, image = , caption = , reign = 1084–1112 , coronation = , succession = Queen of the Northern Palace , predecessor = herself , successor = Yadanabon I (as the Chief Queen) , suc-type = Successor , reg-type = King , regent =

Kyansittha Kyansittha (, ; also spelt as Kyanzittha or Hti-Hlaing Min; 21 July 1030 – 1112/13) was king of the Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1084 to 1112/13, and is considered one of the greatest Burmese monarchs. He continued the social, econom ...

, reign1 = 1077–1084 , succession1 = Chief queen consort of Burma , predecessor1 = Usaukpan , successor1 = Apeyadana , reg-type1 = King , regent1 = Saw Lu , reign2 = 1070s–1077 , succession2 = Queen of the Northern Palace , predecessor2 = Saw Mon Hla , successor2 = herself , reg-type2 = King , regent2 =

Anawrahta Anawrahta Minsaw (, ; 11 May 1014 – 11 April 1077) was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that ...

Saw Lu , spouse =

(1070s–77)
Saw Lu (1077–84)

(1084–1112) , issue = , issue-link = , full name = , house = Pegu , father = Ruler of Pegu , mother = , birth_date = , birth_place =

Pegu Bago (formerly spelled Pegu; , ), formerly known as Hanthawaddy, is a city and the capital of the Bago Region in Myanmar. It is located north-east of Yangon. Etymology The Burmese name Bago (ပဲခူး) is likely derived from the Mon lang ...

(Bago) , death_date = , death_place =

Pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

(Bagan) , date of burial = , place of burial = , religion =

Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' ( anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or '' Dhamma'' in ...

, signature = Manisanda Khin U ( ) was queen to three consecutive kings of Pagan dynasty of

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

(Myanmar). The ethnic Mon queen is famous in Burmese history for her

love triangle A love triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with someone is simultaneo ...

with Gen.

and King

. Their story has been compared to the legend of

King Arthur According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...

Lancelot Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), alternatively written as Launcelot and other variants, is a popular character in the Matter of Britain, Arthurian legend's chivalric romance tradition. He is typically depicted as King Arthu ...

and

Guinevere Guinevere ( ; ; , ), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First mentioned in literature in the early 12th cen ...

.Htin Aung 1967: 38 Manisanda was a daughter of the ruler of

(Bago), which was subject to Pagan. Circa early 1070s, her father gave the princess to Anawrahta as gratitude for Pagan's help in repelling attacks on Pegu by foreign invaders from the direction of

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...

. Kyansittha, who led the Pagan army that drove out the invaders, rode alongside the lady Manisanda who was borne in a curtained

litter Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. The waste is objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles, but ...

. During the long journey, they fell in love with each other so violently that the matter had to be reported to Anawrahta. The king nearly killed Kyansittha, and banished his adopted son and best general for the rest of his reign. The princess, who was probably still in her early to mid teens, became one of his queens.Harvey 1925: 31–32 After Anawrahta's death, Saw Lu became king and married her. She became the chief queen soon after as Lu's chief queen Usaukpan died soon after his accession.Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 108 Uninterested in running the kingdom, Lu brought back Kyansittha from banishment. But Kyansittha and Manisanda resumed their love affair, and Lu too had to banish Kyansittha. Her father, the ruler of Pegu, had died by then, and Lu appointed his childhood friend Yamankan as governor of Pegu. In 1084, Lu was killed by Yamankan who had raised a rebellion against Pagan rule.Harvey 1925: 34–36 Kyansittha defeated the rebellion, and became king of Pagan. He married his love Manisanda for whom he had twice endured exile, and made her his queen. She became queen to the third

monarch A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest ...

in succession.Harvey 1925: 38

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Queens consort of Pagan Chief queens consort of Pagan Queens consort of Pagan Burmese Mon people 11th-century Burmese women 12th-century Burmese women