithu and his elder brother Min Shin Saw. In atonement for his many cruelties, Narathu built the largest of all the Pagan temples, the Dhammayangyi.Narathu's conduct...
.
Disagreements with the king
According to the Glass Palace ChronicleGlass Palace Chronicle
The Glass Palace Chronicle of the kings of Burma is a historical work written in Burmese commissioned by King Bagyidaw in 1829, and compiled by scholars to consolidate and compile all works of the history of Burmese rulers...
, Min Shin Saw had two specific run-ins with his father. In the first incident, the king's newest young queen, a daughter of the king of Pateikkara--a tributary to Pagan, stayed on the royal couch beside the king when the king's sons came to pay homage to him. Min Shin Saw refused to kneel down in front of the young queen whose name was Pabhavati. He said: "I'm the eldest son. Shall this Kala wench abide in the couch in my presence before all the ministers and councilors?" He left, saying "I'm not well." (Kala today means Indian but may have meant foreign in those days. Pateikkara is believed to be a kingdom near today's Chin State
Chin State
Chin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...
.)
In the second incident, Alaungsithu awarded a royal attendant a robe of princely attire, worn only by princes. When the attendant showed up with the robe at the royal council, Min Shin Saw stripped the robe off the attendant, saying "This garment is not for a king's usher or nurse to wear. Only the king's brothers and sons are worthy to wear it." The old king was greatly disturbed that Min Shin Saw was acting like a king even when the king was still alive.
Life in exile
The king first sent Min Shin Saw to prison but at the intervention of his mother Queen Yadanabon, reduced the sentence and sent him to exile. The prince and his followers settled near today's AvaAva
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...
, a few miles northeast of Pagan. The prince dammed the Aungpinle Lake, and another lake nearby. He built three canals, creating additional cultivated land. Because the land was fertile, three crops a year were raised. Min Shin Saw's enlightened policies raised funds for his treasury, and attracted a host of followers. He invited scholars and monks to write many books and teach them.
Despite his success in exile, the prince remained loyal to his father. At Pagan, however, Alaungsithu had chosen Narathu
Narathu
Narathu was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1167 to 1170. Narahthu ascended to the throne by murdering his father King Alaungsithu and his elder brother Min Shin Saw. In atonement for his many cruelties, Narathu built the largest of all the Pagan temples, the Dhammayangyi.Narathu's conduct...
as the heir-apparent.