Athinkhaya Saw Yun ( ; also spelled Saw-Yoom; 1299 – 5 February 1327) was the founder of the Sagaing Kingdom of Myanmar (Burma). The eldest son of King Thihathu set up a rival kingdom in 1315 after Thihathu appointed Uzana I as heir-apparent.Phayre 1967:58–59 Saw Yun successfully resisted two small expeditions by Pinya by 1317. While Saw Yun nominally remained loyal to his father, he was the de facto king of the area roughly corresponding to present-day Sagaing Region and northern Mandalay Region.Htin Aung 1967: 71–79
After Thihathu's death, Sagaing and Pinya formally went separate ways. Saw Yun died in 1327. Saw Yun had four children, three sons and a daughter. All of his sons became king of Sagaing. His only daughter was the mother of Thado Minbya, the founder of the Kingdom of Ava.
Early life Saw Yun was born to Thihathu, co-founder of Myinsaing Kingdom, and Yadanabon, daughter of the village head of Linyin,Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 371–372 1299. According to British colonial scholars, Saw Yun's mother was an ethnic Shan and his father half-Shan. But the royal chronicles do not mention his ethnicity at all. He grew up in Pinle, his father's capital alongside an elder step-brother Uzana, half younger brother Kyawswa, and a younger half-sister Saw Pale. The family moved to Pinya in 1313 when Thihathu became the sole ruler of the Kingdom of Myinsaing–Pinya.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 370
Secession Thihathu now officially considered himself the heir to Pagan kings. His chief queen was Mi Saw U, a daughter of Narathihapate. More importantly, he appointed his adopted son Uzana, the biological son of the fallen king Kyawswa and Mi Saw U, as his heir apparent. He also appointed Kyawswa, his first son by Mi Saw U, governor of Pinle.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 371
The appointments did not go down well with Saw Yun, his eldest biological son by a commoner queen (Yadanabon). Saw Yun felt the throne was his. He agitated his father for a viceroyship in the north.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 374 While Thihathu wavered, on 15 May 1315, Saw Yun took matters into his own hands, and left for Sagaing with a group of followers, a few miles west of Pinya, across the Irrawaddy.(Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 375): 12th waxing of Nayon 677 ME Saw Yun found support in a sect of forest dwelling monks and their followers.Htin Aung 1967: 77
At first, Thihathu dismissed the 15-year-old's thinly veiled insurrection, and did not take any action. But Saw Yun continued to consolidate his support in the north, and fortified Sagaing with a brick wall, completed on 26 March 1316.Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 161, fn-3 Even then, Thihathu's response was halfhearted. He sent two small expeditions, each led by Uzana and Kyawswa respectively, to retake the city. Both attempts failed. Thihathu, who never liked rivals even with his own brothers, now decided to leave his eldest biological son alone.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 375–376 Saw Yun's position may also have been helped by an open rebellion in Toungoo (Taungoo) in 1317–18, and subsequent instabilities in Taungdwin.Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 160, fn#1Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 372 Thihathu got both Toungoo and Taungdwin under control but essentially ceded control of northern Upper Burma to Saw Yun. For his part, Saw Yun never formally renounced his allegiance to his father. Thihathu had to be satisfied with the arrangement although he must have known that Pinya and Sagaing would become bitter rivals after his death.
Reign After Thihathu's death in 1325, the two kingdoms formally went separate ways, with Pinya controlling southern Upper Burma and Sagaing northern Upper Burma.Htin Aung 1967: 71–79 (Zatadawbon Yazawin and Maha YazawinMaha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 270 chronicles count Saw Yun's official reign at Sagaing only after the death of Thihathu whereas later chronicles Yazawin Thit and Hmannan Yazawin count his reign from his first insurrection in 1315.) Early on, Pinya's new rulers still had designs on Sagaing. Pinya's attempt to assassinate Saw Yun nearly succeeded, stopped only by the assassin Khin Nyo's conscience at the last minute.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 383Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 163
Saw Yun was remembered in Burmese chronicles as powerful, kindly and popular. He also contributed to Burmese military. In 1318, Saw Yun formed a cavalry regiment called Sagaing Htaungthin ( ; lit. "Thousand-strong Regiment of Sagaing", although the numbers added up to only 830), which was maintained up till the fall of Burmese monarchy, and nine squadrons of cavalry.Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 388–389
Cavalry name Strength Tamakha Myin 150 Pyinsi Myin 150 Yudawmu Myin 150 Letywaygyi Myin 150 Letywaynge Myin 70 Kyaungthin Myin 50 Myinthegyi Myin 50 Hketlon Myin 30 Sawputoh Myin 30
He died 5 February 1327.Than Tun 1959: 126 He had four children by his chief queen Saw Hnaung: Soe Min, Kyaswa, Nawrahta Minye, and Tarabya II.Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 175−176
Historiography The chronicles and inscriptional evidence show various dates with regard to his life.
Source Birth–Death Age Reign Length of reign Reference Zatadawbon Yazawin 1303–1330/31 27 (28th year) 1322/23–1330/31 8 Zata 1960: 43 Maha Yazawin Yazawin Thit 1300 – 30 April 1322 21 (22nd year) 15 May 1315 – 30 April 1322 8 [sic] Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 161, 172–173(Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 161): 12th waxing of 3rd month of 677 ME = 15 May 1315. (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 173): Tarabya I ascended the throne on Friday, 1st waning of Kason 684 ME (Saturday, 1 May 1322); if it was Friday, it should have been 30 April 1322. Hmannan Yazawin Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 375, 388–389
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