Kyawswa II of Pinya

Early life

The future king was born to Princess Nan Lon Me of Pagan and Viceroy Kyawswa of Pinle, early 1328.He died at age 31 (32nd year) per his chief queen Saw Omma's inscription (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 385) on or before 6th waning of Late Tagu 720 ME (19 March 1359) per (Than Tun 1959: 124). This means he was born between 6th waning of Late Tagu 688 ME (13 March 1327) and 6th waning of Tagu 690 ME (1 April 1328). And since he came to power at age 22 per Hmannan on 14th waxing of Pyatho 712 ME (12 December 1350), he was likely born in late 689 ME (early 1328). A grandson of King Thihathu of Myinsaing–Pinya and King Kyawswa of Pagan, he hailed from both Myinsaing and Pagan royal lines. He had five full siblings and at least two half-siblings. Although he was only the second eldest son, the younger Kyawswa was made the heir-apparent; his elder brother Uzana who had weak/paralyzed legs was passed over. The appointment apparently did not go well with Kyawswa I's brother Nawrahta, who defected to Sagaing in 1349.

Reign

He succeeded his father on 12 December 1350, following his father's death. The king was popularly known as Lay-zi Shin ("Lord of the Four White Elephants") for the four white elephants inherited from his father.Apparently, one of his father's five white elephants had died by Kyawswa II's accession. Per (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 385), three white elephants were still alive in 1364 when Narathu was overthrown by the Maw Shans. Like the Pinya rulers before him, Kyawswa II's effective authority never really extended beyond the core Kyaukse granary. He never attempted to impose tighter control over his southernmost vassals Prome (Pyay) and Toungoo (Taungoo), which were practically independent. Soon after his accession, at least one key governor, Swa Saw Ke of Yamethin, defected to Sagaing, the kingdom immediately north of Pinya. But no wars broke out between Pinya and Sagaing, which at been at odds since 1315. Neither capital had much control its vassals, and were in no position to start external wars. When Princess Soe Min of Sagaing and her husband Thado Hsinhtein of Tagaung, acting as emissaries for King Tarabya II of Sagaing, proposed a truce in 1351,The truce likely took place soon after Kyawswa II's accession, most probably in 1351 as Thado Hsinhtein was still alive. Per (Than Tun 1959: 127), Soe Min's second husband Minbyauk Thihapate became king of Sagaing on 23 February 1352. Kyawswa II readily agreed to it.

The truce brought Pinya and Sagaing branches of the Myinsaing dynasty together for the first time since 1315. The two ruling houses may have been forced into the truce by an emerging threat in the north. The Shan state of Mong Mao (Maw in Burmese), led by Si Kefa (Tho Kho Bwa) had successfully waged a rebellion against the rapidly declining Mongol Empire, driving back three separate Mongol expeditions in 1342, 1346 and 1348. By 1355, the Mongols had given up any hope of regaining any control, and had to be satisfied with what they called submission by Mong Mao. The "submission", even if true, was nominal, and freed Mong Mao to concentrate their energy and aggression elsewhere. Si Kefa's first target was Sagaing, which directly south of Mong Mao. The Shan raids now forced Sagaing looking for a closer alliance with Pinya. In 1357/58, Queen Soe Min sent her pre-teen daughter Shin Saw Gyi to Kyawswa, who raised his half-cousin, once removed, to queen.

However, Kyawswa did not command enough manpower to help Sagaing and defend his home region at once. Indeed, when Maw Shans attacked Sagaing from the north in the following dry season of 1358–59, Pinya's southern vassal Toungoo not only revolted but raided the lightly defended Kyaukse capital region itself. The northern operations were no better. By early 1359, Maw Shan forces had broken through Sagaing's territory and breached Pinya's own territory. According to a contemporary inscription, Shan forces ransacked much of his land. The king died on 19 March 1359 during the raids. He had no children and was succeeded by his younger brother Narathu.

Kyawswa II's decree dated 12 March 1359, issued a week before his death, is the earliest known land survey (sittan). The decree ordered lithic inscriptions to check on tax-free religious glebe lands.

Chronicle reporting differences

The royal chronicles do not necessarily agree on his birth, death, and reign dates.

Ancestry

Notes

References

Bibliography

References

1. Taw, Forchhammer 1899: 7
2. Taw, Forchhammer 1899: 7
3. Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 380
4. He grew up in Pinle but moved to Pinya in 1344 when his father became the undisputed ruler of [[Pinya Kingdom]].Than Tun 1959: 124
5. Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 169
6. At his coronation, he took the title '''Thiri Tri Bhawanaditya Pawara Dhamma Yaza''' and [[Saw Omma of Pinya
7. Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 403
8. Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 384–385
9. Than Tun 1964: 278
10. Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 385
11. Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 269
12. Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 168, 170