Narathu of Pinya

Narathu of Pinya (Burmese: မောပါ နရသူ, pronounced: [mɔ́ bà nəɹəθù]; also known as Thihathura; c. 1333–1364?) was king of Pinya from 1359 to 1364. He controlled only around the capital region, and unsuccessfully tried to stop the Mong Mao (Maw) Shan raids of Central Myanmar (Burma) that began in 1359. He reversed his predecessor Kyawswa II's policy of alliance with Sagaing, and later entered into an alliance with Mong Mao as a junior partner to dismember Sagaing. But the policy backfired when Mong Mao forces proceeded to sack Pinya in May 1364. He was brought back to the Shan country, and is remembered as Maw-Pa Min (မောပါမင်း, "the King who was brought to the Maw land").

Early life

Narathu was the third child of Princess Nan Lon Me of Pagan and Viceroy Kyawswa of Pinle.^[1] 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 (two elder brothers and three younger sisters) and at least two half-siblings.^[1] He grew up in Pinle but moved to Pinya with the entire family in 1344 when their father became the undisputed ruler of Pinya Kingdom.^[2] When his second elder brother Kyawswa II succeeded the throne in 1350, Narathu became the heir-presumptive. (Kyawswa II had no children and their eldest brother Uzana had weak/paralyzed legs, and was passed over.^[3])

Reign

Shan raids

Narathu became king on 19 March 1359, following Kyawswa II's death.^[2] He came to power at a time when Pinya was facing serious external and internal threats. In the north, the powerful Shan state of Mong Mao (Maw in Burmese), which had successfully thrown off the Mongol authority in 1355,^[4] had been raiding the northern Sagaing Kingdom's territory at least since 1357, and just broken through into Pinya's territory (present-day Central Myanmar) in early 1359.^[2] Likewise, in the south, Pinya's erstwhile nominal vassal Toungoo (Taungoo) had not only revolted in 1358 but also raided the Kyaukse capital region.^[5] The chaos may have delayed his coronation, which took place on 7 June 1360.^{[note 1]}

One of his first acts as king was to break off Pinya's alliance with Sagaing.^[6] It was a complete reversal of his brother's policy but Narathu had determined that Pinya was not strong enough to control its vassals, let alone assist Sagaing in the fight against Mong Mao. Nonetheless, Mong Mao paid little attention to Pinya's new found neutrality, and its forces raided deep into Pinya territory in 1362–63.^[2] In desperation, Narathu sought an alliance with Mong Mao's ruler Tho Kho Bwa (Si Kefa). By 1363, the two rulers had reached an agreement on a joint attack on Sagaing. Narathu was clearly the junior partner, agreeing to take only a small portion of the loot.^[6]

Siege of Sagaing

Narathu was in no position to fulfill his small part of the bargain. Many able men had been fleeing Central Burma since the Shan raids began,^[7] and he could not mobilize a large enough army. When Mong Mao forces invaded Sagaing country in 1363−64, Narathu did not attack Sagaing from the south as planned. Mong Mao troops nonetheless overran Sagaing's northern defenses and reached the capital Sagaing in early 1364, laying siege to the capital from three sides.^[6] Pinya's job was to blockade the port of Sagaing on the Irrawaddy. But Pinya's blockade was porous. When Shan forces sacked Sagaing in April 1364, the Sagaing royalty escaped by sailing downriver, and thousands of refugees crossed the river en masse to Pinya.^[8]

Fall of Pinya

At Sagaing, Tho Kho Bwa was deeply unsatisfied with what he considered poor performance by Pinya. He ultimately ordered his troops to attack Pinya across the river. Narathu's small army was no match for the Shan assault. Pinya fell in May 1364. The Mong Mao troops thoroughly looted the capital, and brought back Narathu and his three white elephants back to their country.^[8] Narathu is remembered as Maw-Pa Min (မောပါမင်း, [mɔ́ bà mɪ́ɴ]; lit. "the King who was brought to the Maw land").^[5] The 1363–64 invasion left Central Burma in tatters. At Pinya, Narathu's eldest brother, Uzana II succeeded the Pinya throne. But Pinya was a spent force, and lasted only three months.^[8]

Family

At accession, Narathu raised his brother's chief queen Saw Omma as his chief queen.^[5][9] According to the Yazawin Thit chronicle, he also raised another queen of his brother, Shin Saw Gyi as queen.^[9] Contemporary inscriptions show that he had at least two other queens named Nan Ma Me and Saw Lat.^[2] None of the main chronicles report any children of Narathu.

Chronicle reporting differences

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

Ancestry

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing. 
• Maha Sithu (1798). Myint Swe (1st ed.); Kyaw Win, Ph.D. and Thein Hlaing (2nd ed.), eds. Yazawin Thit (in Burmese). 1–3 (2012, 2nd printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.  CS1 maint: Uses editors parameter (link)
• Royal Historians of Burma (c. 1680). U Hla Tin (Hla Thamein), ed. Zatadawbon Yazawin (1960 ed.). Historical Research Directorate of the Union of Burma. 
• Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar. 
• Than Tun (December 1959). "History of Burma: A.D. 1300–1400". Journal of Burma Research Society. XLII (II). 
• Than Tun (1964). Studies in Burmese History (in Burmese). 1. Yangon: Maha Dagon. 

Burmese monarchs
Pagan Dynasty 849–1297	Pyinbya Tannet Sale Theinhko Nyaung-u Sawrahan Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu Kyiso Sokkate Anawrahta Sawlu Kyansittha Sithu I Narathu Naratheinkha Sithu II Htilominlo Naratheinga Uzana1 Kyaswa Uzana Narathihapate Kyawswa2
Myinsaing and Pinya Kingdoms 1297–1364	Athinkhaya1, Yazathingyan1 and Thihathu1 Thihathu Uzana I Sithu1 Kyawswa I Kyawswa II Narathu Uzana II
Sagaing Kingdom 1315–1364	Saw Yun Tarabya I Anawrahta I Kyaswa Anawrahta II Tarabya II Minbyauk Thihapate
Ava Kingdom 1364–1555	Thado Minbya Swa Saw Ke Tarabya Minkhaung I Thihathu Min Hla Kale Kyetaungnyo Mohnyin Thado Minye Kyawswa I Narapati I Thihathura Minkhaung II and Thihathura II Narapati II Sawlon3 and Thohanbwa3 Hkonmaing3 Narapati III3 Narapati IV3
Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1287–1539, 1550–1552	Wareru Hkun Law Saw O Saw Zein Zein Pun Saw E Binnya E Law Binnya U Razadarit Binnya Dhammaraza Binnya Ran I Binnya Waru Binnya Kyan Leik Munhtaw Shin Sawbu Dhammazedi Binnya Ran II Takayutpi Smim Sawhtut4 Smim Htaw4
Mrauk U Kingdom 1429–1785	Saw Mon Khayi Ba Saw Phyu Dawlya Ba Saw Nyo Ran Aung Salingathu Raza Gazapati Saw O Thazata Minkhaung Min Bin Dikkha Saw Hla Sekkya Phalaung Razagyi Khamaung Thiri Thudhamma Sanay Narapati Thado Sanda Thudhamma Thiri Thuriya Wara Dhammaraza Muni Thudhammaraza Sanda Thuriya I Nawrahta Mayuppiya Kalamandat Naradipati Sanda Wimala I Sanda Thuriya II Sanda Wizaya Sanda Thuriya III Naradipati II Narapawara Sanda Wizala Madarit Nara Apaya Thirithu Sanda Parama Apaya Sanda Thumana Sanda Wimala II Sanda Thaditha Maha Thammada
Prome Kingdom 1482–1542	Thado Minsaw Bayin Htwe Narapati5 Minkhaung5
Toungoo Dynasty 1510–1752	Mingyi Nyo Tabinshwehti Bayinnaung Nanda Nyaungyan Anaukpetlun Minye Deibba Thalun Pindale Pye Narawara Minye Kyawhtin Sanay Taninganway Mahadhammaraza Dipadi
Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1740–1757	Smim Htaw Buddhaketi Binnya Dala
Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885	Alaungpaya Naungdawgyi Hsinbyushin Singu Phaungka Bodawpaya Bagyidaw Tharrawaddy Pagan Mindon Thibaw
1Regent or Co-Regent 2Mongol vassal (1297) 3Confederation of Shan States (1527–55) 4Brief revival (1550–52) 5Vassal of Confederation of Shan States (1532–42)