Burmese royal titles

Burmese royal titles are the royal styles that were in use by the Burmese monarchy until the disintegration of the last Burmese monarchy, the Konbaung dynasty, in 1885. These titles were exclusively used by those of royal lineage (; ; ), or more formally, Maha Zi Maha Thwei ().

Titles and rank in the Konbaung dynasty

King

Kings in Burma assumed a distinctive regnal name and title, usually a combination of Pali and Sanskrit, upon ascending to the throne.

The King was known by a variety of titles, including the following:
*''Hpondawgyi (Hlathaw) Hpaya'' ( )
*''Ashin Hpaya'' ( )
*''Shwe Nan Shin Hpaya'' ()
*''Ekarit Min Myat'' ()
*''Shin Bayin'' ()
*''Athet U San Paing Than Ashin'' (, lit. "Lord of the life, head, and hair of all beings")
*''Shwe Nan Shwe Pyatthat Thahkin'' (, lit. "Master Lord of the Golden Palace and Golden Spired Roofs") - used in the Taungoo and Konbaung dynasties
*''Hkamedaw'' ( , lit. "royal father") - by his children (the princes and princesses)
*''Dagadaw Yemyeshin'' () - by Buddhist monks
*''Dagadaw Ekarit Min Myat'' () - by Buddhist monks

King's consorts

In the early days of the Konbaung Dynasty, Kings had at most, three Senior Queens. Innovations of a fourth Senior Queen and four lesser queens dated to the last quarter of the 1700s.

Queens of first rank (Senior Queens) were called ''Nanya Mibaya'' (, lit. 'Queens who Possess Palaces'). The expansion and ranking of Senior Queens was an innovation during the reign of King Singu Min (1776-1782). In order of precedence, they were as follows:

#Supreme Royal Chief Queen (, ''Nanmadaw Mibaya Hkaunggyi'') or Royal Queen of the Southern Palace (, ''Taung Nandaw Mibaya'') - As the Supreme Chief Queen, she alone had the right to a white umbrella and to sit with the King on the royal throne. She was also variously known as ''Taung Nyazan'' (), ''Ashin Nanmadaw Hpaya'' (). and ''Nanmadaw'' ()
#Royal Queen of the Northern Palace (, ''Myauk Nandaw Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Central Palace (, ''Ale Nandaw Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Western Palace (, ''Anauk Nandaw Mibaya'')

There was a special position between ''Nanya Mibaya'' (first rank) and ''Ahsaungya Mibaya'' (second rank) named Nanzwe Mibaya (), for the blue-blood sisters of the King, primed to become a Nanya Mibaya if any of them died. For example, when the first Anauk Nandaw Mibaya of King Mindon, Pintale Mibaya died, her sister Yinge Mibaya, one of the four Nanzwe Mibayas of King Mindon, was replaced as the second Anauk Nandaw Mibaya.The four Nanzwe Mibayas during the reign of King Mindon were Yinge Mibaya, Laungshe Mibaya, Magway Mibaya and Seindon Mibaya. As they were the blue-blooded ones, they could not be given the position of ordinary queens. So they became Nanzwe Mibayas. This position was created only during the reign of a king who had many queens, such as Bodawpaya and Mindon Min.

Royal Queens of second rank were known as ''Ahsaungya Mibaya'' (, lit. 'Queens who Possess Royal Apartments'). These ranks were created during the reign of King Tharrawaddy Min (1837-1846). In order of precedence, they were as follows:

#Royal Queen of the Southern Apartment (, ''Taung Hsaungdaw Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Northern Apartment (, ''Myauk Hsaungdaw Mibaya'')

Royal Queens of third rank were known as ''Shweye Hsaungya Mibaya'' (, lit. 'Royal Queens who Possess the Gilded Chambers'). These were innovations dating to the reign of King Bodawphaya. In order of precedence, they were as follows:

#Royal Queen of the Southern Gilded Chamber (, ''Myan Aung Taung Shweye Hsaung Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Northern Gilded Chamber (, ''Myan Aung Myauk Shweye Hsaung Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Central Gilded Chamber (, ''Myan Aung Ale Shweye Hsaung Mibaya'')
#Royal Queen of the Western Gilded Chamber (, ''Myan Aung Anauk Shweye Hsaung Mibaya'')

Royal Queens of fourth rank were considered minor consorts:

#''Myosa Mibaya'' ('town-lord queen'; )
#''Ywaza Mibaya'' ('village-lord queen'; )

Royal concubines were typically the daughters of officials and tributary princes. They received no rank and in order of precedence were as follows:

#''Kolottaw'' (, lit. "one who administers the royal body")
#''Chedawtin'' (, lit. "one on whom the royal feet are placed")
#''Maungma'' ()

Consorts were granted titles based on rank, divided into two grades (queens and for concubines).

The styles of queens contained the following words based on rank, as follows (in order of precedence):
#''Devī'' (, Pali 'goddess')
#''Mahe'' (, Pali 'queen') or ''Hesī'' (, Pali 'queen')
#''Sīri'' (, Pali 'splendour')
#''Su'' (, Pali 'well')
#''Min'' (, Burmese 'lord')

The styles of royal concubines contained the following words based on rank, as follows (in order of precedence):
#''Devī'' (, Pali 'goddess')
#''Vatī'' (, Pali 'dutiful')
#''Rujā'' ()
#''Pabhā'' (, Pali 'radiance')
#''Kesā'' (, Pali 'hair')
#''Candā'' (, Pali 'moon')
#''Mālā'' (, Pali 'garland')
#''Muttā'' (, Pali 'pearl')

Princes

Royal princes included the sons and brothers of the King (''Minnyi Mintha'') who were ranked, as follows (in order of precedence):
#Crown Prince (, ''Einshay Mintha'') - the Heir Apparent, who was appointed by the King and second only to the King in precedence. He was also known as the ''Uparaja'' ().
#Great Princes (, ''Minthagyi'') - First-grade princes (the King's brothers and the sons of Senior Queens). There were 18 Great Princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right.
##''Shwe Kodawgyi Awratha'' (): The eldest son of the King, by his chief Queen
##''Shwe Kodawgyi Razaputra'' (): The younger sons of the King, by his chief Queen
##''Shwe Kodawgyi'' (): The sons of the King, by his senior Queens
#Middle Princes (, ''Minthalat'') - Second grade princes born of lesser queens. There were 18 Middle Princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right.
##''Kodawgyi'' (): The sons of the King, by his junior wives
#Princes (, ''Mintha'') - Minor princes born of concubines

Non-royal princes were individuals of non-royal lineage who were promoted to the rank of prince, and were divided into there ranks, each of which consisted of 18 princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right.: They were ranked, as follows (in order of precedence):
#Great Princes (, ''Minthagyi'') - The first grade of non-royal princes
#Middle Princes (, ''Minthalat'') - The second grade of non-royal princes
#Cavalry Captain Princes (, ''Myinhmu Mintha'') - The third grade of non-royal princes

Princely titles were granted based on the prince's rank (of which there were 12 total), which divided into three grades, as follows (in order of precedence):
#''Dhammaraja'' () - usually suffixed to the prince's title.
#*First rank - granted a title of 10 syllables
#*Second rank - granted a title of 9 syllables
#*Third rank - granted a title of 8 syllables
#*Fourth rank - granted a title of 6 syllables
#''Thado'' () - usually prefixed to the prince's title.
#*Fifth rank - granted a title of 8 syllables
#*Sixth rank - granted a title of 6 syllables
#*Seventh rank - granted a title of 5 syllables
#*Eighth rank - granted a title of 3 syllables
#''Minye'' () - usually prefixed to the prince's title.
#*Ninth rank - granted a title of 7 syllables
#*Tenth rank - granted a title of 6 syllables
#*Eleventh rank - granted a title of 4 syllables
#*Twelfth rank - granted a title of 3 syllables

Princesses

The ranks of the King's daughters were determined by the rank of their mothers. These ranks in order of precedence were as follows:
#'' Hteik Suhpaya'' () - The daughters of the King by his queens
#''Hteik Hkaungtin'' () - The unmarried daughters of the King, by his minor consorts
#''Hteik Hta Mibaya'' () - The married daughters of the King, by his junior wives

The Crown Princess in line to become chief queen, specially designated to wed the Crown Prince was known as the ''Tabindaing Minthami'' () or as the ''Einshe Hteik Hta Mibaya'' ().

Ranking officials

High-ranking court officials (, ''amat'') were also ranked into 9 ranks, representing their place at the Great Audience Hall during obeisance ceremonies ('' gadaw''), as follows (in order of precedence):

#''Sitthugyi'' () – commander-in-chief
#''Neyalutne'' (, lit. 'those without place') - dignitaries above rank, including the tributary princes ('' saophas'' and ''myosas'')
#''Sawbwagyi Naukne'' (, lit. 'those behind the ''saophas'')
#''Tawchun'' ()
#''Taw'' ()
#''Du'' ()
#''Sani'' ()
#''Atwin Bawaw'' ()
#''Apyin Bawaw'' ()

Said officials also received 11 types of titles commensurate with their rank, as follows (in order of precedence):Pagan Wundauk U Tin, who served the royal court, provides an alternate list of titles by rank, for the first six: 1. ''Thudhamma'' ; 2. ''Thetdawshay'' ; 3. ''Thado'' ; ''Mingyi'' ; 5. ''Maha'' ; 6. ''Min'' .
#''Thado'' (), from Sanskrit ''satviva shaktidhara'' ()
#''Mingyi'' ()
#''Mahā'' (, Pali 'great')
#''Min Thon Hsin Bwe'' () - title containing three ''Min'' ()
#''Min Hna Hsin Bwe'' () - title containing two ''Min'' ()
#''Min Ta Hsin Bwe'' () - title containing one ''Min'' ()
#''Nemyo Min'' ()
#''Nemyo'' (, Burmese 'solar race')
#''Nawrahta'' ()
#''Shwedaung'' ()
#Ordinary titles

The wives of some high-ranking officials also received rank, as follows (in order of precedence):

#''Amaydawkhan Gadawgyi'' ()
#''Gadaw'' ()
#''Shethwe'' ()
#''Naukthwe'' ()
#''Pwetet Neya'' ()
#''Letsaungdaw Thein Thami Kanya'' ()

See also

* Burmese Buddhist titles
* Konbaung Dynasty

References

Sources

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{{List of titles and honours of the Countries Crown

Konbaung dynasty
Titles of national or ethnic leadership