Minkhaung II of Toungoo


Minkhaung II of Toungoo was viceroy of Toungoo from 1549 to 1551 and from 1552 to 1584 during the reigns of kings Tabinshwehti, Bayinnaung and Nanda of Toungoo Dynasty of Burma. He briefly revolted against his eldest half-brother Bayinnaung from 1550 to 1551 but was pardoned by Bayinnaung. Alongside his brothers Bayinnaung, Minye Sithu, Thado Dhamma Yaza II, Thado Minsaw and his nephew Nanda, he fought in nearly every campaign between 1552 and 1584 that rebuilt, expanded and defended the Toungoo Empire.
Minkhaung II is sometimes referred to as the basis for Taungoo Mingaung, one of the Thirty Seven Nats in the official pantheon of Burmese spirits although the actual basis may have been Minkhaung I of Toungoo.

Early life

He was born Zeya Nanda in the Toungoo Palace precincts to Mingyi Swe and the younger sister of Shin Myo Myat, royal household servants of Crown Prince Tabinshwehti. He had an elder half-sister, Dhamma Dewi, three elder half-brothers, Bayinnaung and Minye Sithu, Thado Dhamma Yaza II and a younger full-brother Thado Minsaw. He was likely born in the late 1520s since his younger brother Thado Minsaw was born in May 1531. He grew up in the palace precincts, and received a military-style education there.

Tabinshwehti era

Zeya Nanda came of age at a time when his native Toungoo was in the process of building the largest polity in Burma since the late 13th century. Although he probably joined his older brothers in Tabinshwehti's later military campaigns in the 1540s, he had not achieved a regimental commander status to be mentioned in the chronicles. His name does not appear in the commander lists down to the last campaigns of Tabinshwehti: Arakan and Siam.
At any rate, the king was apparently impressed by the young man's ability. When viceroy of Toungoo Mingyi Swe died in March 1549, the king named Zeya Nanda successor with the title of Thihathu. Though it was a governorship, as opposed to a viceroyship, the appointment was still an impressive achievement for the young man as he was selected over his older and more experienced brothers Minye Sithu and Thado Dhamma Yaza II both of whom had been commanders since 1540, and over the objections of ministers concerned by handing over the ancestral home of the dynasty to a relatively inexperienced youngster. The ministers actually recommended Bayinnaung but the king rejected, saying that Bayinnaung was already his heir-apparent.

Bayinnaung era

In rebellion

Now styled as Thihathu, he remained Tabinshwehti's favorite. In January/February 1550, the king entrusted him to administer Pegu while he went on a months-long hunting trip and Bayinnaung was on the campaign in the Irrawaddy delta to suppress a rebellion. Three months into his stay at Pegu, he received word that the king had been assassinated. Although Tabinshwehti had chosen Bayinnaung as his successor since 1542, governors and viceroys of major regions all declared themselves king. Thihathu was no exception. He immediately returned to Toungoo and declared himself king with the title of Minkhaung.
But all his other brothers remained loyal to their eldest brother. In September 1550, Bayinnaung's forces laid siege to Toungoo. Minkhaung resisted for four months but finally surrendered on 11 January 1551. Remarkably, Bayinnaung forgave his brother, saying that their father had wanted all the brothers to remain united like the five fingers of the hand.

In Bayinnaung's service

Minkhaung was overcome by Bayinnaung's pardon, and proved to be a loyal brother and an effective military commander for the rest of their lives. He immediately redeemed himself by leading the successful attack on Prome on 30 August 1551. He is said to have led the charge on the city walls, rammed his war elephant through the badly damaged massive wooden doors of the main gate, entered the city.
The following is a list of campaigns he participated in during the reign of Bayinnaung.
CampaignDurationTroops commandedNotes
Prome15511 regimentLed the charge that broke through the defenses on 30 August 1551
Hanthawaddy15521 regimentServed under his younger brother Thado Minsaw who commanded the army group. Did not see any action. Was not part of the armies that followed Smim Htaw to the Irrawaddy delta
Ava1554–15557 regimentsLed a vanguard army that invaded Ava via Yamethin from the right flank while Thado Minsaw led another army that invaded via Pintale from the center. The two armies drove back Avan defenses into the city walls. After Ava fell, the two armies by Minkhaung and Thado Minsaw followed up on the armies of Mohnyin, Mogaung, and Kale in the Mu valley and defeated them there.
Shan states1557an armyLed an army. Along with Thado Minsaw's and Nanda's army, his army converged on to Thibaw, part of a three-pronged attack. Led a rearguard army to the march to Mohnyin and Mogaung.
Mone15578000Led an army but did not see any action. Thado Dhamma Yaza II's vanguard army took Mone.
Lan Na155810 regimentsLed the rearguard army, following Bayinnaung's central army and three vanguard armies led by Thado Dhamma Yaza II, Thado Minsaw, and Nanda.
Trans-Salween Chinese Shan states156312,000Led one of the four armies that invaded the trans-Salween states. His army invaded from Thibaw.
Siam1563–156414,000He and Nanda jointly-attacked and conquered Sukhothai in December 1563. Attacked the fort defending Ayutthaya.
Lan Na156412,000One of four armies that marched to Chiang Mai from Ayutthaya. From Chiang Mai, marched to Chiang Saen and secured allegiance there.
Siam1568–156911,000Led one of the five armies that invaded Siam.
Lan Xang1569–157011,000Led of one of the three armies that invaded Lan Xang from the middle. His army consisted of 11 regiments along with Bayinnaung's main army. Took Vientiane in February 1570.
Lan Xang157411,000Led one of four armies, which took Lan Xang without a fight.
Mohnyin and Mogaung1575–1576an armyHis army did not see any action.

He was appointed viceroy of Toungoo on 6 June 1552.
He built the Toungoo gate of Pegu when the capital was rebuilt between 1565 and 1568. For their loyal service, Thado Dhamma Yaza II, Minkhaung II and Thado Minsaw were all honored by their brother the king on 3 March 1580.

Nanda era

Bayinnaung died on 10 October 1581, and was succeeded by his son Nanda. The new king faced an impossible task of maintaining an empire ruled by autonomous viceroys who were loyal to Bayinnaung, not the kingdom of Toungoo. In June 1583, Thado Minsaw, the viceroy of Ava, sent secret embassies to Prome, Toungoo and Chiang Mai to launch a simultaneous revolt against Nanda. Minkhaung II and the other viceroys sided with Nanda. When Nanda marched to Ava in March 1584, he along with the rulers of Prome and Chiang Mai also marched to Ava. Ava turned out to be Minkhaung's last campaign. He died in June 1584. He was succeeded by his eldest son styled as Minye Thihathu II of Toungoo.

Family

His chief queen was Laygyun Mibaya, a daughter of King Bayin Htwe of Prome. They were married in 1545 at the coronation ceremony of Tabinshwehti at the Pegu Palace. The couple had five children. They were:
  1. Minye Thihathu II, King of Toungoo
  2. Thado Dhamma Yaza, Gov. of Kawliya
  3. Min Phyu of Toungoo, Queen of the Southern Palace of Burma
  4. Thiri Yaza Dewi, Queen of the Northern Palace of Burma
  5. Min Htwe, Queen of the Central Palace of Burma
He also had a daughter by a concubine.

In popular culture

Minkhaung II has been referred to as the basis for the Taungoo Mingaung nat, one of the Thirty Seven Nats in the official pantheon. Based on the nature of his death, however, Minkhaung II, who died of natural causes, may not be the basis. On the other hand, Minkhaung I was brutally assassinated. Given that death from violent murders is one of the main criteria for being inducted into the pantheon, Minkhaung I is probably the basis for the nat.