This is a list of orders of battle for the Second Ava–Hanthawaddy War in which the Royal Ava Armed Forces defended an invasion by the Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces between 1401 and 1403.
Background Sources The orders of battles for Ava in this article are sourced from the main royal chronicles—the Maha Yazawin, the Yazawin Thit and the Hmannan Yazawin, which primarily narrate the war from the Ava side.See (Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 311, 319–320), (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 213, 218–219) and (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 446–447, 457–459). The orders of battle for Hanthawaddy Pegu are mainly sourced from Nai Pan Hla's version of the Razadarit Ayedawbon, which has incorporated narratives of the Pak Lat Chronicles.See (Pan Hla 2005: 205–206, 224, 227–228) for the orders of battle. See (Pan Hla 2005: 222, 223, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229) all of which refer to the "Burmese language manuscript", which by Pan Hla means the Burmese language Razadarit Ayedawbon chronicle.
Adjustment of strength figures The military strength figures in this article have been reduced by an order of magnitude from those reported in the chronicles, following G.E. Harvey's and Victor Lieberman's analyses of Burmese chronicles' military strength figures in general.See (Harvey 1925: 333–335)'s "Numerical Note". (Lieberman 2014: 98) writing on the First Toungoo period concurs: "Military mobilizations were probably more of a boast than a realistic estimate. Modern industrial states have difficulty placing 10% of their people under arms."
Invasion of Ava (1401–1402) Circa 15 November 1401,(Pan Hla 2005: 205, footnote 2): Tuesday, 9th waxing of Nadaw 763 ME = Monday, 14 November 1401. If it was on a Tuesday, the date should be 15 November 1401. Hanthawaddy forces led by King Razadarit invaded Ava by land and by river.
Hanthawaddy Pegu The Razadarit Ayedawbon chronicle provides the most detailed description of Pegu's order of battle: (1) a naval invasion force (~5000 to 7000 troops)(Pan Hla 2005: 205, footnote 1): In the Binnya Dala's version of the chronicle, referred to as "the Burmese language version" by the editor Nai Pan Hla, the troop strength of the naval invasion force was at most 5000 strong. Nonetheless, Pan Hla used "70,000 troops" in the main text (Pan Hla 2005: 205), which translates to 7000 troops after adjusting by an order of magnitude per (Harvey 1925: 333–335). that sailed up to Ava, (2) a 3000-strong army that laid siege to Prome (Pyay), and (3) an army of unknown strength that guarded the capital Pegu (Bago). The main royal chronicles provide higher figures, ranging from 6000 troops and 500 war boats (Yazawin Thit) to 16,000 troops and 300 war boats (Maha Yazawin and Hmannan Yazawin).
Chronicle Unit Commanders Strength Reference(s) Razadarit Ayedawbon () Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces King Razadarit Navy: 13 flotillas (5000–7000 troops) Army: 3 regiments (3000 troops) Pan Hla 2005: 205–206 Vanguard flotillas Lagun Ein Smin Upakaung the Elder Byat Za 3 flotillas, 130 war boats: 30 ironclad war boats 50 copper-clad war boats 50 general armored war boats Main flotillas Smin Sam Lek Smin Phut-Phit Smin Bayan Smin Than-Kye Smin Awa Mingyi Smin Awa Naing Razadarit 7 flotillas Rearguard flotillas Dein Mani-Yut Smin Ye-Thin-Yan Smin Bya Paik 3 flotillas Prome Area Army Smin Yawgarat Maha Thamun Saw Maha-Rit 3 regiments (3000 troops, 150 cavalry, 50 elephants) Capital Defense Corps E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye troop strength not reported Maha Yazawin (1724) Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces Razadarit 16,000 troops, 300 boats Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 311 Navy Dein Mani-Yut Byat Za Smin Awa Naing E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye Razadarit ? Prome Area Army Saw Maha-Rit ? Yazawin Thit (1798) Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces Razadarit 6000+ troops, 500 boats Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 213 Navy Lagun Ein Smin Upakaung the Elder Smin Awa Naing Byat Za E-Kaung-Pein Dein Mani-Yut Smin Ye-Thin-Yan Baw Kyaw Smin Yawgarat Thilawa of Bassein Razadarit 6000 troops, 500 boats Prome Area Army Saw Maha-Rit ? Hmannan Yazawin (1832) Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces Razadarit 16,000 troops, 300 boats Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 446–447 Navy Dein Mani-Yut Byat Za Smin Awa Naing E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye Razadarit ? Prome Area Army Saw Maha-Rit ?
Ava The Maha Yazawin chronicle (1724) names 12 forts along the Irrawaddy River to face the invasion forces. The Yazawin Thit (1798) mentions only Prome, Ava, Myede, and Pagan in its narrative, and the Hmannan Yazawin (1832) repeats the Maha Yazawin'''s account.
Unit Commander Strength Theater Reference(s) Royal Ava Armed Forces King Minkhaung I 12+ regiments Prome Regiment Letya Pyanchi of Prome including battalions from Gu-Htut, Hlaing and Tharrawaddy Prome region Myede Regiment Lord of Myede Myede Sagu Regiment Theinkhathu II of Sagu Sagu Salin Regiment Nawrahta of Salin Salin Pakhan Nge Regiment Lord of Pakhan Nge Pakhan Nge Sale Regiment Lord of Sale Sale Pagan Regiment Uzana of Pagan Pagan (Bagan) Talok Regiment Yazathu of Talok Talok Pakhan Gyi Regiment Tarabya I of Pakhan Pakhan Gyi Sagaing Regiment Prince Theiddat Sagaing Singu Regiment Baya Gamani of Singu Singu Capital Defense Corps Minkhaung I Unspecified numbers of infantry, cavalry and war elephants Ava capital region
Furthermore, the Ava court claimed that the kingdom's defensive network included over 50 fortified towns whose rulers were loyal to Minkhaung. According to Michael Aung-Thwin, the forts were "strategically arranged throughout the kingdom so that each town was within one day's or two days' march of another."Aung-Thwin 2017: 75 The following are the lists reported in the three main chronicles.
Chronicle Total Along the Irrawaddy Southern Division Northern Division Reference(s) Maha Yazawin (1724) 54 Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 311, 315 Yazawin Thit (1798) 41 Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 213, 216 Hmannan Yazawin (1832) 53 Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 446–447, 452
Of the 17 Southern Division fortifications reported in the Maha Yazawin, at least twelve are located in the Ava capital region, not in the south. Indeed, the Yazawin Thit omits the twelve and reports only five in the Southern Division. Furthermore, it omits the Ngasingu fort, and keeps just the nearby Singu fort in the Irrawaddy Division. The Hmannan Yazawin largely follows the Maha Yazawin's list, excluding the fort at Pin, while keeping the nearby Natmauk fort. Note that Michael Aung-Thwin gives a total of 53 forts, citing the Maha Yazawin,Aung-Thwin 2017: 255, 342 even though it is the Hmannan's list that sums up to 53.
Battle of Sale (April 1402) Chronicles do provide little information with regard to the units involved. The Razadarit Ayedawbon mentions Smin Upakaung the Younger as a cavalry commander in the Hanthawaddy detachment from the retreating Hanthawaddy navy that tried to raid Sale. The main chronicles say two cavalry battalions sent down from Ava defended the town.Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 318Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 218Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 455–456
Hanthawaddy Pegu Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Sale Expedition Force ? ? Pan Hla 2005: 223 Cavalry battalion Smin Upakaung the Younger ? Pan Hla 2005: 223
Ava Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Sale Regiment Lord of Sale ? (Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 318) identifies the commanders as Baya Gamani and Yazathingyan. (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 218) says the commanders were the brothers Nga Chit Swe and Nga Chit Thin. (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 455–456) follows the Maha Yazawin's narrative. 1st Cavalry Battalion Baya Gamani of Singu 150 horses 2nd Cavalry battalion Yazathingyan of Siboktara 150 horses
Second siege of Prome (1402) Hanthawaddy Pegu The following is the Hanthawaddy order of battle as listed in the Yazawin Thit chronicle. The Maha Yazawin and Hmannan chronicles mention only Razadarit, Dein Mani-Yut and Byat Za as commanders.Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 319Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 457 The Razadarit Ayedawbon only says that a combined land and naval forces reinvaded again, right after the new year, without listing an order of battle.Pan Hla 2005: 224
Unit Commander Strength Theater Reference(s) Royal Hanthawaddy Armed Forces Razadarit 10,000 troops Prome, Ahlwe, Gu-Htut, Hlaing Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 218–219 Army 4 regiments (3000 troops, 10 elephants) Navy 7000 troops, 200 armored war boats
Ava Unit Commander Strength Theater Reference(s) Prome Corps Letya Pyanchi of Prome Prome, Ahlwe, Gu-Htut, Hlaing Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 319Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 218–219Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 457 Prome Regiment Letya Pyanchi of Prome Ahlwe battalion Tuyin Ponnya of Ahlwe Gu-Htut battalion Baya Kyawthu of Gu-Htut
Battle of Thaymathauk (c. early December 1402)
Ava
Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Vanguard Army Thado of Myohla 5 regiments (5000 troops, 300 cavalry, 20 war elephants) Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 319–320Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 219Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 458–459(Pan Hla 2005: 224) says Minkhaung sent 30,000 troops to relieve the siege of Prome. Pakhan Regiment Tarabya I of Pakhan Pagan Regiment Uzana of Pagan Taungdwin Regiment Thihapate III of Taungdwin Talok Regiment Yazathu of Talok Myohla Regiment Thado of Myohla
Hanthawaddy Pegu
Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Prome Area Army Byat Za 7 regiments (4000 troops, 80 cavalry, 10 war elephants) According to Pan Hla's version of the Razadarit Ayedawbon (Pan Hla 2005: 225), the Hanthawaddy strength figures were: 30,000 troops and 70 war elephants. 1st Regiment Lagun Ein 2nd Regiment Upakaung the Younger 3rd Regiment Smin Bya Paik 4th Regiment Baw Kyaw 5th Regiment E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye 6th Regiment Smin Awa Naing 7th Regiment Byat Za
Battle of Nawin (December 1402) The battle of Nawin took place on 26 December 1402.(Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 220, footnote 3): Tuesday, 3rd waxing of Tabodwe 764 ME = 26 December 1402 It was the last battle of the war. Peace negotiations began about 10 days after the battle, .Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 220–221
Ava None of the main royal chronicles provides a specific order battle for Ava, except to say that the army included regiments from the Shan states. According to the Razadarit Ayedawbon and Yazawin Thit'' chronicles, the remnants of the Vanguard Army defeated in the battle of Thaymathauk also joined the main army.Pan Hla 2005: 227Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 219
Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Main Army Minkhaung I 12,000 troops, 700 cavalry, 30 war elephants Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 320–321Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 459 (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 219): 18,000 troops, 700 cavalry, 30 elephants. (Pan Hla 2005: 227): 7000 troops, 300 cavalry, 20 elephants
Hanthawaddy Pegu Chronicles say that the Nawin fort was defended by three regiments, without specifying the troop strength.
Unit Commander Strength Reference(s) Nawin Army E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye 3 regiments Pan Hla 2005: 228 1st Regiment E-Ba-Ye Zeik-Bye 2nd Regiment Baw Kyaw 3rd Regiment Smin Bya Paik
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