Binnya U
Encyclopedia
Binnya U was the eighth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu, who ruled from 1348 to 1383. Over his 35-year reign, the king faced several internal rebellions and external invasions. He tried to reestablish the kingdom's power out of its traditional capital Martaban (Mottama) but was forced back to Pegu (Bago), which ultimately proved to be a more strategic location to hold Mon
-speaking lands of Lower Burma. His last years were filled with palace intrigues over succession. He died in 1384 while facing a rebellion by his eldest son Razadarit.
Binnya U was known as Hsinbyushin (Lord of White Elephant) because he possessed a white elephant, considered a great hallmark of a Buddhist king. When the white elephant died, he spent many years looking for another one. In 1362, Binnya U repaired the Shwedagon Pagoda, raising its height to 20 meters (66 feet).
and grandnephew of the kingdom's founder, King Wareru
, Binnya U grew up at the court of his uncle Binnya E Law
. In his youth, he and his cousin, Binnya E Law's son were always quarreling as they were both considered rivals to the throne. His cousin died of natural causes so he became the heir apparent.
and the upper Tenasserim coast, Martaban at the tip of Tenasserim coast was right at the edge of Siamese
power and away from two other important Mon centers.
While the king might have been trying to replicate his uncle Saw O
's success in conquering the Tenasserim coastline in the 1310s, he had no such opportunity. First, Tenasserim coast was firmly under the newly founded Ayutthaya Kingdom
. At Martaban, he faced several internal rebellions and external attacks that ultimately forced him out of Martaban.
In 1356, Lan Na's armies numbering 80,000 men invaded Martaban's districts, Sittaung, Taikkla, Dunwun and Lagun Pyi. (The Lan Na Chronicles have no record of this invasion, so the actual invaders could have been from another northern Tai State). He beat back the attacks. In the mid-1360s he faced another rebellion, this time by his brother Min Linka. He suppressed the rebellion, ordered the execution of Min Linka, and raised Min Linka's wife, Mwe Thin, as queen. In January 1368, Mwe Thin gave birth to Binnya Nwe (later Razadarit).
, lord of Myaungmya
both eyed the throne, and viewed Binnya Nwe with suspicion. In 1383, the 16-year-old Binnya Nwe eloped with his half-sister Talamidaw, fled to Dagon
(now Yangon), and raised a rebellion. The king was too ill and on his deathbed. In May 1383, his chief queen sent an army to Dagon. Binnya Nwe defeated the force at Dagon and marched to Pegu. The king died during the fighting, and Binnya Nwe became king, styled as Razadarit, or king of kings.
Binnya U sent a mission to Ceylon, and obtained a holy relic for which a pagoda was built near his "victory" over the Lan Na forces.
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 lands of Lower Burma. His last years were filled with palace intrigues over succession. He died in 1384 while facing a rebellion by his eldest son Razadarit.
Binnya U was known as Hsinbyushin (Lord of White Elephant) because he possessed a white elephant, considered a great hallmark of a Buddhist king. When the white elephant died, he spent many years looking for another one. In 1362, Binnya U repaired the Shwedagon Pagoda, raising its height to 20 meters (66 feet).
Early life
A son of King Saw ZeinSaw Zein
Saw Zein was the fourth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1324 to 1331. A nephew of the kingdom's founder King Wareru, Saw Zein succeeded his brother King Saw O in 1324. He lost the southern territories of Tenasserim coast back to his nominal overlord Sukhothai, and looked to expand his territory...
and grandnephew of the kingdom's founder, King Wareru
Wareru
Wareru was the founder of the Ramanya Kingdom located in today's Lower Burma . The kingdom is more commonly known as Kingdom of Hanthawady Pegu , or simply Pegu although the kingdom's first capital was Martaban...
, Binnya U grew up at the court of his uncle Binnya E Law
Binnya E Law
Binnya E Law was the seventh king of Hanthawaddy Pegu, who reigned from 1331 to 1348. Placed on the throne by his half-sister Queen Sanda Min Hla, this son of King Hkun Law defeated Sukhothai Kingdom's invasion in 1331, and freed Hanthawaddy from its tributary status to Sukhothai...
. In his youth, he and his cousin, Binnya E Law's son were always quarreling as they were both considered rivals to the throne. His cousin died of natural causes so he became the heir apparent.
Martaban years
When Binnya U came to power, he moved the capital back to Martaban (Mottama), the dynasty's founding capital. (His father had moved the capital to Pegu in 1324.) This was not a wise move. Whereas Pegu was strategically located in the center between the Irrawaddy deltaIrrawaddy 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 the upper Tenasserim coast, Martaban at the tip of Tenasserim coast was right at the edge of 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...
power and away from two other important Mon centers.
While the king might have been trying to replicate his uncle Saw O
Saw O
Saw O was the third king of Hanthawaddy Pegu, who reigned from 1311 to 1323. Saw O succeeded his maternal uncle Hkun Law, who was assassinated by Saw O's father Min Bala in 1311. When Saw O ascended to the throne, his kingdom was a nominal vassal of Sukhothai. He was even married to a daughter of...
's success in conquering the Tenasserim coastline in the 1310s, he had no such opportunity. First, Tenasserim coast was firmly under the newly founded Ayutthaya Kingdom
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...
. At Martaban, he faced several internal rebellions and external attacks that ultimately forced him out of Martaban.
In 1356, Lan Na's armies numbering 80,000 men invaded Martaban's districts, Sittaung, Taikkla, Dunwun and Lagun Pyi. (The Lan Na Chronicles have no record of this invasion, so the actual invaders could have been from another northern Tai State). He beat back the attacks. In the mid-1360s he faced another rebellion, this time by his brother Min Linka. He suppressed the rebellion, ordered the execution of Min Linka, and raised Min Linka's wife, Mwe Thin, as queen. In January 1368, Mwe Thin gave birth to Binnya Nwe (later Razadarit).
Out of Martaban
In 1369, he faced yet another rebellion by another cousin Byattaba, and was forced out of Martaban. After a brief stint at Dunwun, his dynasty's ancestral home, north of Martaban, Binnya U went farther north to Pegu to regroup. Pegu had not been an important Mon capital since 1057 when it passed under Pagan dynasty’s control and in 1369 it was only the size of a large village. He was able consolidate his rule from Pegu but could not reconquer Martaban. He sent one of his daughters Talamithiri to the king of Lan Na to get his assistance. (The Mon princess was brought back a few years later because she was not treated well by the Lan Na king.)Rebellion of Binnya Nwe
At Pegu, Binnya U faced more quarreling in the family. His eldest son Prince Binnya Nwe famously did not get along with his chief queen, whose son Binnya U had anointed heir apparent. Binnya U's sister Mahadevi and brother LaukpyaLaukpya
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...
, lord 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....
both eyed the throne, and viewed Binnya Nwe with suspicion. In 1383, the 16-year-old Binnya Nwe eloped with his half-sister Talamidaw, 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...
(now Yangon), and raised a rebellion. The king was too ill and on his deathbed. In May 1383, his chief queen sent an army to Dagon. Binnya Nwe defeated the force at Dagon and marched to Pegu. The king died during the fighting, and Binnya Nwe became king, styled as Razadarit, or king of kings.
Lord of White Elephant
Binnya U was known as Hsinbyushin (Lord of White Elephant) because he possessed a white elephant, considered a great hallmark of a Buddhist king. When the white elephant died, he spent many years looking for another one. In 1362, Binnya U repaired the Shwedagon Pagoda, raising its height to 20 meters (66 feet).Binnya U sent a mission to Ceylon, and obtained a holy relic for which a pagoda was built near his "victory" over the Lan Na forces.