Saw Pyei Chantha ( ), also spelled Shwe Bye Kyantha (), was the chief queen consort of Arakan for a few months in 1408. After she and her first husband King Anawrahta of Launggyet were captured by the Hanthawaddy forces in 1408, she became a junior queen consort of King

Razadarit Razadarit (, ; , or ; also spelled Yazadarit, "king of kings"; 1368–1421) was king of Kingdom of Hanthawaddy, Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1384 to 1421. He successfully unified his Mon language, Mon-speaking kingdom, and fended off major assaults ...

of Hanthawaddy.

Brief

The future queen was the second child of Prince Minkhaung of Pyinzi and his first wife Shin Mi-Nauk. His father was a son of then King

Swa Saw Ke Mingyi Swa Saw Ke (, ; also spelled Minkyiswasawke or Swasawke; 1330–1400) was king of Ava from 1367 to 1400. He reestablished central authority in Upper Myanmar (Burma) for the first time since the fall of the Pagan Empire in the 1280s. He ...

of Ava while his mother was a daughter of Sawbwa (Chief) Tho Ngan Bwa of

Mohnyin Mohnyin (, ; ) is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is the administrative center for both Mohnyin Township and Mohnyin District Mohnyin District () is a Districts of Burma, district of the Kachin State in northern Myanmar. The administrative c ...

.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 424 Minkhaung and Mi-Nauk had been wedded in a

marriage of state A marriage of state is a diplomatic marriage or union between two members of different nation-states or internally, between two power blocs, usually in authoritarian societies and is a practice which dates back to ancient times, as far back as ear ...

in 1389/90 during a brief respite of hostilities between Ava and Mohnyin.Harvey 1925: 86 She had an elder brother Minye Kyawswa, and two younger brothers Minye Thihathu and Minye Kyawhtin.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 441 They siblings grew up in Pyinzi, 60 km south of the capital Ava (Inwa), until 1400. On 25 November 1400, their father ascended the Ava throne,Than Tun 1959: 128 and the family moved to Ava. Circa January 1408, her father sent her to marry

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 ...

, the vassal king of the western kingdom of Arakan, whom her father had appointed a year earlier.The standard chronicles (Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 310) and (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 445) say that she was in her 13th year in 766 ME (1404/05) when she was married off to Anawrahta of Arakan a year after he was appointed vassal king in 765 ME (1403/04), implying that she was born 1392. However, the Arakanese chronicle '' Rakhine Razawin Thit'' (RRT Vol. 2 1999: 9) says Ava forces took

Launggyet Launggyet ( ) is a former capital of the Launggyet Dynasty of Arakan from 1237/1251 to 1430. It is also last capital of Laymro Kingdom. The former capital site is located a few miles northwest of Mrauk U, Mrauk U, Rakhine State, Myanmar. The Araka ...

on Monday, 5th waning of Nadaw 768 ME (29 November 1406). It means she was sent to Launggyet in late 1407 or early 1408. It also means that she could not be in her 13th year (aged 12) in 1408 since her ''younger'' brother Thihathu was born in 1394. It is likely that she was in her 17th year (aged 16), and her reported age of 13th year was actually 17th year. (The Burmese numerals ၃ (3) and ၇ (7) can be easily mis-copied.) But her reign as the chief queen was short. King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy, who had been concerned about Ava's growing empire, ordered an invasion of Arakan while Ava was entangled with the

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 ...

of Hsenwi in the north. The Hanthawaddy army took Launggyet in March 1408.(Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 228): Launggyet taken in Late

Tagu Tagu (; ) is the first month of the traditional Burmese calendar. Holidays and observances *Thingyan * Pagoda festivals ** Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival, Bago Tagu symbols *Flower: ''Mesua ferrea'' *Astrological sign: Aries References See als ...

967 ME (25 February 1408 to 24 March 1408). Razadarit had Anawrahta executed, and raised Saw Pyei Chantha, as one of his junior queens.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 474 The brazen act greatly incensed her father, and led to the renewed war between the two kingdoms for the next decade. The queen joined her paternal aunt Thupaba Dewi, who had been given to Razadarit in a

as part of the truce of 1403, in the Hanthawaddy king's harem. Three months later, her 34-year-old mother Mi-Nauk became Razadarit's queen as well after Mi-Nauk was captured by the Hanthawaddy forces during Minkhaung's ill-advised invasion of the south in the rainy season of 1408.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 485Harvey 1925: 92–93

Ancestry

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{s-end Chief queens consort of Launggyet Queens consort of Hanthawaddy Ava dynasty Burmese Shan people