Smim Htaw
Encyclopedia
Smim Htaw was a pretender
to the Hanthawaddy
throne, and the last king in the line of the Hanthawaddy dynasty. An ex-Buddhist monk
, and a son of King Binnya Ran II
by a minor queen, Htaw first raised a rebellion in 1549 during the reign of King Tabinshwehti
of Toungoo
, who had conquered the Mon
-speaking kingdom ten years earlier. Htaw was on the run in the delta chased after by Gen. Bayinnaung
of Toungoo when Tabinshwehti was assassinated by one of his close confidents, Smim Sawhtut
on 30 April 1550. Sawhtut proclaimed himself king. Htaw raised an army and defeated Sawhtut near Pegu (Bago) in August 1550. Though proclaimed himself king at once, Htaw controlled just the region around Pegu.
His rule at Pegu lasted about a year and a half as Bayinnaung, who was heir apparent under Tabinshwehti, came to attack Pegu in March 1552. North of the city, Toungoo and Peguan forces met. In desperation, Htaw challenged and fought Bayinnaung in single combat, both on their war elephants. Bayinnaung was victorious, charging his foe and driving him off after breaking the tusk of Htaw's elephant. Bayinnaung reportedly "paid Htaw no more heed than a lion does to jackals." Pegu was taken. Htaw was on the run for the next 12 months until he was captured in in March 1553. He was brought to Pegu and executed on 27 March (13th waxing of Tagu 935 ME).
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the 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...
throne, and the last king in the line of the Hanthawaddy dynasty. An ex-Buddhist monk
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
, and a son of King Binnya Ran II
Binnya Ran II
Binnya Ran II was the 17th king of Hanthawaddy for 34 years from 1492 to 1526. He was revered for his gentleness although his first act as king was to enforce the massacre of the kinsmen, putting all the royal offspring to death....
by a minor queen, Htaw first raised a rebellion in 1549 during the reign of 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
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...
, who had conquered the Mon
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 kingdom ten years earlier. Htaw was on the run in the delta chased after by Gen. 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 when Tabinshwehti was assassinated by one of his close confidents, Smim Sawhtut
Smim Sawhtut
Smim Sawhtut was a pretender to the Hanthawaddy throne, who assassinated King Tabinshwehti of Toungoo. The ethnic Mon governor of Sittaung was a minister in the court of Tabinshwehti, who had conquered the Mon-speaking Hanthawaddy Pegu in 1539. He became a close confident of the king...
on 30 April 1550. Sawhtut proclaimed himself king. Htaw raised an army and defeated Sawhtut near Pegu (Bago) in August 1550. Though proclaimed himself king at once, Htaw controlled just the region around Pegu.
His rule at Pegu lasted about a year and a half as Bayinnaung, who was heir apparent under Tabinshwehti, came to attack Pegu in March 1552. North of the city, Toungoo and Peguan forces met. In desperation, Htaw challenged and fought Bayinnaung in single combat, both on their war elephants. Bayinnaung was victorious, charging his foe and driving him off after breaking the tusk of Htaw's elephant. Bayinnaung reportedly "paid Htaw no more heed than a lion does to jackals." Pegu was taken. Htaw was on the run for the next 12 months until he was captured in in March 1553. He was brought to Pegu and executed on 27 March (13th waxing of Tagu 935 ME).