Min Saw Hla

Summary

Min Saw Hla (Burmese: မင်းစောလှ, [mɪ́ɴ sɔ́ l̥a̰]; 1532–1564) was king of Arakan from 1556 to 1564. At accession, he made his first wife Saw Bon-Htut the chief queen but also married his father's chief queen Saw Thanda. He ordered a massive building program which built and repaired dams, irrigation canals as well as improved the defenses of Mrauk-U and other key towns around the kingdom.[1] In 1561, he commissioned the building of Htukkanthein Temple.[note 2]

Min Saw Hla
မင်းစောလှ
King of Arakan
Reign6 March 1556 – 24 July 1564
PredecessorDikkha
SuccessorSekkya
Born1532/33
Tuesday, 894 ME[note 1]
Mrauk-U
Died24 July 1564 (aged 31)
Monday, Full moon of Wagaung 926 ME[1]
Mrauk-U
ConsortSaw Bon-Htut
Saw Thanda
HouseMin Bin
FatherDikkha
MotherSaw Mi Latt[1]
ReligionTheravada Buddhism

He tightened control of Chittagong and the kingdom's northern perimeter. In the early 1560s, he sent the army to Tripura, whose ruler, according to Arakanese chronicles, submitted to Mrauk-U. He died in 1564 after a long illness. He had chosen his half-brother Min Sekkya to succeed him, and married Sekkya to his own full sister Dhamma Dewi.[1]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Based on the chronicle reporting of his age at his accession and his death (Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 46–47), he was born between full moon of Wagaung 894 ME (17 July 1532) and 10th waning of Tabaung 894 ME (18 February 1533). Since he was born on a Tuesday, the range can be reduced to between 23 July 1532 and 17 February 1533.
  2. ^ (Gutman 2001: 118) says the temple "is said to have been built in 1571 by King Min Phalaung". But the Rakhine Razawin Thit chronicle (Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 46) says Htukkanthein was built by King Min Saw Hla in 923 ME (1561/62).

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 46–47

Bibliography edit

  • Gutman, Pamela (2001). Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan. Bangkok: Orchid Press. ISBN 974-8304-98-1.
  • Sandamala Linkara, Ashin (1931). Rakhine Yazawinthit Kyan (in Burmese). Vol. 1–2 (1997–1999 ed.). Yangon: Tetlan Sarpay.
Min Saw Hla
Born: 1532 Died: 24 July 1564
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Mrauk-U
6 March 1556 – 24 July 1564
Succeeded by