Naratheinkha

Naratheinkha (Burmese: နရသိင်္ခ, pronounced: [nəɹa̰ θéiɴkʰa̰]; 1141–1174) was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1171 to 1174. He appointed his brother Narapati Sithu heir apparent and commander-in-chief. It was the first recorded instance in the history of the dynasty that the king had given up the command of the army. The king was assassinated by Aungzwa, one of Sithu's servants, after the king had raised one of Sithu's wives to queen.^[1][2]

According to G.H. Luce, there is no inscriptional evidence that Naratheinkha or any kings between 1165 and 1174 ever existed.^[3][4] Other historians such as Htin Aung do not agree with Luce's "conjecture".^[5]

Early life

Naratheinkha was the eldest son of Narathu and Queen Myauk Pyinthe.^[6] Chronicles do not agree on his date of birth.^{[note 1]} The table below lists the dates given by the four main chronicles.^[7] Scholarship provisionally accepts the birth date as given in Zata's horoscopes section.^[6]

Naratheinkha grew up at the court of King Sithu I. He was not even in the line of succession as the heir apparent was his uncle Min Shin Saw. When he reached manhood, he married his second cousin Min Aung Myat, who like him was a grandchild of King Sithu I in marriage ceremony presided by the king himself.^[10]

In 1167, Naratheinkha suddenly became the heir apparent to the throne after his father assassinated both Sithu I and Min Shin Saw.

Reign

Commander Aung Zwa

Naratheinkha came to power in 1171 after his father was killed by the assassins sent by the king of Pateikkaya, an Indian kingdom in the west. At accession, he made his brother Narapati Sithu the heir apparent and commander in chief.^[10] This was a significant change because it was the first recorded instance in the history of the dynasty that the king had given up the command of the army. Even a weak king like Sawlu never gave up the command.^{[note 2]}

The new king was popular but his downfall soon came, according to the chronicles, due to his interest in Weluwaddy, a queen of Sithu. The king actually passed over marrying her but regretted the decision later after his brother took her. In 1174, Naratheinkha made up an excuse to send Sithu to the front in the far north at Ngasaunggyan (present-day Yunnan) to suppress a supposed rebellion. When he had confirmed that Sithu's army was at a distant fort, the king raised his sister-in-law to queen.^[11]

On his way to the frontier, Sithu got hold of the news by a messenger on horseback.^{[note 3]} Knowing he had been misled, Sithu then selected Aung Zwa, a commander from his army, to lead the effort to assassinate the king. Aung Zwa led a team of 80 soldiers, and sped down the river by boat without pause. At Pagan, the team infiltrated the palace, and Aung Zwa himself killed the king.^[11]

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella, ed. The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1. 
• Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press. 
• Htin Aung, Maung (1970). Burmese History before 1287: A Defence of the Chronicles. Oxford: The Asoka Society. 
• Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing. 
• Maha Sithu (1798). Myint Swe (1st ed.); Kyaw Win, Ph.D. and Thein Hlaing (2nd ed.), eds. Yazawin Thit (in Burmese). 1–3 (2012, 2nd printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.  CS1 maint: Uses editors parameter (link)
• Royal Historians of Burma (c. 1680). U Hla Tin (Hla Thamein), ed. Zatadawbon Yazawin (1960 ed.). Historical Research Directorate of the Union of Burma. 
• Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar. 

Burmese monarchs
Pagan Dynasty 849–1297	Pyinbya Tannet Sale Theinhko Nyaung-u Sawrahan Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu Kyiso Sokkate Anawrahta Sawlu Kyansittha Sithu I Narathu Naratheinkha Sithu II Htilominlo Naratheinga Uzana1 Kyaswa Uzana Narathihapate Kyawswa2
Myinsaing and Pinya Kingdoms 1297–1364	Athinkhaya1, Yazathingyan1 and Thihathu1 Thihathu Uzana I Sithu1 Kyawswa I Kyawswa II Narathu Uzana II
Sagaing Kingdom 1315–1364	Saw Yun Tarabya I Anawrahta I Kyaswa Anawrahta II Tarabya II Minbyauk Thihapate
Ava Kingdom 1364–1555	Thado Minbya Swa Saw Ke Tarabya Minkhaung I Thihathu Min Hla Kale Kyetaungnyo Mohnyin Thado Minye Kyawswa I Narapati I Thihathura Minkhaung II and Thihathura II Narapati II Sawlon3 and 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	Mingyi Nyo Tabinshwehti Bayinnaung Nanda Nyaungyan Anaukpetlun Minye Deibba Thalun Pindale Pye Narawara Minye Kyawhtin 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
1Regent or Co-Regent 2Mongol vassal (1297) 3Confederation of Shan States (1527–55) 4Brief revival (1550–52) 5Vassal of Confederation of Shan States (1532–42)