Uzana I of Pinya
Encyclopedia
Uzana I of Pinya was the second king of Pinya Kingdom
from 1324 to 1343. Uzana inherited from his stepfather Thihathu
the kingdom of Pinya, which covered roughly the eastern side of the Irrawaddy river in today's central Burma (Myanmar). The western side of central Burma was the domain of the Sagaing Kingdom
, founded by Thihathu's eldest son, Sawyun
.
Although he reigned for nearly two decades, Uzana I, an ethnic Burman
, was essentially a nominal king of a kingdom dominated by ethnic Shan ministers of the court. In 1343, Uzana I abdicated the throne and became a hermit. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Kyawswa I
, son of his mother and Thihathu.
, the last sovereign king of Pagan Kingdom
. Uzana's father Kyawswa of Pagan
and his wife Mi Saw U
were half-brother and half-sister. (Their father was Narathihapate.) Uzana was still in his mother's womb in December 1298 when his father Kyawswa was overthrown by the Three Shan Brothers. The youngest Shan brother, Thihathu, now co-regent of Myinsaing Kingdom
, married his mother, and raised her as queen. Thihathu adopted Uzana as his own son.
, he selected Uzana to be the heir apparent
over his own sons. Thihathu's eldest son, Sawyun
, left Pinya with his followers, and set up a rival kingdom out of Sagaing
, a few miles south of Pinya across the Irrawaddy. Sawyun nominally remained loyal to his father who no longer had the energy to punish a rebellious son.
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...
from 1324 to 1343. Uzana inherited from his stepfather Thihathu
Thihathu
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...
the kingdom of Pinya, which covered roughly the eastern side of the Irrawaddy river in today's central Burma (Myanmar). The western side of central Burma was the domain of the Sagaing Kingdom
Sagaing Kingdom
The Sagaing Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled a part of central Burma 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...
, founded by Thihathu's 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...
.
Although he reigned for nearly two decades, Uzana I, an 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...
, was essentially a nominal king of a kingdom dominated by ethnic Shan ministers of the court. In 1343, Uzana I abdicated the throne and became a hermit. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Kyawswa I
Kyawswa I of Pinya
Kyawswa I of Pinya or Ngarsishin Kyawswa was the third king of Pinya Kingdom from 1343 to 1350. Kyawswa, who descended from both Pagan and Myinsaing dynasties, ascended the throne of Pinya in 1343 after his half-brother Uzana I abdicated the throne...
, son of his mother and Thihathu.
Background
Uzana was a grandson of King NarathihapateNarathihapate
Narathihapate was the last king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1254 to 1287. The king is unkindly remembered for two things: his gluttonous appetite which supposedly required all his dinners to have 300 varieties of dishes; and his panic flight from Mongol invasions. He is forever remembered as ...
, the last sovereign king of Pagan Kingdom
Pagan Kingdom
The Pagan Kingdom or Pagan Dynasty was the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute the modern-day Burma...
. Uzana's father Kyawswa of Pagan
Kyawswa of Pagan
Kyawswa was a king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1287 to 1298. Son of the last sovereign king of Pagan Narathihapate, Kyawswa was one of many "kings" that proliferated after the collapse of the Pagan Empire. Though still styled as King of Pagan, Kyawswa's effective rule amounted to just the area...
and his wife Mi Saw U
Mi Saw U
Mi Saw U was a Pagan princess, who was queen of two kings, Kyawswa of Pagan and Thihathu of Pinya, and mother of two kings, Uzana I of Pinya and Kyawswa I of Pinya.Saw U was a daughter of Narathihapate, the last sovereign king of Pagan...
were half-brother and half-sister. (Their father was Narathihapate.) Uzana was still in his mother's womb in December 1298 when his father Kyawswa was overthrown by the Three Shan Brothers. The youngest Shan brother, Thihathu, now co-regent of 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....
, married his mother, and raised her as queen. Thihathu adopted Uzana as his own son.
Heir Apparent (1315–1324)
In 1315, three years after Thihathu had founded a new kingdom based in PinyaPinya
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:...
, he selected Uzana to be the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
over his own sons. Thihathu's 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 Pinya with his followers, and set up a rival kingdom out of 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...
, a few miles south of Pinya across the Irrawaddy. Sawyun nominally remained loyal to his father who no longer had the energy to punish a rebellious son.