Yazathingyan ရာဇသင်္ကြန် | |
|---|---|
| Minister at the Court of Ava | |
| In office c. 1365 – c. October 1400 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Governor of Sagaing | |
| In office by 1383/84 – c. October 1400 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Preceded by | Saw Me |
| Succeeded by | Theiddat |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1330s |
| Died | c. October 1400 |
| Spouse | Saw Omma of Pinya |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Ava Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Royal Burmese Army |
| Years of service | c. 1365–1390 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Commands | Sagaing Regiment (1385–1391) |
| Battles/wars | Nga Nu's insurrection (1367) Ava–Hanthawaddy War (1385–1391) |
Yazathingyan (Burmese: ရာဇသင်္ကြန်, pronounced [jàza̰ θɪ́ɴdʑàɴ]; d. c. October 1400) was a senior court minister under the first three kings of Ava from c. 1365 to 1400. He was the sixth and last husband of Queen Saw Omma of Pinya, and hence a brother-in-law of King Swa Saw Ke (r. 1367–1400). He also served as governor of Sagaing at least from 1383/84 to 1400.
He is best remembered in Burmese history for putting down his brother Nga Nu's and Queen Saw Omma's short-lived insurrection, following King Thado Minbya's death in 1367.
He is also known for dying from a freak accident while on his way to seize the Ava throne from King Tarabya in 1400.
Early life and career edit
According to the royal chronicles, he was of commoner background and his personal name was Nga Mauk (ငမောက်; [ŋə maʊʔ]). He had at least one younger brother named Nga Nu.[1][2][3] By 1367, both brothers were in the service of King Thado Minbya who founded the Kingdom of Ava two years earlier. Mauk had risen to be a minister at the Ava court with the title of Yazathingyan while Nu had become the commander of the Inner Royal Household Guards, who accompanied the king on military campaigns.[1][2][3]
Succession crisis of 1367 edit
Yazathingyan played a key role in the succession crisis following Thado Minbya's sudden death in 1367. Nu and Queen Saw Omma attempted to seize the throne but the powerful court did not accept the usurping couple.[4][5] When asked to choose between his brother the self-proclaimed king and the court's nominee Swa Saw Ke, Yazathingyan sided with the court. He decided to prove his loyalty by agreeing to the mission to capture the couple, who had fled to Sagaing across the river from Ava (Inwa). Swa had promised him that if he succeeded in capturing them, Yazathingyan would be given the districts of Taungbyon and Wayindok in fief, as well as Queen Saw Omma, who happened to be Swa's yougest sister, in marriage.[1][2][3]
Yazathingyan captured the city by using guile. Instead of storming the heavily fortified city, which used to be the capital of the Sagaing Kingdom, he asked Nu to meet him outside the city to accept his defection to Nu's side. When Nu came out to meet him as asked, Yazathingyan promptly arrested him. The city fell with no resistance. Saw Omma too was captured.[5][6] However, Nu soon escaped to the Shan states to the north, likely with Yazathingyan's willful ignorance.[note 1]
Despite Nu's escape, Swa was satisfied with the overall outcome. As promised, the king gave Yazathingyan the two fiefs and his sister Saw Omma in marriage.[5][6] However, when Nu raided Ava's northern regions in 1369–1370, a furious Swa blamed Yazathingyan for allowing Nu to escape, and seriously considered taking back the fiefs and his sister from Yazathingyan. However, one of the newest advisers at the court, Nga Nyo gently advised the king that keeping one's word even in times of adversity would be essential in the king's future actions with others. The king agreed, and allowed Yazathingyan to keep the fiefs, and Saw Omma.[9][10]
Later career edit
Yazathingyan continued to serve at the Ava court.
The king appointed Yazathingyan governor of Sagaing sometime between 1380/81 and 1383/84 (or 1368).[note 2]
Military service edit
The following is a list of military campaigns in which Yazathingyan is explicitly mentioned in the royal chronicles as a commander.
| Campaign | Duration | Troops commanded[note 3] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Ava invasion of Hanthawaddy | 1385–1386 | 1 regiment (1000 troops) | Served in the 1st Army commanded by Crown Prince Tarabya[18][19][20] |
| Second Ava invasion of Hanthawaddy | 1386–1387 | 1 regiment | Part of the naval flotilla under the overall command of King Swa that invaded via the Irrawaddy river[21][22][23] |
| Third Ava invasion of Hanthawaddy | 1390–1391 | 1 regiment | Served under the command of Crown Prince Tarabya[24][25][26] |
Notes edit
- ^ The chronicles Maha Yazawin and Hmannan Yazawin say Nu was placed in iron ankle shackles but he somehow escaped and fled north to a place called Lahu or Mya Taung.[7][8] The Yazawin Thit simply says Yazathingyan allowed Nu to escape to the Shan states.[2]
- ^ Some chronicle narratives are inconsistent.
- The chronicle Maha Yazawin (1724) mentions Yazathingyan's appointment at Sagaing in two places. Its first mention of Yazathingyan being governor of Sagaing is in the section about the governors of the kingdom that comes right after Swa's coronation ceremony on the new year's day of 730 ME (29 March 1368). Thus, it can be construed that Yazathingyan was also appointed on the same day or shortly after.[11] However, the Maha Yazawin later states that Yazathingyan was appointed governor of Sagaing between 742 ME (1380/81) and 745 ME (1383/84), succeeding Saw Me.[12]
- The Yazawin Thit chronicle (1798) does not have the problem. It says King Swa gave his second ranked queen Saw Omma of Sagaing [not his sister Saw Omma of Pinya] Sagaing in fief in Tabaung 729 ME (February/March 1368).[13] It continues that Swa appointed Yazathingyan to the Sagaing post sometime between 742 ME (1380/81) and 745 ME (1383/84), succeeding Saw Me.[14]
- The Hmannan Yazawin (1832) simply follows the Maha Yazawin's ambgious narrative: 1368?[15] and between 1380/81 and 1383/84.[16]
Historian Michael Aung-Thwin places Yazathingyan's appointment in 1367/68 as part of Swa's coronation ceremony, citing the Maha Yazawin's first narrative.[17]
- ^ Chronicle reported troop levels reduced by an order of magnitude per (Harvey 1925: 333–336)
References edit
- ^ a b c Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 278–279
- ^ a b c d Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 184
- ^ a b c Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 400–401
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 59
- ^ a b c Harvey 1925: 81
- ^ a b Aung-Thwin 2017: 60–61
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 279
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 402
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 282–283
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 188–189
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 279, 281
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 288–289
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 185
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 194
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 402, 405
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 415–416
- ^ Aung-Thwin 2017: 61
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 291
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 196
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 417–418
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 295
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 198
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 422
- ^ Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 301
- ^ Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 202
- ^ Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 429–430
Bibliography edit
- Aung-Thwin, Michael A. (2017). Myanmar in the Fifteenth Century. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-6783-6.
- Kala, U (2006) [1724]. Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
- Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
- Maha Sithu (2012) [1798]. Kyaw Win; Thein Hlaing (eds.). Yazawin Thit (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2nd ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
- Royal Historical Commission of Burma (2003) [1832]. Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3. Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.
- Sandalinka, Shin (2009) [1781]. Mani Yadanabon (in Burmese) (4th printing ed.). Yangon: Seit-Ku Cho Cho.