Hsipaw, also spelled Thibaw, was a Shan state located in what is now Myanmar (Burma). It was also referred to as Ong Pawng or Onbaung after the name of an old capital. The state was centered around the modern town of Hsipaw.

History A predecessor state named Duṭṭhavatī () was said to be founded in 58 BC, according to local tradition.

A Burmese inscription contemporary to Thihathu () recorded that he repulsed an attack coming from Onbaung (Hsipaw). Another conflict broke out between Hsipaw and the Ava kingdom in 1415.

During the Sino-Burmese War (1765–69) the Qianlong Emperor of China invaded the area of Hsipaw. The main Chinese army, led by Ming Rui, was to approach Ava through Hsenwi, Lashio and Hsipaw down the Namtu river. The main invasion route was the same route followed by the Manchu forces a century earlier, chasing the Yongli Emperor of the Southern Ming dynasty. The second army, led by Gen. E'erdeng'e, was to try the Bhamo route again. The ultimate objective was for both armies to clamp themselves in a pincer action on the Burmese capital of Ava. The Burmese plan was to hold the second Chinese army in the north at Kaungton with the army led by Ne Myo Sithu, and meet the main Chinese army in the northeast with two armies led by Maha Sithu and Maha Thiha Thura.

At first, everything went according to plan for the Qing. The third invasion began in November 1767 as the smaller Chinese army attacked and occupied Bhamo. Within eight days, Ming Rui's main army occupied the Shan states of Hsenwi and Hsipaw. Ming Rui made Hsenwi a supply base, and assigned 5000 troops to remain at Hsenwi and guard the rear. He then led a 15,000-strong army in the direction of Ava. In late December, at the Goteik Gorge (south of Hsipaw), the two main armies faced off and the first major battle of the third invasion ensued. Outnumbered two-to-one, Maha Sithu's main Burmese army was thoroughly routed by Ming Rui's Bannermen. Maha Thiha Thura too was repulsed at Hsenwi. The news of the disaster at Goteik reached Ava. Hsinbyushin finally realized the gravity of the situation, and urgently recalled Burmese armies from Siam.

Having smashed through the main Burmese army, Ming Rui pressed on full steam ahead, overrunning one town after another, and reached Singu on the Irrawaddy, 30 miles north of Ava at the beginning of 1768. The only bright spot for the Burmese was that the northern invasion force, which was to come down the Irrawaddy to join up with Ming Rui's main army, had been held off at Kaungton.

In 1886 the saopha of Hsipaw was the first Shan prince that submitted to British rule in Burma, which led to Hsipaw becoming a British protectorate in 1887. According to the biography of Sao Nang Hearn Hkam (the chief wife, Madhidevi of Sao Shwe Thaik, the first president of Myanmar and another saopha of Hsenwi), Hsipaw, along with Kengtung and Yawnghwe were the wealthiest and most powerful saopha states in Shan State.History of the Shan States

Between 1938 and 1947 Hsipaw was administered by British Burma. The last ruler of the On Baung dynasty that had been ruling Hsipaw abdicated in 1959. The state became part of Shan State and, despite the independence struggle of the latter, eventually part of Burma.

The saophas played fluctuating roles in regional Shan and national Burmese politics from the 11th century all the way until the 1962 military coup by General Ne Win when all the privileges of the saophas were abolished.

Rulers The Princes of Hsipaw had the title of 'Saopha'. The following lists all rulers of Hsipaw State, along with their relationship to the prior ruler(s). From the mid-1880s to 1922, the territory was a British protectorate as part of the Shan States (within British Burma in the wider British India), and from 1922 to 1948 as part of the Federated Shan States. As a British possession, the ruler of Hsipaw State was entitled to a nine-gun salute. +#RulersEnthroneDethroneDetail1Sao Hkun Hkam Naw58BC23BC2Sao Hkun Hkam Kaw23BC10ADSon of Sao Hkun Hkam Naw3Sao Hkam Kawt1036Son of Sao Hkun Hkam Kaw4Sao Hkam Htawt3672Brother of Sao Hkam Kawt5Sao Hkam Möng72110Son of Sao Hkam Htawt6Sao Hkam Ung 110127Brother of Sao Hkam Möng7Sao Hkam Sung 127171Brother of Sao Hkam Ung 8Sao Hkam Kio 171207Son of Sao Hkam Sung 9Paw Ai Phyao 207237Former senior officer (Amat)10Paw Pan Süng237237Son of Paw Ai Phyao 11Hso Hom Hpa237257Son of Sao Sam Mya of Mao Löng (Möng Mao), great grandson of Sao Hkam Möng12Hso Waep Hpa257309Son of Hso Hom Hpa13Hso Het Hpa309347Son of Hso Waep Hpa14Hso Gam Hpa347380Uncle of Hso Het Hpa15Hso Karm Hpa380420Son of Hso Gam Hpa16Hso Pat Hpa420465Brother of Hso Karm Hpa17Hso Hap Hpa465501Brother of Hso Pat Hpa18Hso Pik Hpa501517Son of Hso Hap Hpa19Hso Powt Hpa517552Brother of Hso Pik Hpa20Hso Klip Hpa552574Nephew of Hso Powt Hpa21Hso Peng Hpa574608Brother of Hso Klip Hpa22Hso Kern Hpa608640Son of Hso Peng Hpa23Hso Poeng Hpa640687Brother of Hso Kern Hpa24Hso Pek Hpa687711Brother of Hso Poeng Hpa25Hso Poum Hpa711739Brother of Hso Pek Hpa26Hso Soup Hpa739761Son of Hso Poum Hpa27Hso Hung Hpa761797Son of Hso Soup Hpa28Hso Oum Hpa797815Son of Hso Hung Hpa29Hso Hat Hpa815860Son of Hso Oum Hpa30Hso Kat Hpa860897Son of Hso Hat Hpa31Hso Tam Hpa897912Son of Hso Kat Hpa32Hso Tap Hpa912947Brother of Hso Tam Hpa33Hso Hkan Hpa947954Son of Hso Tap Hpa34Hso Pung Hpa954994Brother of Hso Hkan Hpa35Hso Mawk Hpa9941022Son of Hso Pung Hpa36Hso Soum Hpa 10221028Son of Hso Mawk Hpa37Hso Sam Hpa 10281064Son of Hso Soum Hpa 38Hso Hit Hpa 10641086Nephew of Hso Sam Hpa 39Hso Hueng Hpa 10861119Son of Hso Hit Hpa 40Hso Hsu Hpa 11191137Son of Hso Hueng Hpa 41Hso Hsawng Hpa 11371205Son of Hso Hsu Hpa 42Sao Hkun Hso 11601205Son of Hso Hsawng Hpa 43Sawn Mawng Hawna 12051228Brother of Sao Hkun Hso 44Hso Hkayeik Hpa 12281276Son of Sawn Mawng Hawna 45Sao Hkun Pe 12761324Cousin of Hso Hkayeik Hpa 46Hkun Kyaw Awng 13241367Brother of Sao Hkun Pe 47Hkun Kyaw Nwe 13671401Son of Hkun Kyaw Awng 48Hso Kyaung Hpa14011423Son of Hkun Kyaw Nwe 49Sao Loi San Hpa14231438Nephew of Hso Kyaung Hpa 50Hso Yap Hpa 14381448Cousin of Sao Loi San Hpa 51Hso Ham Hpa 14481454Son of Hso Yap Hpa 52Hso Moew Hpa 14541461Brother of Hso Ham Hpa 53Hso Wip Hpa 14611471Brother of Hso Moew Hpa 54Hso Piam Hpa 14711479Son of Hso Wip Hpa 55Hso Haw Hpa 14791487Brother of Hso Piam Hpa 56Hso Sam Hpa 14871519Brother of Hso Haw Hpa 57Sao Hkun Mawng 15191542Son of Hso Sam Hpa, later was elected as the King of Ava58Hso Hom Hpa 15421549Brother of Sao Hkun Mawng 59Hso Paw Hpa 15491557Son of Hso Pak Hpa of Mong Nai, grandson of Sao Hkun Mawng60Hso Yuew Hpa 15571557Son of Hso Hom Hpa61Hso Pak Hpa of Mong Nai 15571557Son of Sao Hkun Mawng62Hso Dwawt Hpa 15571565Son of Hso Yuew Hpa63Hso Hkai Hpa 15651584Son of Hso Dwawt Hpa 64Hso Kaw Hpa 15841597Son of Sao Hkun Mawng, brother of Hso Pak Hpa of Mong Nai65Sao Hkam Leng 15971636Son of Hso Kaw Hpa 66Sao Hswe Hking 16361655Son of Sao Hkam Leng 67Hso Woew Hpa 16551675Son of Sao Hswe Hking 68Hso Wei Hpa 16751702Son of Hso Woew Hpa 69Sao Okka Wara 17021714Brother of Hso Wei Hpa 70Sao Okka Zeya 17141718Brother of Sao Okka Wara 71Sao Sam Myo 17181722Brother of Sao Okka Zeya 72Sao Hkun Neng 17221752Brother of Sao Sam Myo 73Sao Sawra Yawta 17521767Son of Sao Okka Wara74Sao Myat Hsan Te 17671788Son of Sao Sawra Yawta 75Sao Hswe Kya 17881809Son of Sao Myat Hsan Te 76Hkun Hkwi 18091843Son of Sao Hswe Kya 77Hkun Paw 18431853Brother of Hkun Hkwi 78Sao Kya Htun 18531858Son of Sao Hswe Kya 79Hkun Myat Than 18581866Brother of Sao Kya Htun 80Sao Kya Hkeng (Sao Hkun Hseng) – 1st reign 18661882Son of Sao Kya Htun, deposed by King Mindon Min of Burma in 188281Sao Hlaing Pa 18821886Son of King Mindon Min of Burma80Sao Kya Hkeng (Sao Hkun Hseng) – 2nd reign18861902Son of Sao Kya Htun, reappointed by King Mindon Min of Burma in March 1886, died 8 May 190282Sao Hkun Hke19021928Son of Sao Kya Hkeng, born 1872, reigned 8 May 1902, died May 192883Sao Ohn Kya19281938Son of Sao Hkun Hke, born 1893, died July 1938——19381947Under direct administration of British India84Sao Kya Hseng19471959The Last saopha of Hsipaw, son of Sao Ohn Kya, born 1924, (some records indicate that he is the son of Sao O, who is the son of Sao Kya Hkeng), disappeared 3 March 1962

See also Hsipaw Yazawin Sino-Burmese War (1765–1769)

References Notes

Citations

Bibliography

5 vols.

External links "Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan states" The Imperial Gazetteer of India Hsipaw (Shan State) Twilight Over Burma: My Life As a Shan Princess

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