Saw Zein
| Saw Zein စောဇိတ် | |
|---|---|
| King of Hanthawaddy | |
| Reign | September 1323[1] – c. April 1330 |
| Predecessor | Saw O |
| Successor | Zein Pun |
| Born |
2 June 1303 Sunday, 4th waning of Nayon 665 ME[2] |
| Died |
c. April 1330 (aged 26) c. Kason 692 ME[note 1] |
| Consort |
Sanda Min Hla Princess of Sukhothai |
| Issue |
Min Linka Mahadevi Binnya U Byattaba Laukpya |
| House | Wareru |
| Father | Min Bala |
| Mother | Hnin U Yaing |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Saw Zein (Burmese: စောဇိတ်, pronounced: [sɔ́ zeiʔ]; 1303–1330) was the fourth king of the Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1323 to 1330. A nephew of the kingdom's founder King Wareru, Saw Zein succeeded his brother King Saw O in September 1323. He lost the southern territories of Tenasserim coast back to his nominal overlord Sukhothai, and looked to expand his territory northwards. He died in battle in his siege of Prome (Pyay).
Reign
Saw Zein moved the capital of kingdom from Martaban (Mottama) to Pegu (Bago) in the north, leaving Martaban with a strong garrison. It is not clear if the move was precipitated by his overlord Sukhothai's reoccupation of the Tenasserim (Taninthayi) coast. (In a strange twist, his brother Saw O, who was married to a daughter of the king of Sukhothai, had nonetheless occupied the coast down to the city of Tenasserim.) Saw Zein's southern frontier was likely no more than Moulmein (Mawlamyaing).[3]
At Pegu, Saw Zein consolidated his hold over the Irrawaddy delta, and looked to expand northwards into Upper Burma. He died trying. In 1330, he attacked Prome, a strategically located city and appeared to have been held by an independent king, with a large army and flotilla. The king was killed in battle, and his forces were defeated.
Background
Like his predecessors, Saw Zein was also of Shan and Mon descent.[4] (He was at least a quarter Shan as his mother Hnin U Yaing, sister of King Wareru, was half-Shan. Part of his name Saw was the Shan honorific Sao.)
When he became king, Saw Zein married his first cousin Sanda Min Hla, daughter of King Hkun Law, and took his brother's chief queen, daughter of the king of Sukhothai. He had at least four sons (Binnya U, Min Linka, Byattaba and Laukpya) and a daughter, Mahadevi.
Notes
- ↑ Razadarit Ayedawbon (Pan Hla 2004: 41) says he died in year 692 ME (28 March 1330 to 27 March 1331) at age 26 (in his 27th year). Since he was born on 4th waning of Nayon 665 (2 June 1303), he must have died before 4th waning of Nayon 692 ME (6 June 1330). Furthermore, his successor Zein Pun died at age 34 before his birthday of 12th waxing of Nayon 692 ME (30 May 1330). It means Zein Pun could have died 29 May 1330 at the latest. Since Zein Pun ruled for 7 days, Saw Zein died on 22 May 1330 at the latest. Therefore Saw Zein died sometime between 28 March 1330 and 22 May 1330.
References
Bibliography
- Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press.
- Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon: Armanthit Sarpay.
- Phayre, Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. (1883). History of Burma (1967 ed.). London: Susil Gupta.
| Saw Zein Born: 2 June 1303 Died: c. April 1330 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Saw O |
King of Hanthawaddy 1323–1330 |
Succeeded by Zein Pun |
| Royal titles | ||
| Preceded by Yan Maw La Mon |
Heir to the Hanthawaddy Throne 13?? – 1323 |
Succeeded by Binnya U |
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