Minyekyawswa of Ava
Encyclopedia
Minyekyawswa of Ava was the ninth king of Ava
. He spent all of his 3-year reign asserting his rule over his kingdom, and defending against raids by the Shan State
of Mogaung
. He recovered Toungoo in 1442, which had successfully revolted his father Mohnyin Thado
's rule in 1437. He died at Ava in January 1443 while his forces were laying siege to Mogaung. He was succeeded by his brother Narapati, the governor of Prome.
s (Chiefs) of Kale and Mohnyin
, and to reassert his rule over the two Shan States, which had been under Ava's suzerainty since the reign of King Minkhaung I
. He sent an army to the north. When the expedition arrived at Myedu
both chieftains submitted to Ava in fear that the other one would gain the upper hand by submitting first. He installed his brothers-in-law as new saophas.
After securing the loyalty of Kale and Mohnyin, the king quickly turned to the territories much closer to Ava. Toungoo had been in revolt since 1437 with Hanthawaddy Pegu
backing, and the regions around Toungoo such as Taungdwingyi
, Yamethin
, and Pinle
also raised rebellions when he became king. In late 1440, he sent his armies to reclaim the rebellious regions. They could not take well-defended Pinle and Yamethin but took Taungdwingyi. Most importantly, Ava recovered Toungoo in 1442 after a pitched battle in which the ruler of Toungoo was killed in an elephant duel.
Pinle and Yamethin stayed out of Ava's control for the remainder of his reign as the king had to defend against renewed Shan raids starting in 1441. By the late 1430s, Thonganbwa, the saopha
of Mogaung, had gained control of a large swath of territory between Chinese controlled Yunnan and central Burma. His capital Mogaung
was just a short distance away from Ava-controlled Mohnyin. In 1441, Thohanbwa launched several raids into both Ava and Yunnan. In response, Minyekyawswa sent his brother-in-laws, the Burmese governors of Mohnyin and Kale, to attack Mogaung. In 1442, Ava forces laid siege to Mogaung, which was heavily fortified. While the siege dragged on, the king died at Ava in January 1443.
Ava Kingdom
The Ava Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled upper Burma from 1364 to 1555. Founded in 1364, the kingdom was the successor state to the petty kingdoms that had ruled central Burma since the collapse of Pagan Empire in the late 13th century...
. He spent all of his 3-year reign asserting his rule over his kingdom, and defending against raids by the Shan State
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...
of 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...
. He recovered Toungoo in 1442, which had successfully revolted his father Mohnyin Thado
Mohnyin Thado
Mohnyin Thado was the eighth king of Ava who reigned from 1427 to 1440. The ethnic Burman saopha of Mohnyin came to power after overthrowing King Kale Kyetaungnyo and his queen Shin Bo-Me in 1427. His reign marks the plateauing of Ava's power...
's rule in 1437. He died at Ava in January 1443 while his forces were laying siege to Mogaung. He was succeeded by his brother Narapati, the governor of Prome.
Reign
Minyekyawswa's short reign was the archetypal reign of the successive Ava kings in that each king would have to reestablish his rule over his territory. One his first acts as king was to mediate in a conflict between the SaophaSaopha
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) of Kale and Mohnyin
Mohnyin
Mohnyin is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is the administrative center for both Mohnyin Township and Mohnyin District.Shells of different sizes were found in mass on 19 September. Those were found in apple-pie order while rooting up a tree between MohnyinDistrict Court and the Township...
, and to reassert his rule over the two Shan States, which had been under Ava's suzerainty since the reign of King Minkhaung I
Minkhaung I
Minkhaung I of Ava was the fourth king of Ava from 1401 to 1422. Minkhaung is best remembered in Burmese history for his epic struggles against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu in the Forty Years' War , and for being the father of Crown Prince Minyekyawswa, who did most of the fighting.Minkhaung...
. He sent an army to the north. When the expedition arrived at Myedu
Myedu
Myedu is a small town located in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region, Myanmar . The town was the fief of King Hsinbyushin of Konbaung Dynasty, who was also known as Myedu Min....
both chieftains submitted to Ava in fear that the other one would gain the upper hand by submitting first. He installed his brothers-in-law as new saophas.
After securing the loyalty of Kale and Mohnyin, the king quickly turned to the territories much closer to Ava. Toungoo had been in revolt since 1437 with Hanthawaddy Pegu
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...
backing, and the regions around Toungoo such as Taungdwingyi
Taungdwingyi
Taungdwingyi is a town of Taungdwingyi Township in Magway District in the Magway Division of Myanmar. People inhabited this area since thousands of years ago and one of the earliest civilization of Myanmar, Beikthano Ancient Pyu City, is located near the town. Territorial area is plane and rice,...
, Yamethin
Yamethin
Yamethin is a town in central Burma in Yamethin District, Mandalay Region. Yamethin provides a market and processing for local agriculture production of rice and beans, as well having a small textile industry, and serving as a railroad shipping point on the Rangoon – Mandalay...
, 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....
also raised rebellions when he became king. In late 1440, he sent his armies to reclaim the rebellious regions. They could not take well-defended Pinle and Yamethin but took Taungdwingyi. Most importantly, Ava recovered Toungoo in 1442 after a pitched battle in which the ruler of Toungoo was killed in an elephant duel.
Pinle and Yamethin stayed out of Ava's control for the remainder of his reign as the king had to defend against renewed Shan raids starting in 1441. By the late 1430s, Thonganbwa, the 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...
of Mogaung, had gained control of a large swath of territory between Chinese controlled Yunnan and central Burma. His capital 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...
was just a short distance away from Ava-controlled Mohnyin. In 1441, Thohanbwa launched several raids into both Ava and Yunnan. In response, Minyekyawswa sent his brother-in-laws, the Burmese governors of Mohnyin and Kale, to attack Mogaung. In 1442, Ava forces laid siege to Mogaung, which was heavily fortified. While the siege dragged on, the king died at Ava in January 1443.