Sagaing Kingdom
Encyclopedia
The Sagaing Kingdom was a kingdom
that ruled a part of central Burma (Myanmar) from 1315 to 1364. The kingdom was the western half of the old Myinsaing Kingdom
, which itself was one of many petty kingdoms that emerged after the fall of the Pagan Empire in 1287. Led by Burmanized
Shan kings, the kingdom occasionally clashed with the cross-river rival Pinya Kingdom
for the control of central Burma but was largely kept on the defensive throughout its existence by Shan raids from the north. The Sagaing Kingdom collapsed in 1364 when the city of Sagaing was sacked by the Shan raiders from Mogaung
.
The Kingdom of Ava, founded by Thadominbya
, a Sagaing prince, came to replace both Sagaing and Pinya in 1364, and became the major kingdom of central Burma for the next 150 plus years.
of Myinsaing consolidated his control of central Burma in 1310, and moved his capital to Pinya
in 1312. Just three years later, his eldest son Sawyun
left for Sagaing
, and took the western part of his father's kingdom. Sawyun had been upset with the king's decision to appoint an adopted son Uzana I as crown prince
over his own son. While Sawyun nominally remained loyal to his father, after Thihathu's death in 1324, the two kingdoms formally went separate ways, with Pinya controlling central Burma east of the Irrawaddy river and Sagaing the western half.
, a Shan chief. The two rival kingdoms were engaged in sporadic warfare against each other in the following years. But neither side could gain upper hand as they were more concerned about Shan
raids from the north. Shan raids, principally from the Shan princely state of Mogaung
., became more intensified in the late 1350s. In the early 1360s, King Minbyauk Thihapate
, a Shan chief himself, appointed his stepson Thadominbya
as governor of Tagaung at the Shan border in the north to deal with the Shan problem.
attacked Sagaing's territories. (Actually, Mogaung did most of the fighting.) Mogaung's Shan raiders overran Tagaung and Thadominbya escaped with great difficulty. Minbyauk sent Thadominbya to prison for Thadominbya's failure to defend Tagaung. But Minbyauk himself fled Sagaing when the city was overrun by Mogaung forces in April of that year (Kason 726 ME). After Mogaung raiders left Sagaing, the people of Sagaing rallied around Thadominbya, who put Minbyauk to death.
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
that ruled a part of central Burma (Myanmar) from 1315 to 1364. The kingdom was the western half of the old Myinsaing Kingdom
Myinsaing Kingdom
The Myinsaing Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled central Burma from 1298 to 1313. Founded by three brothers of Shan and Burman descent, it was one of many petty kingdoms that emerged following the collapse of Pagan Empire in 1287....
, which itself was one of many petty kingdoms that emerged after the fall of the Pagan Empire in 1287. Led by Burmanized
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
Shan kings, the kingdom occasionally clashed with the cross-river rival Pinya Kingdom
Pinya Kingdom
The Pinya Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled part of central Burma from 1313 to 1364. It was the successor state to the Myinsaing Kingdom, one of many petty kingdoms that emerged after the fall of the Pagan Empire in 1287...
for the control of central Burma but was largely kept on the defensive throughout its existence by Shan raids from the north. The Sagaing Kingdom collapsed in 1364 when the city of Sagaing was sacked by the Shan raiders from 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...
.
The Kingdom of Ava, founded by Thadominbya
Thadominbya
Thadominbya was the founder of the Kingdom of Ava who reunified central Burma in 1364 under a single kingdom. In his short reign of three plus years, the ethnically Shan king achieved accomplishments that would have a long lasting impact in Burmese history...
, a Sagaing prince, came to replace both Sagaing and Pinya in 1364, and became the major kingdom of central Burma for the next 150 plus years.
Origins
ThihathuThihathu
Thihathu was a co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom, and the founder of the Pinya Kingdom in today's central Burma . A former commander in Pagan Empire's military, Thihathu was the youngest and most ambitious of the Three Shan Brothers that founded Myinsaing Kingdom, which filled the void in central...
of Myinsaing consolidated his control of central Burma in 1310, and moved his capital to Pinya
Pinya
Pinya was the capital of the Kingdom of Pinya, located near Ava, Mandalay Region, Myanmar. It was the residence of a dynasty of six kings who ruled this part of central Myanmar from 1313 to 1364.-History:...
in 1312. Just three years later, his eldest son Sawyun
Sawyun
Athinhkaya Sawyun was the founder of the Sagaing Kingdom located in today's Sagaing Region, Burma . The eldest son of King Thihathu of Pinya, Sawyun, at age 15, set up a rival kingdom to his father's in 1315 after Thihathu appointed his adopted son Uzana I, son of the fallen king Kyawswa of Pagan...
left for 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...
, and took the western part of his father's kingdom. Sawyun had been upset with the king's decision to appoint an adopted son Uzana I as crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
over his own son. While Sawyun nominally remained loyal to his father, after Thihathu's death in 1324, the two kingdoms formally went separate ways, with Pinya controlling central Burma east of the Irrawaddy river and Sagaing the western half.
Rivalry with Pinya and Shan raids
Sawyun died in 1323, and was succeeded by Tarabya ITarabya I of Sagaing
Tarabya I or Tarabyagyi was the second king of Sagaing Kingdom from 1323 to 1336. He succeeded King Sawyun, his maternal half-brother, in April 1323. In 1336, he was brought put under arrest by his own son Shwetaungtet...
, a Shan chief. The two rival kingdoms were engaged in sporadic warfare against each other in the following years. But neither side could gain upper hand as they were more concerned about Shan
Shan
The Shan are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The Shan live primarily in the Shan State of Burma , but also inhabit parts of Mandalay Division, Kachin State, and Kayin State, and in adjacent regions of China and Thailand...
raids from the north. Shan raids, principally from the Shan princely state 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...
., became more intensified in the late 1350s. In the early 1360s, King Minbyauk Thihapate
Minbyauk Thihapate
Minbyauk Thihapate was the last king of Sagaing, who reigned from 1353 to 1364. In February 1353, Minbyauk ascended to the Sagaing throne after his brother-in-law King Tarabya II died...
, a Shan chief himself, appointed his stepson Thadominbya
Thadominbya
Thadominbya was the founder of the Kingdom of Ava who reunified central Burma in 1364 under a single kingdom. In his short reign of three plus years, the ethnically Shan king achieved accomplishments that would have a long lasting impact in Burmese history...
as governor of Tagaung at the Shan border in the north to deal with the Shan problem.
End of Sagaing
In 1364, Mogaung in alliance with Sagaing's cross-river rival Pinya KingdomPinya Kingdom
The Pinya Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled part of central Burma from 1313 to 1364. It was the successor state to the Myinsaing Kingdom, one of many petty kingdoms that emerged after the fall of the Pagan Empire in 1287...
attacked Sagaing's territories. (Actually, Mogaung did most of the fighting.) Mogaung's Shan raiders overran Tagaung and Thadominbya escaped with great difficulty. Minbyauk sent Thadominbya to prison for Thadominbya's failure to defend Tagaung. But Minbyauk himself fled Sagaing when the city was overrun by Mogaung forces in April of that year (Kason 726 ME). After Mogaung raiders left Sagaing, the people of Sagaing rallied around Thadominbya, who put Minbyauk to death.