Smim Htaw Buddhaketi was the first king of the Restored Kingdom of Hanthawaddy which overthrew Toungoo Dynasty

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...

's rule in Lower Burma

Lower Burma

Lower Burma is a geographic region of Burma and includes the low-lying Irrawaddy delta , as well as coastal regions of the country ....

. From 1740 to 1747, the ethnic Burman

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...

 king was a nominal figurehead of the ethnic Mon

Mon 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...

 rebellion. He was selected to be king by the leaders of the Mon insurrection for his royal lineage.

Styled with the Mon title Smim Htaw Buddhaketi (lit. "Lord of the Striped Elephant"; ""), the former Buddhist monk found it difficult to adjust himself to the life of king. As an ethnic Burman, he was reluctant to take charge of the government or command of the army, and usually absent from the capital. Much of the governance and fighting was left to his prime minister Binnya Dala

Binnya Dala

Binnya Dala was the last king of Restored Kingdom of Hanthawaddy, who reigned from 1747 to 1757. He was a key leader in the revival of the Mon-speaking kingdom in 1740, which successfully revolted against the rule of Toungoo dynasty. Though Smim Htaw Buddhaketi was the king, it was Binnya Dala who...

, an ethnic Shan. Circa December 1747, the nominal king abdicated the throne and left for Chiang Mai.

Background

He was reputedly a son of lord of Pagan

Bagan

Bagan , formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana and also known as Tambadipa or Tassadessa , it was the capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma...

 who fled to east of Pegu after his unsuccessful revolt against King Taninganway

Taninganway

Taninganway was the 14th king of Toungoo dynasty of Burma from 1714 to 1733. The long decline of Toungoo dynasty accelerated under Taninganway's reign. In the east, the kingdom of Lanna , which had been under Burmese rule since 1558, successfully revolted in 1725. Taninganway sent an army to...

 in 1714. This would make the Burmese king Mahadhammaraza Dipadi

Mahadhammaraza Dipadi

Mahadhammaraza Dipati , was the 15th and last king of Toungoo dynasty of Burma from 1733 to 1752. He was only 16 when a group of nobles selected him over more experienced princes after his father Taninganway's death in November 1733...

 a nephew of his. Smim Htaw Buddhaketi grew up among Shans and Karens of the region, and spoke 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...

.