Talamidaw

Talamidaw (Burmese: တလေမေဒါ, pronounced: [təla̰ mèdɔ́]; 1368–1390) was the first wife of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy while he was a prince. She was a half-sister of Razadarit and a daughter of King Binnya U by queen Sanda Dewi.^[1] In May 1383, Talamidaw eloped with Razadarit to Dagon (Yangon). Binnya Nwe`(name of Razadarit before his coronation) was thrown to prison for this and was rescued by Mahadevi, his father's elder sister and his mentor since his mother died, and she married Binnya Nwe` to Talamidaw. However, Mahadevi began to think Binnya Nwe` as a rival for the throne when Binnya U became ill and decided to kill him. Binny Nwe` escaped to Dagon, leaving Talamidaw with their son, Bawlawkyantaw. Talamidaw was summoned to palace where Binnya U asked her why she remained silence while Binnya Nwe` was attempting to rebel as Mahadevi had informed to him. She answered that she had been neglected by Binnya Nwe` for a long period of time. Meanwhile, in Dagon, Binnya Nwe` met Mwe Ma Nate, a woman who sold cooking oil and was married to Ma Chut Sut, who was working as a clerk under Binnya Nwe`. He married Mwe Ma Nate when Ma Chut Sut ran to Hanthawaddi and made his queen. Talamidaw was heartbroken and when foster mother of Binnya Nwe` was forced to go to Dagon to convince Binnya Nwe`to come back to Hanthawaddi by Mahadevi, Talamidaw sent a balance and a pot of oil with her. When Mwe Ma Nate was given the oil pot, she accepted it saying, "I am not ashamed to accept it as it is true that I was an oil-seller once." Binnya Nwe` smiled when he saw the balance as it meant that Talamidaw's love for him remained the same though he had changed. Binnya U died during the rebellion and the throne was taken by Binnya Nwe`, after defeating Mahadevi and her lover, Thaminmaru, who was also the husband of half-sister of Binnya Nwe`, Talamaythiri, against Binnya U's will as the deceased king wanted his son by his chief queen to be the king. Though it was Talamidaw who had to be the chief queen, Binnya Nwe` had planned to give this title to Mwe Ma Nate and called Talamidaw to be present at the coronation as a minor queen. Talamidaw opposed Binnya Nwe`by not attending the coronation where Binnya Nwe` took Razadarit as his title. Her son was taken away from her and Razadarit demanded the jewels that she received from their father, Binnya U. Feeling devastated, Talamidaw committed suicide by drinking poisoned lime juice. Razadarit gave these jewels to Mwe Ma Nate, who was then became his chief queen.^[2] Razadarit later ordered the execution of their son for fear of revenge. The young prince's oath, sworn before taking the executioners' poison, became stuff of legend in Burmese history. According to Mon and Burmese chronicles, Balawkyantaw swore that:

I do not plot against my father. Neither is there any fault in me. My father and mother played together as children. When she grew to womanhood, he took her beauty and then cast her away. She was a king's daughter, but he drove her away like a slave and drove her to her evil death. If I am guilty of treason by thought, word or deed, may I suffer in the fires of the nether regions for a thousand cycle times. If I am innocent, may I be reborn in the dynasty of Ava kings, and may I become the scourge of Mons.^[3][4]

Razadarit was greatly disturbed when he heard of the terrible oath. In the superstitious world of Burmese politics, he was alarmed when the chief wife of Prince Minkhaung of Ava fetched to eat various foods from Lower Burma before she became pregnant. She gave birth to Minye Kyawswa a year after Bawlawkyantaw's death. Indeed, Minye Kyawswa would later grow up to be Razadarit's nemesis.^[3]

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