Sawlu

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King Sawlu (1077-1084) was the son of the King Anawrahta. Anawrahta appointed an Arab as a Royal teacher for his son, Prince Sawlu. That teacher’s son name was Nga Yaman Kan. He was a friend and also could be regarded as an adopted brother because they were fed from the same breast as Nga Yaman Kan's mother was the wet nurse of Prince Sawlu.[1] So King Sawlu appointed him the Governor of Bago (Pegu) known as Ussa City.

Once Nga Yaman Kan won the game of dice, jumped with joy and clapped the elbows. King Sawlu was angry and challenged Nga Yaman Kan to rebel against him with the Bago province, if he was a real man. Nga Yaman Kan accepted the challenge, went back to Bago and marched back to Bagan with his army of soldiers on horses and elephants. Nga Yaman Kan and army camped at Pyi Daw Thar Island. He was clever and witty with tactics, even knew the geography and landscape near the enemy’s home ground and successfully used them for his advantage. He successfully trapped the famous Kyanzittha, King Sawlu and his Bagan army in swamps. The whole Bagan army fled. Sawlu was later found and arrested.[2]

Kyanzittha tried to rescue but Sawlu refused to be rescued. His last fatal miscalculation that Kyanzittha would kill him to get the throne but his friend Nga Yaman Kan would not kill him was wrong. He was killed by Nga Yaman Kan to prevent the further rescue attempts. Nga Yaman Kan himself was ambushed by the sniper bow-shot of Nga Sin the hunter and died. Later Kyanzittha became the third king of Bagan Dynasty. [3]

Sawlu was so incompetent that it says much for the genius of the father that his kingdom survived the test. The main danger was in the south, where the Mons rebelled, captured the feeble king, murdered him and threatened Pagan itself. [4]Kyanzittha’s successor was Alaungsithu (1112-1167), the son of his daughter and of Sawlu’s son, Sawyun.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pe Maung Tin and G.H.Luce, The Glass Palace Chronicle of the Kings of Burma,
  2. ^ ibid
  3. ^ ibid
  4. ^ BURMA, D. G . E. HALL, M.A., D.LIT., F.R.HIST.S.Professor Emeritus of the University of London and formerly Professor of History in the University of Rangoon, Burma.Third edition 1960. Page 18
Preceded by
Anawrahta		 Rulers of Pagan
1077-1084		 Succeeded by
Kyanzittha
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