Thado Minsaw of Prome
Encyclopedia
Thado Minsaw of Prome was the founder of Prome Kingdom
, who reigned the minor kingdom from 1482 to 1527. He was governor of Tharrawaddy during the reigns of his father King Narapati of Ava and his elder brother King Thihathura. After Thihathura died in 1481, the new king Minkhaung II
was greeted by a major rebellion by his brother Minyekyawswa, the governor of Yamethin
. In 1482, Thado Minsaw's another elder brother viceroy of Prome, Mingyi Swa
also died.
Thado Minsaw took advantage of the war between his nephews Minkhaung II and Minyekyawswa in Upper Burma by taking over Prome, and declaring himself independent. He raised his brother Mingyi Swa's chief queen as his chief queen. Minkhaung managed to send an army to reclaim Prome. But the Avan army could not take Prome, and retreated. Ava could not send another force again as the much more serious Yamethin rebellion (and rebellions by the Shan States of Mohnyin
and Kale) consumed its resources for the next two decades. Prome became an independent kingdom with territories up to Tharrawaddy and Myede.
Thado Minsaw largely stayed out of the fighting in Upper Burma. He forged a peaceful relationship with Hanthawaddy
, the most powerful kingdom in the region. He changed his policy in the 1520s when Ava was on its last legs suffering from the sustained assaults by Confederation of Shan States. He entered into a league with Sawlon
, the confederation's leader. In 1524, the combined armies of Confederation and Prome sacked the city of Ava
. The king of Ava, Shwenankyawshin
, who was Thado Minsaw's grandnephew, escaped. Prome and Confederation forces looted the city. The Prome armies brought back the famed poet monk Shin Maha Rattathara. Prome remained in a league with the Confederation, which continued its attacks on Ava.
Thado Minsaw died in early 1527, and was succeeded by his son Bayin Htwe
.
Prome Kingdom
The Prome Kingdom was a kingdom that existed for six decades between 1482 and 1542 in the present-day central Burma . Based out of the city of Prome , the minor kingdom was one of the several statelets that broke away from the dominant Ava Kingdom in the late 15th century...
, who reigned the minor kingdom from 1482 to 1527. He was governor of Tharrawaddy during the reigns of his father King Narapati of Ava and his elder brother King Thihathura. After Thihathura died in 1481, the new king Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II was the twelfth king of Ava who reigned from 1481 to 1502. His 20-year reign was the beginning of the decline of Ava's hold on Upper Burma. Yamethin, a region to the east of Ava, revolted upon Minkhaung's ascension to the Ava throne and stayed independent throughout Minkhaung's reign...
was greeted by a major rebellion by his brother Minyekyawswa, the governor 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...
. In 1482, Thado Minsaw's another elder brother viceroy of Prome, Mingyi Swa
Mingyi Swa of Prome
Mingyi Swa of Prome was viceroy of Prome of Ava Kingdom from 1446 to 1482. He was made governor of Prome in 1446 by his father Narapati of Ava. He raised a rebellion when his eldest brother Thihathura I succeeded the Ava throne in 1469. But Thihathura laid siege on Prome, and Mingyi Swa submitted...
also died.
Thado Minsaw took advantage of the war between his nephews Minkhaung II and Minyekyawswa in Upper Burma by taking over Prome, and declaring himself independent. He raised his brother Mingyi Swa's chief queen as his chief queen. Minkhaung managed to send an army to reclaim Prome. But the Avan army could not take Prome, and retreated. Ava could not send another force again as the much more serious Yamethin rebellion (and rebellions by the Shan States 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...
and Kale) consumed its resources for the next two decades. Prome became an independent kingdom with territories up to Tharrawaddy and Myede.
Thado Minsaw largely stayed out of the fighting in Upper Burma. He forged a peaceful relationship with Hanthawaddy
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...
, the most powerful kingdom in the region. He changed his policy in the 1520s when Ava was on its last legs suffering from the sustained assaults by Confederation of Shan States. He entered into a league with 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 confederation's leader. In 1524, the combined armies of Confederation and Prome sacked the city of 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...
. The king of Ava, Shwenankyawshin
Shwenankyawshin
Shwenankyawshin Narapati was the last sovereign king of Ava who reigned 25 tumultuous years between 1502 and 1527. A confederation of Shan states led by Mohnyin continued their relentless attacks, and gradually absorbed Avan territory from the north, while their ally Prome took Avan territory in...
, who was Thado Minsaw's grandnephew, escaped. Prome and Confederation forces looted the city. The Prome armies brought back the famed poet monk Shin Maha Rattathara. Prome remained in a league with the Confederation, which continued its attacks on Ava.
Thado Minsaw died in early 1527, and was succeeded by his son Bayin Htwe
Bayin Htwe
Bayin Htwe was the second ruler of Prome, who reigned from 1527 to 1533. The eldest son of Thado Minsaw who proclaimed independence of his minor kingdom from Ava in 1482, ascended to the throne in 1527 after his father's death. The new king soon incurred the wrath of Sawlon, the leader of...
.