Saw Zein

Saw Zein
စောဇိတ်
Saw Zein ; စောဇိတ်
King of Hanthawaddy
Reign	c. October 1324 – February 1331 (6+ years)
Coronation	October 1324 ; Thadingyut 686 ME
Predecessor	Saw O
Successor	Zein Pun
Consort	Sanda Min Hla ; Princess of Sukhothai
Issue	Min Linka ; Mahadevi ; Binnya U
House	Wareru
Father	Min Bala
Mother	Hnin U Yaing
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

Template:Burmese characters

Saw Zein (Burmese: စောဇိတ်, pronounced [sɔ́ zeiʔ]; 1303–1331) was the fourth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1324 to 1331. A nephew of the kingdom's founder King Wareru, Saw Zein succeeded his brother King Saw O in 1324. 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).^[2]

At Pegu, Saw Zein consolidated his hold over the Irrawaddy delta, and looked to expand northwards into Upper Burma. He died trying. In 1331, 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.^[3] (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 two sons (Binnya U and Min Linka) and a daughter, Mahadevi.

References

^ ^a ^b Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon. p. 41.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. Phayre (1883). History of Burma (1967 ed.). London: Susil Gupta. pp. 66–67.
^ Maung Htin Aung (1967). "Pagan and the Mongol Intrusion". A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 78–80.

Regnal titles
Saw Zein Hanthawaddy Dynasty Died: 1331
Preceded by Saw O	King of Hanthawaddy 1324–1331	Succeeded by Zein Pun
Royal titles
Preceded by Yan Maw La Mon	Heir to the Hanthawaddy Throne 13?? – 1324	Succeeded by Binnya U

[npl-1] Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon. p. 41.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[app-2] Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. Phayre (1883). History of Burma (1967 ed.). London: Susil Gupta. pp. 66–67.

[hb-3] Maung Htin Aung (1967). "Pagan and the Mongol Intrusion". A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 78–80.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Burmese monarchs
Pagan dynasty 849–1297	Pyinbya Tannet Sale Theinhko Nyaung-u Sawrahan Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu Kyiso Sokkate Anawrahta Saw Lu 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
Kingdom of Ava 1364–1555	Thado Minbya Swa Saw Ke Tarabya Minkhaung I Thihathu Min Hla Kale Kye-Taung Nyo 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 Maha Dewi¹ 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 Min Taninganway Min 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
¹ Regent or Co-Regent ² Mongol vassal (1297) ³ Confederation of Shan States (1527–55) ⁴ Brief revival (1550–52) ⁵ Vassal of the Confederation of Shan States (1532–42)