Razadarit (, ; , or ; also spelled Yazadarit, "king of kings"; 1368–1421), personal name Pasoom-Paing-Cek ( ; ), courtesy name Benya Noy (, ; , ), was king of Hanthawaddy Pegu from 1384 to 1421. He successfully unified his Mon-speaking kingdom, and fended off major assaults by the Burmese-speaking Ava Kingdom (Inwa) in the Forty Years' War. The king also instituted an administrative system that left his successors with a far more integrated kingdom. He is one of the most famous kings in Burmese history.
Razadarit came to power at 16 after a rebellion against his father King Binnya U (r. 1348–1384), barely controlling the Pegu province. By his sheer will and military leadership, the young king not only defeated Ava's first wave of invasions (1385–1391) but also unified his kingdom in the process. After presiding over Pegu's emergence as a regional power, he twice renewed the war with Ava in the 1400s, and outlasted Ava's fierce counterattacks with the help of Hsenwi and Ming China. Between 1401 and 1418, he met Ava's King Minkhaung I and Crown Prince Minye Kyawswa head-on in Lower Burma, Upper Burma, and Arakan.
His life is recorded in a classic chronicle called Razadarit Ayedawbon. The king is remembered as a complex figure: an accomplished military leader who kept his kingdom independent; an able administrator who successfully integrated the provinces; and a ruthless paranoid figure, who drove many close to him to death. His battles against Minkhaung and Minye Kyawswa are still retold in Burmese popular culture.
Early life
The future king was born to Queen Thiri Maya Dewi and King Binnya U of Martaban in Donwun on 28 January 1368.Pan Hla 2005: 356, footnote 1 His horoscopic name at birth was Pasoom-Paing-Cek (; , "One with Tongue Chakra"), because he has a chakra dot on his tongue as a birth mark. Later he was given the formal princely title of Benya Noy or Binnya Nweh (, , , ). His mother died shortly after giving birth to him, and he was adopted by his paternal aunt Princess Maha Dewi of Dagon.Pan Hla 2005: 61
He grew up in Dagon (modern downtown Yangon) in his early years before moving to Pegu (Bago) with his adoptive mother, mid 1370s. For whatever reason, Nwe never formed a close relationship with his father. Despite being the eldest son, he was not the heir-apparent;Pan Hla 2005: 61 the king favored his only other son, Prince Baw Ngan-Mohn by his favorite queen Thiri Yaza Dewi, as his successor.Pan Hla 2005: 62
The father-son relationship only grew worse over time. By his early teens, Nwe was unruly, uncouth and ruthless in his father's eyes. The king, whose health had been deteriorating since the 1370s, told his sister that Nwe was not to ascend the throne.Pan Hla 2005: 64
Rise to power Conflicts with his father Nwe responded in kind as soon as he was able. In 1382–1383, he took actions that would greatly anger his ailing father. First, the 14-year-old prince eloped with his younger half-sister Tala Mi Daw. The young couple was soon caught. The king was furious, and put Nwe in prison. Maha Dewi had to repeatedly plead with her brother to free Nwe, and allow the young couple to be married. But the marriage did little to improve the father-son relationship. Furthermore, Nwe had come to consider Maha Dewi, who by then had become the de facto power, as part of the problem. He had been persuaded by Minister Zeik-Bye that his adoptive mother was planning to put her lover (and Nwe's brother-in-law) Smim Maru on the throne.Pan Hla 2005: 81–83Fernquest Spring 2006: 5 On 5 May 1383, Nwe left his newly wed (and pregnant) wife at the palace, fled to Dagon with 30 men, and seized the governor's residence there.(Pan Hla 2005: 92): Nwe had decided to revolt by the 6th waning of Kason 745 ME (Wednesday, 22 April 1383). (Pan Hla 2005: 94): Nwe and his men left Pegu in the wee hours of Tuesday, the 3rd waxing of Nayon 745 ME = Monday, 4 May 1383. The day had turned to Tuesday, 5 May 1383.
At first, no one made much of the incident. It would have led to another quick arrest like before except that Zeik-Bye advised against taking any action, characterizing the insurrection as a harmless exercise by a restless teenager.Pan Hla 2005: 105 The princess agreed with Zeik-Bye's assessment, and asked Nwe to return to Pegu. For his part, Nwe sent back a conciliatory letter, saying that he planned to return in three months.Pan Hla 2005: 106, 108 But it was a stalling tactic. He quietly went on recruiting local governors around Dagon to come over to his side. By August, he believed he had found sufficient local support that he sent missions to farther provincial capitals of Martaban (Mottama) and Myaungmya.Pan Hla 2005: 122–123 The news of the plot reached Pegu soon after. Even then, Maha Dewi hoped to avoid a showdown, reluctantly authorizing a military expedition that would begin only at the end of the rainy season.Pan Hla 2005: 125
Open rebellion
Nwe needed the delay. He had set up defensive preparations around Dagon but still did not have enough manpower. Despite his overtures, he still had not won support of Viceroy Byattaba of Martaban or Viceroy Laukpya of Myaungmya.Pan Hla 2005: 129 Meanwhile, in October, the ailing king officially handed power to his sister, giving her the right to raise the white umbrella, a symbol of Burmese sovereigns.Per (Pan Hla 2005: 129), Binnya U transferred power on or a few days before the army left for Dagon on 3rd waxing of Nadaw 745 ME (Wednesday, 28 October 1383). Officially referred to as Min Maha Dewi ("Queen Maha Dewi"),Pan Hla 2005: 150 the princess-regent appointed Maru and Zeik-Bye to lead the expedition. On 28 October 1383, three armies—from Pegu, Martaban and Myaungmya—left for Dagon.(Pan Hla 2005: 129): According to the Razadarit Ayedawbon, three armies from Pegu, Martaban and Myaungmya marched to Dagon. The Pak Lat Chronicles say that an army from Toungoo went too. However, Toungoo was a vassal state of Ava in 1383 as an Ava loyalist Phaungga of Toungoo had taken over Toungoo per (Sein Lwin Lay 2006: 24–25).
Nwe's plan was to avoid a fight with the full expedition force. He had help from Zeik-Bye who was able to forestall action when the three armies showed up outside Dagon. Nwe again sent envoys to Myaungmya and Martaban camps that the fight was strictly between him and his mother. The last-minute mission to the Myaungmya camp worked. Laukpya, who led the Myaungmya army, concluded that such a fight would be beneficial to his semi-independent rule, and turned back. The Martaban army came to a similar conclusion and turned back a few days later.Pan Hla 2005: 145, 147–148 Now only the Pegu army remained. On 19 November 1383,(Pan Hla 2005: 154): 10th waning of Nadaw 745 ME = 19 November 1383 Nwe moved in on Maru's vanguard troops. With Zeik-Bye's rearguard staying clear of the fight, Maru lost nerve, and fled.Pan Hla 2005: 154
It was only a small skirmish but Nwe had suddenly emerged as a serious contender for the throne. The court now seriously considered the possibility of a Nwe kingship, and Zeik-Bye and Maru factions openly bickered over the failure of the expedition. After learning about the confusion at the court from Zeik-Bye, Nwe marched to Pegu. By then, Maha Dewi was too weak. When Nwe and his small army appeared outside Pegu's walls on 10 December 1383,(Pan Hla 2005: 156): Thursday, 12th waning of Pyatho 745 ME = Sunday, 20 December 1383. It was more likely Thursday, 2nd waning of Pyatho 745 ME (Thursday, 10 December 1383). she could do nothing other than hunker down inside the city walls.Pan Hla 2005: 156
Accession
The stalemate ended with Binnya U's death on 2 January 1384. Maru tried to rally the court but found no support. When he and his wife tried to flee, they were captured.Pan Hla 2005: 157–158 On 4 January 1384,(Pan Hla 2005: 356, footnote 1): Monday, 12th waxing of Tabodwe 745 ME = 4 January 1384 the Zeik-Bye-led court handed the power to Nwe, (who had turned 16 just four days earlier).He turned 16 (entered his 17th year) according to the Burmese calendar on the 8th waxing of Tabodwe 745 ME (31 December 1383). He was still 15 (24 days shy of 16), according to the Julian calendar, at his accession on 4 January 1384. The next day, on 5 January, Nwe ascended the throne with the title of Razadarit (Pali: Rājādhirāj).Pan Hla 2005: 161 The only blot was that his first wife Tala Mi Daw, who had just delivered their first (and only) son, refused to join him in the coronation ceremony. She had been deeply dissatisfied that he had not only left her in Pegu but also taken on more wives in Dagon.Pan Hla 2005: 160 Nwe was undeterred; he went ahead with the ceremony with another wife, who became his chief consort with the title of Queen Piya Yaza Dewi.
Early reign Consolidation of power at Pegu Razadarit's first actions were to consolidate power. He quickly dealt with those who could challenge him. He promptly had Maru executed. He initially accepted Ngan-Mohn's pledge of allegiance,Pan Hla 2005: 158 but soon ordered his paternal half-brother imprisoned.Pan Hla 2005: 185 (Ngan-Mohn would spend the next five years in prison before being finally executed.) Razadarit allowed his only maternal half-brother Nyi Kan-Kaung to remain as governor of Dala–Twante probably because Kan-Kaung was an early supporter of his rebellion, and he could not take Dala at the time in any case. (He seized Dala as soon as he was able in 1388/89, and had Kan-Kaung executed.Pan Hla 2005: 178) He was far less harsh with Maha Dewi; he allowed his adoptive mother to keep her post at Dagon albeit strictly in a ceremonial role.Pan Hla 2005: 164
The court did not escape his ire either. He initially planned to punish court factions that did not support him. He was on the verge of ordering Minister Dein's execution when Dein famously pleaded that his only crime was being loyal to his father the king.Aung-Thwin 2017: 251 Razadarit eventually concluded that he needed more than the Zeik-Bye faction of the court. He pardoned Dein,Fernquest Spring 2006: 6 and accepted the pledge of allegiance by court officials.Pan Hla 2005: 164
Rebellious provinces At his accession, Razadarit controlled only the Pegu–Dagon–Syriam–Dala corridor. No other vassals acknowledged him. It was not just the nominal vassals of his father like viceroys of Myaungmya and Martaban; even the late king's loyal vassals—most prominently, Viceroy Smin Sam Lek—refused to acknowledge the 16-year-old. For his part, Razadarit considered all of them in revolt although he could not yet take any action.Pan Hla 2005: 171 In all, the Mon-speaking Lower Burma was divided into four key power centers:
Region Ruler Notes Pegu Razadarit Most populous region; modern Yangon Region and southern Bago Region Myaungmya (Irrawaddy delta) Laukpya Sparsely populated delta region to the west of Pegu; modern Ayeyarwady Region. Laukpya revolted in 1364 and became a nominal vassal of Binnya U 1371. Donwun (northern Martaban province) Smin Sam Lek Modern northern Mon State and central Kayin State; Sam Lek was a loyal vassal of Binnya U Martaban (southern Martaban province) Byattaba Former capital region of the kingdom; modern southern Mon State and southern Kayin State. Byattaba seized it in 1364 and became a nominal vassal of Binnya U 1371.