Sokkate

Sokkate (Burmese: စုက္ကတေး, pronounced [souʔ kə té]; c. 992–1044) was a king of Pagan dynasty. The king lost his life in a single combat with Anawrahta, who succeeded him and went on to found the Pagan Empire. Historical sources do not agree on the duration of his reign, given as c. 986–1010 by Arthur Phayre,^[2] c. 992–1044 by GE Harvey,^[3] and 992-1017 by the Glass Palace Chronicle.^[1] (Much of the information given in the Burmese chronicles prior to Anawrahta's reign are unreliable or legendary. Sokkate's actual reign, deduced from Anawrahta's year of ascension, which has been verified by stone inscriptions, was likely between c. 1020 and 1044. Indeed, his supposed starting year of his reign, 992 as given in the chronicles, would actually be his year of birth, when calculated using Anawrahta's year of ascension.)

According to the chronicles, Sokkate was a son of King Nyaung-u Sawrahan whose reign was usurped by King Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu. Kunhsaw married Nyuang-u's three chief queens, two of whom were pregnant and subsequently gave birth to Kyiso and Sokkate.^[4] Sokkate and Kyiso were raised by Kunhsaw as his own sons. When the two sons reached manhood, they forced Kunhsaw to abdicate the throne and become a monk. When Sokkate became king, he took one of Kunhsaw's queens who had given birth to Anawrahta. When Anawrahta came of age, he challenged Sokkate to single combat, and killed the king.^[5]

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