Sithu Kyawhtin
Encyclopedia
Sithu Kyawhtin was the last king of Ava
who reigned from 1552 to 1555. The ethnically Shan king, a son of Sawlon
the saopha
(chief) of Mohnyin
, came to power in 1552 after driving out King Mobye Narapati
from Ava
. In March 1555, Ava was taken by King Bayinnaung
of Toungoo
, and Sithu Kyawhtin was carried off to Pegu (Bago). He was treated with honor in Pegu, which he repaid by successfully suppressing a rebellion which broke out while Bayinnaung was away on the front in Siam
. He was given many more honors.
and conquered Ava in 1527. Sawlon appointed his sons to rule the newly conquered kingdom. His elder brother Thohanbwa
was made king of Ava, and Sithu Kyawhtin was given Salin
, a southern region of Ava Kingdom, as an appanage.
In the 1540s, Sithu Kyawhtin became immersed in power struggles among the Shan chiefs of the confederation. In 1543, Thohanbwa was assassinated by his ministers, who handed the throne to Hkonmaing
, the saopha of Thibaw
. (His father Sawlon was too assassinated by his ministers in 1533.) Sithu Kyawhtin felt that the throne was his as Mohnyin was the leader of the confederation. Still, he set aside the differences and joined in on the confederation's attacks on the Toungoo Dynasty
in 1544 because the southern kingdom was becoming too powerful. The attacks failed. In 1545, King Tabinshwehti
of Toungoo counter-attacked, and conquered Sithu Kyawhtin's appanage Salin, and up to Pagan
. Sithu Kyawhtin fled to Sagaing
, across the Irrawaddy river from Ava
.
, who was the saopha of Mobye and son of Hkonmaing, came to power. Mobye Narapati had authority in the small extent of territory around the capital. Sithu Kyawhtin, who had only grudgingly acknowledged Hkonmaing, scarcely acknowledged the new king, and ruled his Sagaing region like a sovereign king. In late 1551, Sithu Kyawhtin openly rebelled, forcing Mobye Narapati to flee Ava in early 1552. Sithu Kyawhtin came to the throne of Ava with the title of Narapati (known as Sagaing Narapati for his base of Sagaing).
, which was the border between the two kingdoms. In late 1554, the invasion came, personally led by Bayinnaung himself. On 22 January 1555, the southern forces took the city of Ava. Sithu Kyawhtin was taken prisoner and was sent to Pegu.
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...
who reigned from 1552 to 1555. The ethnically Shan king, a son of Sawlon
Sawlon
Sawlon of Mohnyin was saopha of the Shan state of Mohnyin from 1482? to 1533. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the conqueror of Ava Kingdom....
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...
(chief) of 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...
, came to power in 1552 after driving out King Mobye Narapati
Mobye Narapati
Mobye Narapati was the penultimate king of Ava who reigned from 1546 to 1552, as the disputed representative of the Confederation of Shan States that had ruled Ava since 1527. Before succeeding his father Hkonmaing as king of Ava, Narapati was saopha of the Shan state of Mong Pai , which was a...
from 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 March 1555, Ava was taken by King Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was the third king of the Toungoo dynasty of Burma . 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...
of Toungoo
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...
, and Sithu Kyawhtin was carried off to Pegu (Bago). He was treated with honor in Pegu, which he repaid by successfully suppressing a rebellion which broke out while Bayinnaung was away on the front in 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...
. He was given many more honors.
Governor of Salin
Sithu Kyawhtin was a son of Sawlon of Mohnyin, who led a confederation 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...
and conquered Ava in 1527. Sawlon appointed his sons to rule the newly conquered kingdom. His elder brother Thohanbwa
Thohanbwa
Thohanbwa was a king of Ava who reigned from 1527 to 1543. The eldest son of Sawlon of Mohnyin was a commander who actively participated in Monhyin's numerous raids of Ava's territories in the first quarter of 16th century. In 1527, the ethnically Shan king was appointed king of Ava by Sawlon...
was made king of Ava, and Sithu Kyawhtin was given Salin
Salin
Salin is a town of Minbu District in the Magway Division of Myanmar....
, a southern region of Ava Kingdom, as an appanage.
In the 1540s, Sithu Kyawhtin became immersed in power struggles among the Shan chiefs of the confederation. In 1543, Thohanbwa was assassinated by his ministers, who handed the throne to Hkonmaing
Hkonmaing
Hkonmaing was king of Ava from 1543 to 1546. The long-ruling saopha of the Shan state of Onbaung Hsipaw was the main ally of King Shwenankyawshin of Ava in their 20 years' war against the Confederation of Shan States led by Mohnyin...
, the saopha of Thibaw
Hsipaw
Hsipaw , is a town in Shan State, Myanmar on the riverbank of Myitnge River. It is 200 km northeast of Mandalay.-Shan Saopha:Hsipaw is perhaps one of the most well known and powerful saopha states of Shan State...
. (His father Sawlon was too assassinated by his ministers in 1533.) Sithu Kyawhtin felt that the throne was his as Mohnyin was the leader of the confederation. Still, he set aside the differences and joined in on the confederation's attacks on the Toungoo Dynasty
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...
in 1544 because the southern kingdom was becoming too powerful. The attacks failed. In 1545, King Tabinshwehti
Tabinshwehti
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...
of Toungoo counter-attacked, and conquered Sithu Kyawhtin's appanage Salin, and up to 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...
. Sithu Kyawhtin fled to Sagaing
Sagaing
Sagaing is the capital of Sagaing Region in Myanmar. Located on the Ayeyarwady River, 20 km to the southwest of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the river, Sagaing with numerous Buddhist monasteries is an important religious and monastic center. The pagodas and monasteries crowd the numerous...
, across the Irrawaddy river from 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...
.
At Sagaing
In 1546, Mobye NarapatiMobye Narapati
Mobye Narapati was the penultimate king of Ava who reigned from 1546 to 1552, as the disputed representative of the Confederation of Shan States that had ruled Ava since 1527. Before succeeding his father Hkonmaing as king of Ava, Narapati was saopha of the Shan state of Mong Pai , which was a...
, who was the saopha of Mobye and son of Hkonmaing, came to power. Mobye Narapati had authority in the small extent of territory around the capital. Sithu Kyawhtin, who had only grudgingly acknowledged Hkonmaing, scarcely acknowledged the new king, and ruled his Sagaing region like a sovereign king. In late 1551, Sithu Kyawhtin openly rebelled, forcing Mobye Narapati to flee Ava in early 1552. Sithu Kyawhtin came to the throne of Ava with the title of Narapati (known as Sagaing Narapati for his base of Sagaing).
Reign at Ava
Realizing that Bayinnaung of southern kingdom of Toungoo was about to attack Ava, Sithu Kyawhtin asked the saophas of the confederation to set aside their mutual differences, and renew their league against the common foe. In 1553, a large army was raised to oppose to the upcoming invasion from the south. The army was massed around PaganBagan
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...
, which was the border between the two kingdoms. In late 1554, the invasion came, personally led by Bayinnaung himself. On 22 January 1555, the southern forces took the city of Ava. Sithu Kyawhtin was taken prisoner and was sent to Pegu.