Pyinbya

Pyinbya (Burmese: ပျဉ်ပြား, pronounced: [pjɪ̀ɴbjá]; 817–876) was the king of Pagan Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) who founded the city of Pagan (Bagan) in 849 CE. Though the Burmese chronicles describe him as the 33rd king of the dynasty founded in early 2nd century CE, modern historians consider Pyinbya one of the first kings of Pagan, which would gradually take over present-day central Burma in the next two hundred years. He was the paternal great-grandfather of King Anawrahta, the founder of Pagan Empire.

Chronicle tradition

According to the Burmese chronicles, the future king was born to King Saw Khin Hnit of Pagan. He was born in either 817 CE (or 802 CE).^[2] He was lord of Pyinbya village of Pagan prior to his accession, and known as Pyinbya Mintha. He succeeded his brother King Khelu as king in 846 CE. He founded the city of Pagan on 23 December 849. He also founded a settlement of Taungdwin in 857,^[3] perhaps the southernmost limit of his nascent kingdom. He died in 876 CE at age 59 (in his 60th year). (Note that main Burmese chronicles do not agree on his regnal years or birth and death years. The oldest chronicle Zatadawbon Yazawin is considered to be the most accurate for the Pagan period.)^{[note 1]} The table below lists the dates given by four main chronicles, as well as Hmannan's dates when anchored by the Anawrahta's inscriptionally verified accession date of 1044.^[2]

Pyinbya was succeeded by his son Tannet.^[3]

Scholarship views

According to mainstream scholarship, Pyinbya is one of the earliest kings of Pagan, founded by the Mranma (Bamar / Burmans) of the Nanzhao Kingdom. Pagan is the first known Burman settlement in the Irrawaddy valley, following the devastating raids into upper Irrawaddy valley by Nanzhao that lasted from the 750s to the 830s. After the attacks, which left the Pyu states severely weakened, large numbers of Mranma warriors of Nanzhao and their families remained in the upper Irrawaddy valley.^[4] Pagan was founded as a fortified settlement along a bend in the Irrawaddy river. The new settlement may have been designed to help the Nanzhao pacify the surrounding countryside. It was a certainly a strategic spot, close to the Chindwin river and just to the west of a richly irrigated rice plain.^[5]

Pagan was one of several competing city-states until the late 10th century when it grew in authority and grandeur.^[6] Two hundred years after Pyinbya founded Pagan, his great-grandson Anawrahta went on to create the Pagan Empire, the first ever unification of the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery.

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Aung-Thwin, Michael A. (2005). The Mists of Rāmañña: The Legend that was Lower Burma (illustrated ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 9780824828868. 
• Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese) 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing. 
• Lieberman, Victor B. (2003). Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context, c. 800–1830, volume 1, Integration on the Mainland. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-80496-7. 
• Myint-U, Thant (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps—Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6. 
• Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese) 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar. 

v t e Burmese monarchs Pagan Dynasty 849–1297 Pyinbya Tannet Sale Ngahkwe Theinhko Nyaung-u Sawrahan Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu Kyiso Sokkate Anawrahta Sawlu Kyansittha Alaungsithu Narathu Naratheinkha Narapatisithu Htilominlo Kyaswa Uzana Narathihapate Kyawswa1 Myinsaing and Pinya Kingdoms 1297–1364 Athinhkaya2, Yazathingyan2 and Thihathu2 Thihathu Uzana I Sithu Kyawswa I Kyawswa II Narathu Uzana II Sagaing Kingdom 1315–1364 Sawyun Tarabya I Shwetaungtet Kyaswa Nawrahta Minye Tarabya II Minbyauk Thihapate Ava Kingdom 1364–1555 Thadominbya Swasawke Tarabya Minkhaung I Thihathu Minhlange Kale Kyetaungnyo Mohnyin Thado Minyekyawswa Narapati I Thihathura Minkhaung II2 and Thihathura II2 Narapati II Thohanbwa3 Hkonmaing3 Narapati III3 Narapati IV3 Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1287–1539, 1550–1552 Wareru Hkun Law Saw O Saw Zein Zein Pun Saw E Binnya E Law Binnya U Razadarit Binnya Dhammaraza Binnya Ran I Binnya Waru Binnya Kyan Leik Munhtaw Shin Sawbu Dhammazedi Binnya Ran II Takayutpi Smim Sawhtut4 Smim Htaw4 Mrauk U Kingdom 1429–1785 Saw Mon Khayi Ba Saw Phyu Dawlya Ba Saw Nyo Ran Aung Salingathu Raza Gazapati Saw O Thazata Minkhaung Min Bin Dikkha Saw Hla Sekkya Phalaung Razagyi Khamaung Thiri Thudhamma Sanay Narapati Thado Sanda Thudhamma Thiri Thuriya Wara Dhammaraza Muni Thudhammaraza Sanda Thuriya I Nawrahta Mayuppiya Kalamandat Naradipati Sanda Wimala I Sanda Thuriya II Sanda Wizaya Sanda Thuriya III Naradipati II Narapawara Sanda Wizala Madarit Nara Apaya Thirithu Sanda Parama Apaya Sanda Thumana Sanda Wimala II Sanda Thaditha Maha Thammada Prome Kingdom 1482–1542 Thado Minsaw Bayin Htwe Narapati5 Minkhaung5 Toungoo Dynasty 1510–1752 Mingyinyo Tabinshwehti Bayinnaung Nanda Nyaungyan Anaukpetlun Minyedeippa Thalun Pindale Pye Narawara Minyekyawdin Sanay Taninganway Mahadhammaraza Dipadi Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1740–1757 Smim Htaw Buddhaketi Binnya Dala Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885 Alaungpaya Naungdawgyi Hsinbyushin Singu Phaungka Bodawpaya Bagyidaw Tharrawaddy Pagan Mindon Thibaw 1Mongol vassal (1297) 2Co-Regents 3Confederation of Shan States (1527–1555) 4Brief revival (1550–1552) 5Vassal of Confederation of Shan States (1533–1542)