Saw Zein
Encyclopedia
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 northwards. He died in battle in his siege of Prome (Pyay).
's reoccupation of the Tenasserim (Taninthayi) coast. (In a strange twist, his brother Saw O, who was married to a daughter of the king of Sukhothai, had nonetheless occupied the coast down to the city of Tenasserim.) Saw Zein's southern frontier was likely no more than Moulmein (Mawlamyaing).
At Pegu, Saw Zein consolidated his hold over the Irrawaddy delta
, and looked to expand northwards into Upper Burma. He died trying. In 1331, he attacked Prome, a strategically located city and appeared to have been held by an independent king, with a large army and flotilla. The king was killed in battle, and his forces were defeated.
descent. (He was at least a quarter Shan as his mother Hnin U Yaing
, sister of King Wareru
, was half-Shan. Part of his name Saw was the Shan honorific Sao.)
When he became king, Saw Zein married his first cousin Sanda Min Hla
, daughter of King Hkun Law
, and took his brother's chief queen, daughter of the king of Sukhothai. He had at least two sons (Binnya U
and Min Linka) and a daughter, Mahadevi.
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...
from 1324 to 1331. A nephew 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...
, Saw Zein succeeded his brother King 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...
in 1324. He lost the southern territories of Tenasserim coast back to his nominal overlord Sukhothai
Sukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...
, and looked to expand his territory northwards. He died in battle in his siege of Prome (Pyay).
Reign
Saw Zein moved the capital of kingdom from Martaban (Mottama) to Pegu (Bago) in the north, leaving Martaban with a strong garrison. It is not clear if the move was precipitated by his overlord SukhothaiSukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...
's reoccupation of the Tenasserim (Taninthayi) coast. (In a strange twist, his brother Saw O, who was married to a daughter of the king of Sukhothai, had nonetheless occupied the coast down to the city of Tenasserim.) Saw Zein's southern frontier was likely no more than Moulmein (Mawlamyaing).
At Pegu, Saw Zein consolidated his hold over 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 looked to expand northwards into Upper Burma. He died trying. In 1331, he attacked Prome, a strategically located city and appeared to have been held by an independent king, with a large army and flotilla. The king was killed in battle, and his forces were defeated.
Background
Like his predecessors, Saw Zein was also of Shan and MonMon 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...
descent. (He was at least a quarter Shan as his mother Hnin U Yaing
Hnin U Yaing
Hnin U Yaing was a princess of Hanthawaddy Kingdom who was the sister of two kings, Wareru and Hkun Law, and the mother of two kings Saw O and Saw Zein. She was also a paternal great-grandmother of Razadarit, considered the greatest Hanthawaddy king...
, sister of 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...
, was half-Shan. Part of his name Saw was the Shan honorific Sao.)
When he became king, Saw Zein married his first cousin Sanda Min Hla
Sanda Min Hla
Sanda Min Hla was the queen consort of three kings of Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and the real palace power behind the throne. Her murder of her second husband King Saw E, grandson of king of Sukhothai provoked an invasion from Sukhothai...
, daughter of King Hkun Law
Hkun Law
Hkun Law was the second king of Hanthawaddy from 1307 to 1311. He ascended to the throne after his elder brother King Wareru was assassinated. Hkun Law was of Shan and Mon descent....
, and took his brother's chief queen, daughter of the king of Sukhothai. He had at least two sons (Binnya U
Binnya U
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...
and Min Linka) and a daughter, Mahadevi.