Thihathura of Ava
Encyclopedia
Thihathura of Ava was the eleventh king of Ava
who reigned from 1468 to 1481. He was the last king of Ava who was able to hold on to the increasingly fractious kingdom in its entirety. Soon after succeeding his father Narapati, the new king had to put down a rebellion in Toungoo (Taungoo) in 1470, and suppressed an insurrection by his brother the lord of Prome (Pyay), whom the king pardoned. He gained submission of the eastern Shan state of Yawnghwe, and quelled a potential rebellion in the northern Shan states of Mohnyin
and Mogaung
. He died in 1481 and was succeeded by his son Minkhaung II
.
, Narapati's eldest child (and Thihathura's eldest sister). Thihathura did not punish the son, and instead allowed him to marry the girl for whom he had stabbed his grandfather, and gave the towns of Sakut, Salin, Baunglin, Legaing, Myo-htit, Taungta, Mindon, Thayet, Myede, Kanyin, and Myaung. He made his elder son, Minkhaung II
, crown prince and gave Dabayin
as an appanage. The youngest son Minyekyawswa was given Yamethin
to govern.
. Thihathura dispatched an army under Gen. Sithu Kyawhtin, who was accompanied by two of his sons. The governor of Toungoo resisted with the help of Pegu but was defeated in 1470. The princes spared the rebellious governor's life, and carried him off to Ava, leaving Sithu Kyawhtin as the head of the troublesome province.
Next, the king sent an army to gain submission of Prome, and pardoned his brother Mingyi Swa
who was lord there. In 1475 the king with help from the Shan State of Hsipaw
(Thibaw) raided Yawnghwe (Nyaungshwe), securing its submission. In early 1476 (837 ME), he sent an expedition against Hanthawaddy, and raided Kawlia near Hlaing. In 1476, Sithu Kyawhtin, lord of Toungoo, enlarged his town. The ministers perceived that this meant Toungoo was about to revolt but the king showed them they were wrong by telling him to let himself be dragged by the hair to court; he did so, saying "It is my king’s command".
He turned his attention to the Shan states of Mohnyin
and Mogaung
in the north which had not openly revolted but not explicitly submitted to the new king either. In 1472, he asked China
to honor its 1454 recognition of the Shan states as Burmese. China warned not to obstruct the trade route from Yunnan to Burma but would not reaffirm its previous recognition. Ava had to wait until its affairs in the south sorted out. In late 1476 (838 ME), Thiahthura personally led a large-scale expedition to Mohnyin and Mogaung. The king sailed up the Irrawaddy river with 7000 troops and his youngest son Minyekyawswa of Yamethin marched by land with another 7000 troops, 300 elephants and 6000 horses. Only then did the rulers of the region submit in advance of the king's armies.
Thihathura sent envoys to Ceylon in 1474. The envoys brought a broom made of the hair of the king and queen, and its handle studded with gems to sweep the floor of the Temple of the Tooth
at Kandy
.
Ava Kingdom
The Ava Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled upper Burma from 1364 to 1555. Founded in 1364, the kingdom was the successor state to the petty kingdoms that had ruled central Burma since the collapse of Pagan Empire in the late 13th century...
who reigned from 1468 to 1481. He was the last king of Ava who was able to hold on to the increasingly fractious kingdom in its entirety. Soon after succeeding his father Narapati, the new king had to put down a rebellion in Toungoo (Taungoo) in 1470, and suppressed an insurrection by his brother the lord of Prome (Pyay), whom the king pardoned. He gained submission of the eastern Shan state of Yawnghwe, and quelled a potential rebellion in the northern Shan states of Mohnyin
Mohnyin
Mohnyin is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is the administrative center for both Mohnyin Township and Mohnyin District.Shells of different sizes were found in mass on 19 September. Those were found in apple-pie order while rooting up a tree between MohnyinDistrict Court and the Township...
and 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...
. He died in 1481 and was succeeded by his son Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II was the twelfth king of Ava who reigned from 1481 to 1502. His 20-year reign was the beginning of the decline of Ava's hold on Upper Burma. Yamethin, a region to the east of Ava, revolted upon Minkhaung's ascension to the Ava throne and stayed independent throughout Minkhaung's reign...
.
Ascension to throne
Thihathura ascended to the Ava throne in July 1468 after his father King Narapati died in Prome, having fled from an assassination attempt by one of Thihathura's sons. The middle son of Thihathura had stabbed his grandfather the king because the king disapproved of the young prince's wish to marry his first cousin, daughter of Princess of SagaingSagaing
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...
, Narapati's eldest child (and Thihathura's eldest sister). Thihathura did not punish the son, and instead allowed him to marry the girl for whom he had stabbed his grandfather, and gave the towns of Sakut, Salin, Baunglin, Legaing, Myo-htit, Taungta, Mindon, Thayet, Myede, Kanyin, and Myaung. He made his elder son, Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II
Minkhaung II was the twelfth king of Ava who reigned from 1481 to 1502. His 20-year reign was the beginning of the decline of Ava's hold on Upper Burma. Yamethin, a region to the east of Ava, revolted upon Minkhaung's ascension to the Ava throne and stayed independent throughout Minkhaung's reign...
, crown prince and gave Dabayin
Dabayin
-History:Located a few kilometers west of Shwebo, the birthplace of Konbaung dynasty, Dabayin was a major source of many Konbaung soldiers and officials, including the country's most famous general Maha Bandula. Having Dabayin as fief was a powerful symbol before one became king. King Naungdawgyi...
as an appanage. The youngest son Minyekyawswa was given Yamethin
Yamethin
Yamethin is a town in central Burma in Yamethin District, Mandalay Region. Yamethin provides a market and processing for local agriculture production of rice and beans, as well having a small textile industry, and serving as a railroad shipping point on the Rangoon – Mandalay...
to govern.
Reign
The queen dowager was shocked by Thihathura's decision not to punish his son for stabbing his grandfather, and instigated Toungoo to revolt. Toungoo, a remote province in the southeastern part of Ava Kingdom, had a long history of insurrections. Its last rebellion lasted seven years (1451–1458). Toungoo called in help from Hanthawaddy PeguHanthawaddy 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...
. Thihathura dispatched an army under Gen. Sithu Kyawhtin, who was accompanied by two of his sons. The governor of Toungoo resisted with the help of Pegu but was defeated in 1470. The princes spared the rebellious governor's life, and carried him off to Ava, leaving Sithu Kyawhtin as the head of the troublesome province.
Next, the king sent an army to gain submission of Prome, and pardoned his brother Mingyi Swa
Mingyi Swa of Prome
Mingyi Swa of Prome was viceroy of Prome of Ava Kingdom from 1446 to 1482. He was made governor of Prome in 1446 by his father Narapati of Ava. He raised a rebellion when his eldest brother Thihathura I succeeded the Ava throne in 1469. But Thihathura laid siege on Prome, and Mingyi Swa submitted...
who was lord there. In 1475 the king with help from the Shan State of Hsipaw
Hsipaw
Hsipaw , is a town in Shan State, Myanmar on the riverbank of Myitnge River. It is 200 km northeast of Mandalay.-Shan Saopha:Hsipaw is perhaps one of the most well known and powerful saopha states of Shan State...
(Thibaw) raided Yawnghwe (Nyaungshwe), securing its submission. In early 1476 (837 ME), he sent an expedition against Hanthawaddy, and raided Kawlia near Hlaing. In 1476, Sithu Kyawhtin, lord of Toungoo, enlarged his town. The ministers perceived that this meant Toungoo was about to revolt but the king showed them they were wrong by telling him to let himself be dragged by the hair to court; he did so, saying "It is my king’s command".
He turned his attention to the Shan states of Mohnyin
Mohnyin
Mohnyin is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is the administrative center for both Mohnyin Township and Mohnyin District.Shells of different sizes were found in mass on 19 September. Those were found in apple-pie order while rooting up a tree between MohnyinDistrict Court and the Township...
and 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...
in the north which had not openly revolted but not explicitly submitted to the new king either. In 1472, he asked China
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
to honor its 1454 recognition of the Shan states as Burmese. China warned not to obstruct the trade route from Yunnan to Burma but would not reaffirm its previous recognition. Ava had to wait until its affairs in the south sorted out. In late 1476 (838 ME), Thiahthura personally led a large-scale expedition to Mohnyin and Mogaung. The king sailed up the Irrawaddy river with 7000 troops and his youngest son Minyekyawswa of Yamethin marched by land with another 7000 troops, 300 elephants and 6000 horses. Only then did the rulers of the region submit in advance of the king's armies.
Thihathura sent envoys to Ceylon in 1474. The envoys brought a broom made of the hair of the king and queen, and its handle studded with gems to sweep the floor of the Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
at Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
.