Nawrahta Minye (Burmese: နော်ရထာ မင်းရဲ, pronounced[nɔ̀jətʰàmɪ́ɰ̃jɛ́]; also Anawrahta II of Sagaing) was king of Sagaing for seven months in 1349. He reversed his predecessor Kyaswa's policy of peace with Sagaing's cross-river rival Pinya although no war broke out. He was succeeded by his younger brother Tarabya II.
Brief
Minye was the third child of Queen Saw Hnaung and King Saw Yun of Sagaing. He was a grandson of kings Thihathu of Pinya and Kyawswa of Pagan. His father died about three months after his birth. Because the elder brother Kyaswa was not yet four, their half-uncle Tarabya I succeeded the throne, and raised Saw Hnaung as his chief queen.[1][2] Minye grew up at the Sagaing Palace until he was about nine. In 1335/36, he and his three full siblings had to flee to Mindon, deep inside Pinya's territory after their half-cousin Shwetaungtet seized the throne.[2] The siblings spent the next three years in exile with the help of their mother and her ally Chief Minister Nanda Pakyan until their cover was blown and brought back to Sagaing in 1339.[3] But after a palace battle between loyalists of Shwetaungtet and Tarabya I killed both Shwetaungtet and Tarabya, Kyaswa was placed on the throne by Nanda Pakyan.[3]
Kyaswa reigned for the next nine plus years. Minye likely played no more than a nominal role in his brother's administration since Nanda Pakyan actually ran the country.[4] However, he was thrust into the center stage in 1349 when Kyaswa died without leaving a male heir.[note 1] Minye became king with the reign name of Anawrahta.[5] He apparently found a white elephant, considered a propitious symbol, during his reign, and proclaimed himself Hsinbyushin ("Lord of the White Elephant").[4]
His reign lasted just over seven months. He may have reversed Kyaswa's policy of peace with Sagaing's cross-river rival Pinya. He gave sanctuary to Gov. Nawrahta of Pinle who was fleeing from his elder brother King Kyawswa I of Pinya.[6] But no war broke out. Minye died shortly after 8 November 1349.[7] He left no male heirs, and was succeeded by his younger brother Tarabya II.[4]
Chronicle reporting differences
The royal chronicles do not agree on his birth, death and reign dates.
^Chronicles have no records of Kyaswa's children. A contemporary inscription per (Than Tun 1959: 127) shows Kyaswa had at least one daughter. Even if Kyaswa did leave one or more male heirs, they would have been too young to become king in 1349.
^(Zata 1960: 71): Tuesday, 10th nekkhat of the 8th month of 688 ME = 11th waxing of Nadaw 688 ME = Wednesday, 5 November 1326. Zata says he was a Tuesday born but all other major chronicles say he was a Wednesday born (as his personal name "Ye" implies).
^Contemporary inscriptions suggest a few weeks' gap between Kyaswa's death and Minye's accession. One inscription (Than Tun 1959: 127) says Kyaswa died in 710 ME (29 March 1348 to 28 March 1349). An inscription donated by Minye himself (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 175, footnote 2) states that he came to power in 711 ME (29 March 1349 to 28 March 1350), and shows that he was still alive on Sunday, 13th waning of Tazaungmon 711 ME (8 November 1349). Since an inscription by Princess Soe Min (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 175−176) shows that Kyaswa's successor Minye reigned for seven months in 711 ME, Minye came to power no earlier than 14th waning of Tagu 711 ME (17 April 1349). But if the inscription referenced in (Than Tun 1959: 127) is accurate, Kyaswa died no later than 28 March 1349, the last day of 710 ME.
Royal Historians of Burma (c. 1680). U Hla Tin (Hla Thamein) (ed.). Zatadawbon Yazawin (1960 ed.). Historical Research Directorate of the Union of Burma.
Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
Maha Sithu (2012) [1798]. Kyaw Win; Thein Hlaing (eds.). Yazawin Thit (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2nd ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
