Saw Shwe Khet

Minye Kyawswa Saw Shwe Khet ( my, မင်းရဲကျော်စွာ စောရွှေခက်, ) was governor of Prome (Pyay), a major vassal state of Ava, from 1417 to 1422, and from 1442 to 1446. He was the only governor or viceroy of Prome to serve more than one term. He also served as governor of districts of Prome: twice at Tharrawaddy (Thayawadi) (1422–1427) and (1446–1460) and at Paungde (1460–1470s).

Early life

Saw Shwe Khet was the eldest child of Saw Min Pu and Gov. Thinkhaya of Pagan.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 73 He was descended from the Pagan royal line from both sides. He had two younger sisters, Queen Soe Min Wimala Dewi of Hanthawaddy, Queen Atula Thiri Maha Yaza Dewi of Ava, and two younger brothers Cmdr. Uzana of Southern Cavalry and Gov. Thinkhaya of Sagu.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 74, 82–83

Career

Prome (1417–1422)

The first mention of Shwe Khet in the royal chronicles was his appointment as governor of Prome (Pyay) by his half cousin King Minkhaung I.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 50 The appointment, which came in March 1417 during the height of Forty Years' War against the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, was certainly an important one for Ava (Inwa) as Prome, along with Toungoo (Taungoo), was one of the two major states bordering Hanthawaddy. Shwe Khet, now styled as Minye Kyawswa, succeeded Thihathu, who was recalled to Ava (Inwa) to become the crown prince.

Tharrawaddy (1422–1427)

Shwe Khet's rule at Prome lasted until Thihathu came to power in 1422.Chronicles are inconsistent with their own reporting. (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 54) says King Thihathu of Ava replaced Gov. Saw Shwe Khet with Min Maha in late 783 ME ( March 1422). But later the Summary of the Rulers of Prome section (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 215) says Min Maha was appointed in 787 ME. It is another case of Burmese numerals ၃ (3) and ၇ (7) being mis-copied. Shwe Khet, who was married to Thihathu's ex-wife Princess Min Hla Htut of Ava,Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 437 tried to curry favor with his new overlord by sending a white elephant, a propitious symbol of Burmese sovereigns.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 54 Thihathu accepted the gift but nonetheless demoted Shwe Khet to become a district-level governor at Tharrawaddy (Thayawadi), southernmost district of Prome.

Shwe Khet accepted his new position. At Tharrawaddy, Shwe Khet made an alliance with the new governor of Prome, Min Maha by giving his daughter Shin Yun.Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 264 But his position at the frontier district became tenuous in 1425–26 when Ava went through a series of succession crises. Kings Thihathu and Min Hla were assassinated in August and November 1425, respectively.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 58 Shwe Khet's brother-in-law Gov. Kye-Taung Nyo of Kale (Kalay) seized the Ava throne but lost it six months later when Gov. Thado of Mohnyin toppled Nyo's regime at Ava.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 61 Thado himself faced a series of rebellions. Taking advantage of the situation, King Binnya Ran I of Hanthawaddy Pegu seized Tharrawaddy.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 65

Tharrawaddy would remain under Hanthawaddy control until 1446. Ava ceded the region in 1431 in a peace treaty that also sent Shwe Khet's sister Soe Min Wimala Dewi to wed Ran in a marriage of state.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 72–73Harvey 1925: 98

Prome (1442–1446)

The next mention of Shwe Khet in the chronicles came in 1442 when Viceroy Thihathu III of Prome became king of Ava as Narapati I.Hmannan Vol. 2 3003: 82 The new king, whose chief consort Atula Thiri was Shwe Khet's younger sister, appointed Shwe Khet governor of Prome, and Shwe Khet's son Minye Kyawswa governor of Kale (Kalay).Hmannan Vol. 2 3003: 84 Shwe Khet's term lasted until January 1446 when the king recalled Shwe Khet to Ava.Chronicles (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 78; Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 86) say that King Narapati made new appointments for Toungoo (Taungoo) and Prome (Pyay) following the death of Tarabya of Toungoo in 807 ME (30 March 1445 to 29 March 1446). According to the '' Toungoo Yazawin'' chronicle (Sein Lwin Lay 2006: 30–31), Tarabya died on 2 January 1446 (6th waxing of Tabodwe 807 ME). It means the appointments were made sometime between 2 January 1446 and 29 March 1446, and most probably in January 1446. He was the only governor/ruler to serve more than once at Prome.Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 163–165Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 326Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 214–216

Tharrawaddy (1446–1460)

Shwe Khet's stay at Ava was short. He was once again appointed governor of Tharrawaddy after Narapati regained the territory November 1446.(Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 88): On 5th waxing of Thadingyut 808 ME (25 September 1446), King Narapati made the decision to send an army and a navy to regain Tharrawaddy after Binnya Ran I had died. Ava forces invaded at the start of the dry season in November. Hanthawaddy vassal Gov. Anawrahta Saw of Tharrawaddy submitted without a fight but died shortly after the submission. Narapati then appointed Shwe Khet. He ruled for about another 14 years. In 1460, the king reassigned him to Paungde, and appointed his fourth son Thado Minsaw to Tharrawaddy.(Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 84) says Shwe Khet was reassigned to Paungde in 821 ME (1459/60) but later chronicles (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 293) and (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 95) say the reassignment took place in 822 ME (1460/61). The king also married Thado Minsaw with Shwe Khet's daughter Myat Hpone Pyo.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 95

Paungde (1460–1470s)

For the next dozen years, Shwe Khet stayed at Paungde. In 1472, Gov. Mingyi Swa of Prome and Gov. Thado Minsaw of Tharrawaddy decided to revolt against their eldest brother King Thihathura of Ava. Shwe Khet, an old man by then, had no choice but to support to his sons-in-law. The rebellion was brief. Thihathura laid siege to Prome in the dry season of 1472–73, and the brothers and Shwe Khet all submitted to the king in February 1473. In exchange for their submission, they were allowed to keep their offices.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 101–102 It was the last mention of Shwe Khet in the chronicles.

Family

Saw Shwe Khet had at least three wives, and three sons and three daughters.See (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003; 437), (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 83–84, 90) and (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 264). His notable descendants include: grandson King Bayin Htwe of Prome (r. 1526–32); great grandsons King Narapati of Prome (r. 1532–39) and King Minkhaung of Prome (r. 1539–42); two times great grandson King Minye Thihathu II of Toungoo (r. 1597–1609); three times great grandson King Natshinnaung of Toungoo (r. 1609–10). King Leik Munhtaw of Hanthawaddy (r. 1453–54) was his nephew.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 74

Ancestry

The following is his ancestry as given in the ''Hmannan Yazawin'' chronicle, based on a contemporary inscription left by his sister Queen Atula Thiri of Ava.Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 82–83 He was a half cousin of King Minkhaung I of Ava.''Hmannan'' (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 82) says his father was the youngest paternal uncle of King Minkhaung I. But Thinkhaya could not have been a full paternal uncle since Minkhaung's father Swa Saw Ke did not have any full younger brothers. It means Thinkhaya was born to a junior wife of Min Shin Saw of Thayet.

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Ava dynasty
15th-century monarchs in Asia