Minkhaung I

Who was Minkhaung I?

Minkhaung I of Ava was king of Ava from 1400 to 1422. Minkhaung is best remembered in Burmese history for his epic struggles against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu in the Forty Years' War, and for being the father of Crown Prince Minyekyawswa, who did most of the fighting.

Minkhaung succeeded the throne after his half-brother King Tarabya was assassinated in 1400. In the early years of his reign 1400–1406, Minkhaung faced not only a serious internal rebellion but also external raids from Shan States in the north and from Arakan in the west, and a full-scale invasion by Razadarit of Pegu from the south. By 1406, Minkhaung had gained control of the situation, and was able to counter-attack. In 1406, he defeated the Shan State of Mohnyin. Between 1404 and 1418, Ava and Hanthawaddy forces fought fiercely in Lower Burma, Upper Burma and Arakan. Ava's war efforts against Pegu were checked by the Shan raids from the north until 1413, when Minyekyawswa decisively defeated Theinni, the most powerful Shan state, which had Chinese backing. Minyekyawswa came close to conquering all of Lower Burma in 1417 but the fiery crown prince of Ava was severely wounded in battle and died. Though both sides fought on until 1418, the enthusiasm for the war had dissipated.