Rajadhirat
Encyclopedia
Razadarit was the ninth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1384 to 1422, and is considered one of the greatest kings in Burmese history. He successfully reunified all three Mon
-speaking regions of southern Burma (Myanmar), and fended off major assaults by the Burmese
-speaking northern Kingdom of Ava (Innwa) in the Forty Years' War
(1385–1424).
When Razadarit became the ruler of Hanthawaddy in 1384, the 16-year-old boy-king held just the Pegu (Bago) province while the other two major Mon-speaking regions of the Irrawaddy delta
and Martaban (Mottama) were in open rebellion. By his sheer will and military leadership, he defeated Ava's first wave of invasions in the 1380s, and by 1390, was able to reunify all three Mon regions. During the second half of the Forty Years' War, he met Minkhaung I
of Ava and his son Minyekyawswa
head-on in Lower Burma
, Upper Burma
, and Arakan
.
Razadarit is remembered as a complex figure: a brave military commander, who defeated Minkhaung I in single combat, and kept the kingdom independent; an able administrator who organized the kingdom; and a ruthless paranoid figure, who drove his first love Talamidaw
to commit suicide, and ordered the execution of their innocent son Bawlawkyantaw
. The king died of injuries received in hunting a wild elephant in 1422 at age 54. He left a strong, independent kingdom for the Mon people
that would prosper for another 117 years. Three of his offspring later became rulers of Hanthawaddy. His daughter Shin Sawbu
was the first and only female regent, and one of the most enlightened rulers in Burmese history.
The story of Razadarit's reign is recorded in a classic epic that exists in Mon
, Burmese
and Thai language
forms. Razadarit's struggles against Minkhaung I and Minyekyawswa are retold as classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture.
Binnya Nwe grew up in Binnya U's Pegu court. (Binnya U could not recover Martaban, which was ruled by the rebel chief Byattaba ( bjaʔ tʰa̰ ba̰.) Although Binnya Nwe was the eldest son, Binnya U chose his son by his chief queen Mwe Magu Tauk ( mwé məɡù tauʔ). Moreover, others like Princess Mahadevi ( məhà dèwì) and Laukpya
( lauʔ pʰjá), Governor of Myaungmya
, were also interested in succeeding Binnya U. Mahadevi was a powerful figure in her brother Binnya U's court, and was like a mother to Binnya Nwe. Her relationship with her nephew turned sour when her lover, Smim Maru ( θəmèiɴ məjú), husband of Princess Talamithiri ( təla̰ mè θìɹḭ) wanted to be king.
and fled to Dagon
(Yangon). The king, who was on his deathbed, pardoned both of his children. But the rival claimants to the throne the chief queen, Mahadevi/Smim Maru and Laukpya all wanted to get rid of Binnya Nwe, and sent three armies to Dagon. At Dagon, the young price, aided by a few loyal forces and Muslim mercenaries, had already fortified the town. Within a few days of siege, two arimes, led by Laukpya and Byattaba (the rebellious governor of Martaban), withdrew, and only the army led by Smim Maru remained. On 14 May 1383 (10th waxing of Nayon 745 ME), Binnya Nwe's forces defeated Smim Maru's. Smim Maru was caught and executed.
On 21 January 1384 (12th waning of Pyatho 745 ME), the young prince now marched to Pegu. When they got to Pegu two days later, Binnya U had just died, and he was at once proclaimed king by the palace officials. He ascended the throne with the reign name of Razadarit (Pali
: Rajadhiraj; King of Kings) ten days later on 2 February. He had just turned 16.
At his ascension, Razadarit controlled only the Pegu province out of three principal Mon regions in lower Burma. The Martaban region was ruled by Byattaba, and the Irrawaddy delta was under the rule of Laukpya of Myaungmya. Razadarit pardoned his aunt Mahadevi and gave her Dagon in fief but he could not buy his uncle Laukpya's loyalty. Laukpya, who had always ruled his fief like a king under his brother Binnya U, was not prepared to submit to his teenage nephew. In 1385, as Razadarit prepared to march to the delta, Laukpya sought assistance from King Swasawke
of Ava with the promise of submission to Ava. Swasawke's acceptance of Laukpya's invitation resulted in the Forty Years' War between Ava and Pegu.
initiated the hostilities that would last for another 40 years between the northern Ava and southern Hanthawaddy kingdoms. Swasawke launched a two-pronged invasion of Hanthawaddy down the Irrawaddy and Sittaung rivers, and Laukpya sent in his army from the delta. The young king did not lose nerve, and successfully fended off the invasions. In 1387, Razadarit again stopped another invasion by Swasawke.
Despite this success, Razadarit realized that he needed to reunify all three regions of Lower Burma if he were to fight Ava on equal terms in the long run. In 1388/89, Razadarit and his top general Lagun Ein in a series of military campaigns did just that. They chose to attack Martaban first, which had been independent since 1363, as it was a weaker foe than Myaungmya in the delta. In 1388, the Peguan forces captured Martaban albeit with much difficulty. Now with his rear base secure, Razadarit quickly moved to subdue the delta. Initially, he failed. His army could not take heavily fortified Myaungmya, and was defeated at Bassein which was defended by Laukpya's son and two sons-in-law. Then Laukpya ventured out of his defenses, and was promptly captured by Razadarit's forces. Myaungmya surrendered. The entire delta followed. Laukpya's son and his two sons-in-law fled to Ava.
Having overrun all three regions of Lower Burma, Razadarit looked to extend his rule northwards. In 1390, he attacked and conquered Myanaung
, the northernmost town in the delta still under the control of Ava. He proceeded to lay siege to Prome (Pyay), farther up the Irrawaddy. But Swasawke sent a combined land and naval force and thwarted Razadarit's advance. In 1391, Razadarit and Swasawke reached a truce that gave Hanthawaddy control of Myanaung. Hanthawaddy now controlled all of Lower Burma south of Prome. (The entire Tenasserim coast was under Siamese
rule. Razadarit's rule did not extend much beyond south of Mawlamyaing).
, who must been about 7 years old, was practicing horsemanship and sharpening his elephant's tusks, Razadarit feared his eldest son of treason in the near future because Razadarit himself had rebelled against his father at a young age. The king sent executioners to kill off his young son. According to Mon and Burmese chronicles, the young prince swore a dreadful oath in front of the executioners before taking the poison:
Razadarit was greatly disturbed when he heard of the terrible oath. In the superstitious world of Burmese politics, he was alarmed when the chief wife of Prince Minkhaung of Ava gave birth to Minyekyawswa
a year after Bawlawkyantaw's death. Indeed, Minyekyawswa would later grow up to be Razadarit's nemesis.
, the Ava throne was succeeded by Minkhaung I
, who was quickly greeted by a major rebellion by the lord of Yamethin
. Taking advantage of the confusion, Razadarit broke the truce in November 1404 (Natdaw 756 ME), and invaded up country with a massive flotilla (4000 boats of every description, including transports for elephants and horses). Razadarit left his son-in-law to lay siege to Prome, whilst Razadarit laid siege to Ava. Minkhaung had no flotilla to meet Razadarit, and ordered his troops to defend behind the fortified walls of Ava and Prome. The fortified cities proved impregnable to the Hanthawaddy forces. The governor of Prome, Letya Pyanchi, a son-in-law of Laukpya, broke the siege led by Razadarit's son-in-law, and captured Razadarit's daughter. At Ava too, Razadarit was not prepared for a long siege, and withdrew his forces after hearing a sermon by a Buddhist monk on the wickedness of war. He executed his son-in-law who had failed to prevent his daughter's capture at Prome.
Minkhaung raised Razadarit's daughter to be a queen. Incensed, Razadarit had to wait until the end of the rainy season the following year before he was ready to attack Ava again. In late 1405, he sailed up the Irrawaddy river burning the granaries and boats along the way. Prome was besieged again. However, Razadarit had to lift the siege when, in January 1406, Minkhaung's forces arrived from up-country. But Razadarit's flotilla continued to control the entire span of Irrawaddy river, and continued using scorched earth tactics along the river, greatly disrupting Minkhaung's supplies and resources.
in Prome. Minkhaung gave his sister to Razadarit in marriage, who in return gave custom duties at the port of Bassein. This shows that one of the reasons for the Forty Years War was Ava's need for access to a seaport. The arrangement in practice was doomed to failure as Bassein had to serve two masters. The boundary of their kingdoms was fixed a little to the south of Prome.
, which had been raiding his territory. To reduce the probability of an opportunistic attack by Razadarit from the south, Minkhaung also sent a letter of alliance to the king of Lan Na (Chiang Mai) asking the latter to threaten Hanthawaddy from the east. But the letter was intercepted by Razadarit's men. Moreover, Minkhaung appointed his eldest son Minyekyawswa
as heir apparent. Minyekyawswa was widely believed by both sides to be the reincarnation of the wrongly executed Mon prince. So when Minkhaung's brother Theiddat
, who felt he should have been the heir apparent, fled Ava and offered his services, Razadarit readily accepted the offer, and gave Theiddat his sister in marriage, knowing full well that it was a declaration of war.
Razadarit could not allow Arakan to fall to Ava, and sent his army from Bassein to dislodge the Ava army now occupying Arakan. At the Araknese capital Launggyet, the Hanthawaddy army was victorious. Among the captured were Anawrahta, the newly appointed Avan governor of Arakan, and his wife, Saw Pye Chantha, Minkhaung's daughter, and Minyekyawswa's sister, along with 3000 Ava troops. Razadarit installed an Arakanese prince as king of Arakan. Razadarit had Minkhaung's son-in-law executed, and took Minkhaung's daughter as queen. Incensed, Minkhaung invaded the Hanthawaddy country in May 1407, at the start of the rainy season, against the advice of his ministers. The Ava forces got bogged down in the swamps of Lower Burma, and were soundly defeated.
In 1408, Minkhaung had to defend against Shan invaders from the north and could not invade the south. In 1409, Minkhaung invaded the south again, and advanced to outskirts of Pegu. Minkhaung's army was stockaded near Pankyaw. Razadarit tried to break the siege by sending special forces to assassinate Minkhaung. With the aid of Theiddat, Hanthawaddy units nearly ambushed Minkhaung and his bodyguards. But at a critical moment Theiddat gave a warning to his brother, and Minkhaung and his team escaped. Razadarit executed Theiddat. Razadarit again sent a small force led by his top general Lagun Ein to infiltrate the enemy camp and kill Minkhaung. Lagun Ein got into Minhkaung's tent, but in an act of chivalry he refused to kill the enemy king who was asleep. With the onset of the rainy season, Minkhaung's communication lines and supply lines were cut. Razadarit came out of Pegu and attacked Minkhaung. The two kings took part in a great battle at Kyat Paw Taw near Pegu. Razadarit charged his elephant directly at Minkhaung, which the latter tried to meet but could not withstand so that he had to turn away. About two-thirds of the invading Ava army including elephants and cavalry were captured. Razadarit also captured Minkhaung's chief queen Shin Mi-Nauk
. Razadarit now had both the mother and the daughter in his harem.
The years 1414–1416 proved to be Razadarit's toughest years of his reign. Having defeated the Shan state of Theinni
in the north, Minyekyawswa now invaded the delta in full force in late January/early February 1414 (Tabodwe 775 ME). By 1415, the fiery prince of Ava had conquered the entire delta in the west, and controlled up to the outskirts of Pegu in the east. In the wake of this onslaught, Razadarit fled to Martaban. The king was supposed to have clasped his knees in despair, saying:
Fortunately for Razadarit, Minyekyawswa was mortally wounded in battle at Dala
, and was captured by Hanthawaddy troops in March 1417 (Tabaung 778 ME). (The Mon chronicles say Minyekyawswa died of his wounds but the Burmese chronicles say he was executed. The Mon chronicles state that Razadarit ordered Minyekyawswa be buried with royal honors.)
and Burmese language
forms. This epic was also translated into Thai
by Phra Khlang during the reign of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
(1782–1809), and is well-known in Thailand. Nowadays, Minyekyawswa and Razadarit duels are featured in Burmese textbooks. Razadarit's epic struggles against Minkhaung I and Minyekyawswa of Ava are part of classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture today.
Mon language
The Mon language is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Mon, who live in Burma and Thailand. Mon, like the related language Cambodian—but unlike most languages in Mainland Southeast Asia—is not tonal. Mon is spoken by more than a million people today. In recent years, usage of Mon has...
-speaking regions of southern Burma (Myanmar), and fended off major assaults by the Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
-speaking northern Kingdom of Ava (Innwa) in the Forty Years' War
Forty Years' War
The Forty Years' War was a military conflict fought between the Burmese-speaking Kingdom of Ava and the Mon-speaking Kingdom of Hanthawaddy Pegu. The war was fought during two separate periods: 1385 to 1391 and 1404 to 1424, interrupted by two truces of 1391–1404 and 1406–1407...
(1385–1424).
When Razadarit became the ruler of Hanthawaddy in 1384, the 16-year-old boy-king held just the Pegu (Bago) province while the other two major Mon-speaking regions of the Irrawaddy delta
Irrawaddy Delta
The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Ayeyarwady Region , the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, 290 km to the south at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River...
and Martaban (Mottama) were in open rebellion. By his sheer will and military leadership, he defeated Ava's first wave of invasions in the 1380s, and by 1390, was able to reunify all three Mon regions. During the second half of the Forty Years' War, he met 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...
of Ava and his son Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa was crown prince of Ava from 1407 to 1417, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1410 to 1417. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the most fierce battles of Forty Years' War against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.The prince, who...
head-on in 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 ....
, 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....
, and Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
.
Razadarit is remembered as a complex figure: a brave military commander, who defeated Minkhaung I in single combat, and kept the kingdom independent; an able administrator who organized the kingdom; and a ruthless paranoid figure, who drove his first love Talamidaw
Talamidaw
Talamidaw was the consort of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy while he was a prince. She was a half-sister of Razadarit and a daughter of King Binnya U by queen Sanda Dewi. In May 1383, Talamidaw eloped with Razadarit to Dagon...
to commit suicide, and ordered the execution of their innocent son Bawlawkyantaw
Bawlawkyantaw
Bawlawkyantaw was the eldest son and first child of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu. The prince is best known for his famous oath before his execution on the orders of his father that he shall be reborn to fight against his father if he were innocent...
. The king died of injuries received in hunting a wild elephant in 1422 at age 54. He left a strong, independent kingdom for the Mon people
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...
that would prosper for another 117 years. Three of his offspring later became rulers of Hanthawaddy. His daughter Shin Sawbu
Shin Sawbu
Shin Sawbu was the queen of Hanthawaddy from 1453 to 1472. Queen Shin Sawbu was also known as Binnya Thau or Old Queen in Mon. Queen Shin Sawbu and Queen Jamadevi of Haripunjaya are the two most famous queens among the small number of queens who ruled in mainland Southeast Asia...
was the first and only female regent, and one of the most enlightened rulers in Burmese history.
The story of Razadarit's reign is recorded in a classic epic that exists in Mon
Mon language
The Mon language is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Mon, who live in Burma and Thailand. Mon, like the related language Cambodian—but unlike most languages in Mainland Southeast Asia—is not tonal. Mon is spoken by more than a million people today. In recent years, usage of Mon has...
, Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
and Thai language
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
forms. Razadarit's struggles against Minkhaung I and Minyekyawswa are retold as classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture.
Early life
Razadarit was born Binnya Nwe ( bəɲá nwɛ̰) to King Binnya U and his queen Mwe Daw ( mwḛ dɔ́) on 28 January 1368 at Donwun (near Martaban). ("Binnya" was the highest title of royalty in Mon language.) (In the mid-1360s, Binnya U faced multiple rebellions that forced him out of Martaban some time between 1364 and 1369, and was camped out at Donwun, a town north of Martaban for a time. By 1369, he had relocated his capital to Pegu. Binnya Nwe's mother Mwe Thin was a wife of Prince Min Linka ( mɪ́ɴ lɪ̀ɴɡà), who revolted against his younger brother the king. Binnya U defeated the rebellion, and conquered Mwe Thin who later gave birth to Razadarit.)Binnya Nwe grew up in Binnya U's Pegu court. (Binnya U could not recover Martaban, which was ruled by the rebel chief Byattaba ( bjaʔ tʰa̰ ba̰.) Although Binnya Nwe was the eldest son, Binnya U chose his son by his chief queen Mwe Magu Tauk ( mwé məɡù tauʔ). Moreover, others like Princess Mahadevi ( məhà dèwì) and Laukpya
Laukpya
Laukpya , the Lord of Myaungmya, was a key figure who started the Forty Years' War between the Mon-speaking Kingdom of Hanthawaddy and the Burmese-speaking Kingdom of Ava. A brother of King Binnya U of Hanthawaddy, Laukpya ruled the Irrawaddy delta like an independent king during his brother's...
( lauʔ pʰjá), Governor of Myaungmya
Myaungmya
Myaungmya is a town in Myaungmya Township, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar.The town is home to the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary, a Seventh Day Adventist seminary and Myaungmya Education College....
, were also interested in succeeding Binnya U. Mahadevi was a powerful figure in her brother Binnya U's court, and was like a mother to Binnya Nwe. Her relationship with her nephew turned sour when her lover, Smim Maru ( θəmèiɴ məjú), husband of Princess Talamithiri ( təla̰ mè θìɹḭ) wanted to be king.
Ascension to throne
In early 1383, Binnya Nwe, not yet 16, eloped with his half-sister TalamidawTalamidaw
Talamidaw was the consort of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy while he was a prince. She was a half-sister of Razadarit and a daughter of King Binnya U by queen Sanda Dewi. In May 1383, Talamidaw eloped with Razadarit to Dagon...
and fled to Dagon
Dagon Township
Dagon Township is located immediately north of downtown Yangon. The township comprises five wards, and shares borders with Bahan township in the north, Ahlon township in the west, Mingala Taungnyunt township in the east, and Lanmadaw township, Latha township and Pabedan township in the south.Dagon...
(Yangon). The king, who was on his deathbed, pardoned both of his children. But the rival claimants to the throne the chief queen, Mahadevi/Smim Maru and Laukpya all wanted to get rid of Binnya Nwe, and sent three armies to Dagon. At Dagon, the young price, aided by a few loyal forces and Muslim mercenaries, had already fortified the town. Within a few days of siege, two arimes, led by Laukpya and Byattaba (the rebellious governor of Martaban), withdrew, and only the army led by Smim Maru remained. On 14 May 1383 (10th waxing of Nayon 745 ME), Binnya Nwe's forces defeated Smim Maru's. Smim Maru was caught and executed.
On 21 January 1384 (12th waning of Pyatho 745 ME), the young prince now marched to Pegu. When they got to Pegu two days later, Binnya U had just died, and he was at once proclaimed king by the palace officials. He ascended the throne with the reign name of Razadarit (Pali
Pali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
: Rajadhiraj; King of Kings) ten days later on 2 February. He had just turned 16.
At his ascension, Razadarit controlled only the Pegu province out of three principal Mon regions in lower Burma. The Martaban region was ruled by Byattaba, and the Irrawaddy delta was under the rule of Laukpya of Myaungmya. Razadarit pardoned his aunt Mahadevi and gave her Dagon in fief but he could not buy his uncle Laukpya's loyalty. Laukpya, who had always ruled his fief like a king under his brother Binnya U, was not prepared to submit to his teenage nephew. In 1385, as Razadarit prepared to march to the delta, Laukpya sought assistance from King Swasawke
Swasawke
Swasawke was the second king of Ava, who reigned from 1368 to 1400. When he was elected by the ministers to succeed King Thadominbya who left no heir, Swasawke took over a kingdom that was less than four years old, and still faced external and internal threats...
of Ava with the promise of submission to Ava. Swasawke's acceptance of Laukpya's invitation resulted in the Forty Years' War between Ava and Pegu.
Consolidation of Lower Burma (1385–1391)
In 1386, SwasawkeSwasawke
Swasawke was the second king of Ava, who reigned from 1368 to 1400. When he was elected by the ministers to succeed King Thadominbya who left no heir, Swasawke took over a kingdom that was less than four years old, and still faced external and internal threats...
initiated the hostilities that would last for another 40 years between the northern Ava and southern Hanthawaddy kingdoms. Swasawke launched a two-pronged invasion of Hanthawaddy down the Irrawaddy and Sittaung rivers, and Laukpya sent in his army from the delta. The young king did not lose nerve, and successfully fended off the invasions. In 1387, Razadarit again stopped another invasion by Swasawke.
Despite this success, Razadarit realized that he needed to reunify all three regions of Lower Burma if he were to fight Ava on equal terms in the long run. In 1388/89, Razadarit and his top general Lagun Ein in a series of military campaigns did just that. They chose to attack Martaban first, which had been independent since 1363, as it was a weaker foe than Myaungmya in the delta. In 1388, the Peguan forces captured Martaban albeit with much difficulty. Now with his rear base secure, Razadarit quickly moved to subdue the delta. Initially, he failed. His army could not take heavily fortified Myaungmya, and was defeated at Bassein which was defended by Laukpya's son and two sons-in-law. Then Laukpya ventured out of his defenses, and was promptly captured by Razadarit's forces. Myaungmya surrendered. The entire delta followed. Laukpya's son and his two sons-in-law fled to Ava.
Having overrun all three regions of Lower Burma, Razadarit looked to extend his rule northwards. In 1390, he attacked and conquered Myanaung
Myanaung
Myanaung is a town in the Ayeyarwady Division of south-west Burma. It is the seat of the Myanaung Township in the Hinthada District.-External links:*...
, the northernmost town in the delta still under the control of Ava. He proceeded to lay siege to Prome (Pyay), farther up the Irrawaddy. But Swasawke sent a combined land and naval force and thwarted Razadarit's advance. In 1391, Razadarit and Swasawke reached a truce that gave Hanthawaddy control of Myanaung. Hanthawaddy now controlled all of Lower Burma south of Prome. (The entire Tenasserim coast was under Siamese
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...
rule. Razadarit's rule did not extend much beyond south of Mawlamyaing).
First truce (1391–1404)
Razadarit used the peace to beautify Pegu and improve its defenses. He entered into friendly communication with Siam.Execution of Bawlawkyantaw
Razadarit grew tired of his first love Talamidaw, and cast her aside, taking away all the jewels bestowed upon her by their father Binnya U. Heartbroken, Talamidaw committed suicide. Hearing that their son BawlawkyantawBawlawkyantaw
Bawlawkyantaw was the eldest son and first child of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu. The prince is best known for his famous oath before his execution on the orders of his father that he shall be reborn to fight against his father if he were innocent...
, who must been about 7 years old, was practicing horsemanship and sharpening his elephant's tusks, Razadarit feared his eldest son of treason in the near future because Razadarit himself had rebelled against his father at a young age. The king sent executioners to kill off his young son. According to Mon and Burmese chronicles, the young prince swore a dreadful oath in front of the executioners before taking the poison:
- I do not plot against my father. Neither is there any fault in me. My father and mother played together as children. When she grew to womanhood, he took her beauty and then cast her away. She was a king's daughter, but he drove her away like a slave and drove her to her evil death. If I am guilty of treason by thought, word or deed, may I suffer in the fires of the nether regions for a thousand cycle times. If I am innocent, may I be reborn in the dynasty of Ava kings, and may I become the scourge of Mons.
Razadarit was greatly disturbed when he heard of the terrible oath. In the superstitious world of Burmese politics, he was alarmed when the chief wife of Prince Minkhaung of Ava gave birth to Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa was crown prince of Ava from 1407 to 1417, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1410 to 1417. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the most fierce battles of Forty Years' War against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.The prince, who...
a year after Bawlawkyantaw's death. Indeed, Minyekyawswa would later grow up to be Razadarit's nemesis.
Raids into Upper Burma (1404–1406)
In December 1400, Swasawke of Ava died. After a 7-month-long succession crisis that felled King TarabyaTarabya of Ava
Tarabya was the third king of Ava, who reigned for seven months in 1401. Tarabya was crown prince during his father King Swasawke's reign, and ascended in January 1401 . But he was assassinated seven months into his rule by his one-time tutor, Nga Nauk Hsan, the governor of Tagaung...
, the Ava throne was succeeded by 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...
, who was quickly greeted by a major rebellion by the lord of 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...
. Taking advantage of the confusion, Razadarit broke the truce in November 1404 (Natdaw 756 ME), and invaded up country with a massive flotilla (4000 boats of every description, including transports for elephants and horses). Razadarit left his son-in-law to lay siege to Prome, whilst Razadarit laid siege to Ava. Minkhaung had no flotilla to meet Razadarit, and ordered his troops to defend behind the fortified walls of Ava and Prome. The fortified cities proved impregnable to the Hanthawaddy forces. The governor of Prome, Letya Pyanchi, a son-in-law of Laukpya, broke the siege led by Razadarit's son-in-law, and captured Razadarit's daughter. At Ava too, Razadarit was not prepared for a long siege, and withdrew his forces after hearing a sermon by a Buddhist monk on the wickedness of war. He executed his son-in-law who had failed to prevent his daughter's capture at Prome.
Minkhaung raised Razadarit's daughter to be a queen. Incensed, Razadarit had to wait until the end of the rainy season the following year before he was ready to attack Ava again. In late 1405, he sailed up the Irrawaddy river burning the granaries and boats along the way. Prome was besieged again. However, Razadarit had to lift the siege when, in January 1406, Minkhaung's forces arrived from up-country. But Razadarit's flotilla continued to control the entire span of Irrawaddy river, and continued using scorched earth tactics along the river, greatly disrupting Minkhaung's supplies and resources.
Second truce (1406)
In 1406, Minkhaung sued for peace. The two kings met at the Shwesandaw PagodaShwesandaw Pagoda, Pyay
The Shwesandaw Pagoda, or Shwesandaw Paya, is a Buddhist pagoda in the center of Pyay, Burma. It is one of the more important Buddhist pilgrimage locations in Burma. It is said to contain a couple of the Buddha's hairs, as its name means Golden Hair Relic. It is one meter taller in height than...
in Prome. Minkhaung gave his sister to Razadarit in marriage, who in return gave custom duties at the port of Bassein. This shows that one of the reasons for the Forty Years War was Ava's need for access to a seaport. The arrangement in practice was doomed to failure as Bassein had to serve two masters. The boundary of their kingdoms was fixed a little to the south of Prome.
Invasion of Arakan and resumption of hostilities (1406–1409)
The second truce did not last even a year as neither king trusted the other. Minkhaung took offense when a Hanthawaddy garrison was left on the frontier near Prome. Soon after the truce with Razadarit, Minkhaung sent in an army to occupy ArakanRakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, which had been raiding his territory. To reduce the probability of an opportunistic attack by Razadarit from the south, Minkhaung also sent a letter of alliance to the king of Lan Na (Chiang Mai) asking the latter to threaten Hanthawaddy from the east. But the letter was intercepted by Razadarit's men. Moreover, Minkhaung appointed his eldest son Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa was crown prince of Ava from 1407 to 1417, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1410 to 1417. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the most fierce battles of Forty Years' War against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.The prince, who...
as heir apparent. Minyekyawswa was widely believed by both sides to be the reincarnation of the wrongly executed Mon prince. So when Minkhaung's brother Theiddat
Theiddat
Theiddat was the heir-presumptive of Ava from 1401 to 1407 during the reign of King Minkhaung I of Ava. Theiddat was the key figure in securing his elder brother Minkhaung I's claim on the throne of Ava. In the early days of Minkhaung's reign, Theiddat personally led an army to put down a major...
, who felt he should have been the heir apparent, fled Ava and offered his services, Razadarit readily accepted the offer, and gave Theiddat his sister in marriage, knowing full well that it was a declaration of war.
Razadarit could not allow Arakan to fall to Ava, and sent his army from Bassein to dislodge the Ava army now occupying Arakan. At the Araknese capital Launggyet, the Hanthawaddy army was victorious. Among the captured were Anawrahta, the newly appointed Avan governor of Arakan, and his wife, Saw Pye Chantha, Minkhaung's daughter, and Minyekyawswa's sister, along with 3000 Ava troops. Razadarit installed an Arakanese prince as king of Arakan. Razadarit had Minkhaung's son-in-law executed, and took Minkhaung's daughter as queen. Incensed, Minkhaung invaded the Hanthawaddy country in May 1407, at the start of the rainy season, against the advice of his ministers. The Ava forces got bogged down in the swamps of Lower Burma, and were soundly defeated.
In 1408, Minkhaung had to defend against Shan invaders from the north and could not invade the south. In 1409, Minkhaung invaded the south again, and advanced to outskirts of Pegu. Minkhaung's army was stockaded near Pankyaw. Razadarit tried to break the siege by sending special forces to assassinate Minkhaung. With the aid of Theiddat, Hanthawaddy units nearly ambushed Minkhaung and his bodyguards. But at a critical moment Theiddat gave a warning to his brother, and Minkhaung and his team escaped. Razadarit executed Theiddat. Razadarit again sent a small force led by his top general Lagun Ein to infiltrate the enemy camp and kill Minkhaung. Lagun Ein got into Minhkaung's tent, but in an act of chivalry he refused to kill the enemy king who was asleep. With the onset of the rainy season, Minkhaung's communication lines and supply lines were cut. Razadarit came out of Pegu and attacked Minkhaung. The two kings took part in a great battle at Kyat Paw Taw near Pegu. Razadarit charged his elephant directly at Minkhaung, which the latter tried to meet but could not withstand so that he had to turn away. About two-thirds of the invading Ava army including elephants and cavalry were captured. Razadarit also captured Minkhaung's chief queen Shin Mi-Nauk
Shin Mi-Nauk
Shin Mi-Nauk was the chief queen of King Minkhaung I of Ava from 1401 to 1409. She was the mother of Crown Prince Minyekyawswa, who is one of the most celebrated generals in Burmese history, and King Thihathu of Ava. Mi-Nauk was a daughter of Hsongamhpa, the saopha of Shan state of Mohnyin...
. Razadarit now had both the mother and the daughter in his harem.
Minyekyawswa years (1410–1417)
After this disastrous defeat, Minyekyawswa took over his father’s role as leader of Ava’s military expeditions against the south. Minyekyawswa was eager to defeat Razadarit as both his mother and his sister were prisoners in Razadarit's harem. In 1410, Minyekyawswa invaded the delta but was repulsed. In early 1412, Minyekyawswa invaded Arakan, and ousted the Hanthawaddy-installed puppet king. In December 1412, while Minyekyawswa was fighting against the Shan state of Theinni in the north, Razadarit led his flotilla up the Irrawaddy. But he immediately withdrew when Martaban came under attack by Siamese forces. But he did send a force to Arakan and removed the Ava-installed puppet king in 1413.The years 1414–1416 proved to be Razadarit's toughest years of his reign. Having defeated the Shan state of Theinni
Theinni
Theinni or Hsenwi is a town in northern Shan State of Burma, situated near the north bank of the Nam Tu River and now the centre of Hsenwi Township in Lashio District. It is 28 miles north of Lashio. It is 2,100 feet above sea level...
in the north, Minyekyawswa now invaded the delta in full force in late January/early February 1414 (Tabodwe 775 ME). By 1415, the fiery prince of Ava had conquered the entire delta in the west, and controlled up to the outskirts of Pegu in the east. In the wake of this onslaught, Razadarit fled to Martaban. The king was supposed to have clasped his knees in despair, saying:
- "Why, when I was a lad of sixteen with only two score men at my back, I had won half my kingdom. Minhkaung had a real son but you sons of mine are useless."
Fortunately for Razadarit, Minyekyawswa was mortally wounded in battle at Dala
Dala 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...
, and was captured by Hanthawaddy troops in March 1417 (Tabaung 778 ME). (The Mon chronicles say Minyekyawswa died of his wounds but the Burmese chronicles say he was executed. The Mon chronicles state that Razadarit ordered Minyekyawswa be buried with royal honors.)
The final years (1417–1422)
Minyekyawswa’s death was the beginning of the end of the war that had dragged on for decades. Without a strong leader, Ava’s forces became disorganized and were forced to withdraw to the north to meet renewed Shan threats. Minhkaung renewed the campaign, marching to Bassein and Myaungmya. Hanthawaddy marched north to Toungoo in 1417 and Ava marched south to Pegu in 1418, but struggle between Ava and Pegu was over for the time being.Death
Minhkaung died in 1422. When the news reached Razadarit, he reportedly lamented: My brother, my enemy, my rival, my companion, life is empty without you. Within a few months, Razadarit himself was fatally injured in hunting a wild elephant near Pegu Yoma Hills, north of Pegu. His year of death is uncertain. The Mon chronicles report it as either 782 ME (1420/21 AD) or 783 ME (1421/22 AD) but Burmese Chronicles place it at 784 ME (1422/23 AD). He was about 54. He was buried near Kamathameinpaik, north of Pegu. The war dragged on between the successors of Razadarit and Minhkaung for a few more years but this eventually gave way to a long period of peace in the south.Administration
By 1390, Razadarit had reunified all three main provinces (Pegu, Martaban and Bassein/Irrawaddy delta) under his leadership. According to the Mon chronicles, the king reportedly further organized the three provinces into 32 towns/districts ("myos"), though he was not the first to do so. Later research shows no evidence of Razadarit being the first to organize the provinces into 32 divisions.Razadarit in popular culture
The story of Razadarit's reign is recorded in a classic epic called Razadarit Ayedawpon that exists in both MonMon language
The Mon language is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Mon, who live in Burma and Thailand. Mon, like the related language Cambodian—but unlike most languages in Mainland Southeast Asia—is not tonal. Mon is spoken by more than a million people today. In recent years, usage of Mon has...
and Burmese language
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
forms. This epic was also translated into Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
by Phra Khlang during the reign of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chakri Borommanat Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke , posthumously titled "the Great", or Rama I , was the founder and the first monarch of the reigning House of Chakri of Siam . He ascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion which had deposed King...
(1782–1809), and is well-known in Thailand. Nowadays, Minyekyawswa and Razadarit duels are featured in Burmese textbooks. Razadarit's epic struggles against Minkhaung I and Minyekyawswa of Ava are part of classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture today.