Minkhaung of Prome

Minkhaung of Prome (Burmese: ပြည် မင်းခေါင် [mɪ́ɴɡàʊɴ]; died 1553) was the last king of Prome, who reigned three tumultuous years from 1539 to 1542.[2] He succeeded his brother Narapati in 1539. Minkhaung frantically prepared to defend against another attack by Toungoo Kingdom. He reinforced his already heavily fortified city of Prome (Pyay), and hired foreign mercenaries. Although he knew his nominal overlords, the Confederation of Shan States, would assist him, he continued the alliance with King Min Bin of Mrauk U begun by his late brother. Min Bin was married to Minkhaung's and Narapati's sister.

Minkhaung of Prome ပြည် မင်းခေါင်
King of Prome
Reign	February 1539 – 19 May 1542
Predecessor	Narapati
Successor	Thado Dhamma Yaza I
Born	c. 1510s Prome (Pyay)
Died	April 1553 Pegu (Bago)
Consort	Thiri Hpone Htut
Full name Minye Sithu
House	Mohnyin
Father	Bayin Htwe
Mother	Chit Mi of Prome[1]
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

In late 1541, Toungoo again laid siege to Prome. Prome's allies the Confederation and Mrauk U sent in help to break the siege. But Toungoo forces under the command of Gen. Bayinnaung defeated both armies. Mrauk U also sent in a naval flotilla that landed in Bassein (Pathein). Upon hearing of the Mrauk U army's defeat, the flotilla turned back. After a five months' siege, starvation set in. The besieged deserted the city in great numbers. On 19 May 1542 (5th waxing of Nayon 904 ME), Minkhaung surrendered. Minkhaung and his queen Thiri Hpone Htut were taken to Toungoo (Taungoo).[3]

King Tabinshwehti of Toungoo appointed Mingyi Swe, Bayinnaung's father, governor of Prome, restoring its former position of a provincial capital.

Minkhaung remained under house arrest until 1553 when he was executed by Bayinnaung. Thiri Hpone Htut became a queen of Bayinnaung with the title of Sanda Dewi.[4]

Ancestry

The following is his ancestry as reported in the Hmannan Yazawin chronicle, which in turn referenced contemporary inscriptions.[note 1]

Ancestry of King Minkhaung
8. Narapati of Ava 4. Thado Minsaw of Prome 9. Atula Thiri Maha Yaza Dewi of Ava 2. Bayin Htwe 10. Saw Shwe Khet of Prome 5. Myat Hpone Pyo 11. Saw Min Phyu of Ava 1. Minkhaung Minye Sithu 12. Minye Kyawswa I of Kalay 6. Minye Kyawswa II of Kalay 13. unnamed 3. Chit Mi of Prome 14. Mingyi Swa of Prome 7. Min Hpone Htut of Prome 15. Saw Myat Lay

Notes

1. See (Hmannan Vol. 3 2003: 80) for the names of his maternal grandparents. See (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 82–84) for further ancestors.

References

1. Maha Yazawin Vol. 3 2006: 83
2. Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 215
3. Harvey 1925: 157
4. Harvey 1925: 342

Bibliography

• Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2006, 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.
• Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.