Min Bala မင်းဗလ | |
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Governor of Myaungmya | |
Reign | c. 1296 – 1310s |
Successor | Smim Za-E[1] |
Born | Pagan Empire |
Died | by 1319 Martaban (Mottama) Martaban Kingdom |
Spouse | Hnin U Yaing |
Issue among others... | Saw O Saw Zein |
Religion | Theravada 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.