Min Bala of Myaungmya

Min Bala
မင်းဗလ
Governor of Myaungmya
Reignc. 1296 – 1310s
SuccessorSmim Za-E[1]
BornPagan Empire
Diedby 1319
Martaban (Mottama)
Martaban Kingdom
SpouseHnin U Yaing
Issue
among others...
Saw O
Saw Zein
ReligionTheravada Buddhism

Min Bala (Burmese: မင်းဗလ, [mɪ́ɴ bəla̰]; also known as Smim Min Hla and Smim Myaungmya; d. 1310s) was governor of Myaungmya (in present-day Myanmar) from the 1290s to the 1310s. He was the father of kings Saw O (r. 1311–1323) and Saw Zein (r. 1323–1330) of Martaban. Bala was the power behind the throne during the early reign of Saw O.

In 1311, Bala successfully staged a coup against his brother-in-law King Hkun Law. He reluctantly gave up the throne at the urging of his wife Princess Hnin U Yaing, who had lobbied for their eldest son's accession. However, Bala essentially ruled the Mon-speaking kingdom like a sovereign from his own palace just outside the capital Martaban (Mottama) until his death.

  1. ^ Pan Hla 2005: 39