Minye Kyawswa

Minye Kyawswa
Maung Minbyu represented as the Maung Minbyu nat
Heir Apparent of Ava
Reignc. December 1406 – 13 March 1415
PredecessorTheiddat (Heir Presumptive)
SuccessorThihathu
Viceroy of Prome
Reignc. July 1413 – November 1413
PredecessorSokkate of Prome (Acting Governor)
SuccessorThihathu
Bornc. January 1391
c. Tabodwe 752 ME
Pyinzi, Ava Kingdom
Died13 March 1415 (aged 24)
Wednesday, 4th waxing of Late Tagu 776 ME
Twante–Dala, Hanthawaddy Kingdom
Burial
SpouseSaw Min Hla (1406–1415)
Issue
Detail
Burmeseမင်းရဲကျော်စွာ
HouseAva
FatherMinkhaung I
MotherShin Mi-Nauk
ReligionTheravada Buddhism

Minye Kyawswa (Burmese: မင်းရဲကျော်စွာ, pronounced [mɪ́ɰ̃jɛ́ tɕɔ̀zwà]; also Minyekyawswa and Minrekyawswa; c. January 1391 – 13 March 1415) was crown prince of Ava from 1406 to 1415, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1410 to 1415. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the fiercest battles of the Forty Years' War (1385–1424) against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.

The prince was his father King Minkhaung I's best and most trusted general. Between 1406 and 1415, the father and son team waged war on all of Ava's neighbors, and nearly succeeded in reassembling the Pagan Empire under Ava's leadership. On the cusp of final victory, he was wounded in a battle near Twante–Dala, and captured in March 1415. The crown prince of Ava refused treatment, and died shortly after. He was 24.

Minkhaung and Minye Kyawswa's struggles against Razadarit are retold as classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture. Minye Kyawswa's name is still invoked alongside the names of greatest warrior kings of Burmese history. He has also entered the pantheon of Burmese nats (spirits) as Maung Minbyu as well as Min Kyawzwa in some versions.