Saw Zein

Saw Zein
စောဇိတ်
Saw Zein ; စောဇိတ်
King of Hanthawaddy
Reign	September 1323 – c. April 1330
Predecessor	Saw O
Successor	Zein Pun
Born	2 June 1303 ; Sunday, 4th waning of Nayon 665 ME
Died	c. April 1330 (aged 26) ; c. Kason 692 ME
Consort	Sanda Min Hla ; Princess of Sukhothai
Issue	Min Linka ; Mahadevi ; Binnya U ; Byattaba ; Laukpya
House	Wareru
Father	Min Bala
Mother	Hnin U Yaing
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

Template:Burmese characters

Saw Zein (Template:Lang-my, pronounced [sɔ́ zeiʔ]; 1303–1330) was the fourth king of the Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1323 to 1330. A nephew of the kingdom's founder King Wareru, Saw Zein succeeded his brother King Saw O in September 1323. 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).^[3]

At Pegu, Saw Zein consolidated his hold over the Irrawaddy delta, and looked to expand northwards into Upper Burma. He died trying. In 1330, 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.^[4] (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 four sons (Binnya U, Min Linka, Byattaba and Laukpya) and a daughter, Mahadevi.

Notes

^ Razadarit Ayedawbon (Pan Hla 2004: 41) says he died in year 692 ME (28 March 1330 to 27 March 1331) at age 26 (in his 27th year). Since he was born on 4th waning of Nayon 665 (2 June 1303), he must have died before 4th waning of Nayon 692 ME (6 June 1330). Furthermore, his successor Zein Pun died at age 34 before his birthday of 12th waxing of Nayon 692 ME (30 May 1330). It means Zein Pun could have died 29 May 1330 at the latest. Since Zein Pun ruled for 7 days, Saw Zein died on 22 May 1330 at the latest. Therefore Saw Zein died sometime between 28 March 1330 and 22 May 1330.

References

^ (Pan Hla 2004: 41): Thadingyut 685 ME = 2 September to 30 September 1323
^ (Pan Hla 2004: 41): Sunday, 4th waning of Nayon 665 ME=2 June 1303
^ Phayre 1967: 66–67
^ Htin Aung 1967: 78–80

Bibliography

Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press.
Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon: Armanthit Sarpay.
Phayre, Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. (1883). History of Burma (1967 ed.). London: Susil Gupta.

Regnal titles
Saw Zein Hanthawaddy Dynasty Born: 2 June 1303 Died: c. April 1330
Preceded by Saw O	King of Hanthawaddy 1323–1330	Succeeded by Zein Pun
Royal titles
Preceded by Yan Maw La Mon	Heir to the Hanthawaddy Throne 13?? – 1323	Succeeded by Binnya U

[3] Razadarit Ayedawbon (Pan Hla 2004: 41) says he died in year 692 ME (28 March 1330 to 27 March 1331) at age 26 (in his 27th year). Since he was born on 4th waning of Nayon 665 (2 June 1303), he must have died before 4th waning of Nayon 692 ME (6 June 1330). Furthermore, his successor Zein Pun died at age 34 before his birthday of 12th waxing of Nayon 692 ME (30 May 1330). It means Zein Pun could have died 29 May 1330 at the latest. Since Zein Pun ruled for 7 days, Saw Zein died on 22 May 1330 at the latest. Therefore Saw Zein died sometime between 28 March 1330 and 22 May 1330.

[npl-41-accession-1] (Pan Hla 2004: 41): Thadingyut 685 ME = 2 September to 30 September 1323

[npl-41-birth-2] (Pan Hla 2004: 41): Sunday, 4th waning of Nayon 665 ME=2 June 1303

[app-4] Phayre 1967: 66–67

[hb-5] Htin Aung 1967: 78–80

[1]

[2]

[note 1]

[3]

[4]

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)