Sao Nang Hearn Kham (; 26 May 1916 – 17 January 2003) was the Mahadevi of Yawnghwe one of the most important

Shan States The Shan States were a collection of minor Shan people, Shan kingdoms called ''mueang, möng'' whose rulers bore the title ''saopha'' (''sawbwa''). In British rule in Burma, British Burma, they were analogous to the princely states of Britis ...

. Her husband Sao Shwe Thaik was the 23d and last Saopha of Yawnghwe and became the first

President of Burma The president of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar () is the head of state and constitutional head of government of Myanmar. The president chairs the National Defence and Security Council and normally leads the Cabinet of Myanmar, the ...

and she became the first First Lady of Myanmar. She is an important figure in Shan history and was known as the "Rebel Queen" being the leader of the Shan State War Council. Sao Nang Hearn Kham was the only woman in history of Burma to have held both the position of

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

and first lady.

Life

She was born as Hearn Kham on 26 May 1916 at Hsenwi Palace in Hsenwi, Northern

Shan State Shan State (, ; , ) is a administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China (Yunnan) to the north, Laos (Louang Namtha Province, Louang Namtha and Bokeo Provinces) to the east, and Thailand (Chiang Rai Province, Chia ...

, as the daughter of 65th Saopha Khun Hsang Ton Hong of North Hsenwi. Her brother would be the 66th and last Saopha of the state. Sao Nang Hearn Kham was the fourth wife of the last ruler of Yawhghwe Saopha Sao Shwe Thaik, who became the first

and with whom she had six children. Together with her husband she participated in the 1946–1947 Pang Long Agreement. In post-independence Burma she became an MP for the constituency of Hsenwi between 1956 and 1960 and became known for her active role in parliament under the administration of the prime minister

U Nu Nu (; ; 25 May 1907 – 14 February 1995), commonly known as Burmese names#Honorifics, U Nu and also by the honorific name Thakin Nu, was a prominent Burmese people, Burmese statesman and the first Prime Minister of Union of Burma. He was ...

. She presented to the parliament the proposal for the Shan rulers to relinquish power. Her husband was arrested in the Burmese coup d'état in March 1962 by the Revolutionary Council headed by General

Ne Win Ne Win (; ; 24 May 1911 – 5 December 2002), born Shu Maung (; ), was a Burmese army general, politician and Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974, and also President of Burma from 1962 to 1981. Ne Win was Burma's mili ...

and one of her sons, who was 17 at that time, was killed in the military coup, apparently the only casualty on the day of the disturbances. She fled with her family to

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

in October 1963 after her husband had died in prison in November 1962. While in exile she participated in the independence struggle of the Shan State. In 1964 Sao Nang Hearn Kham, together with her son Chao-Tzang Yawnghwe, helped to form the Shan State War Council (SSWC) and the Shan State Army (SSA), becoming Chairwoman of the SSWC. Sao Nang Hearn Kham died on 17 January 2003 in exile in Canada at the age of 86.Burma’s first President’s wife passed away
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References

1916 births 2003 deaths Yawnghwe People from Shan State Politics of Myanmar Burmese Shan people {{Myanmar-bio-stub

Life

See also

References