Binnya Ran I
Encyclopedia
Binnya Ran I was the eleventh king of Hanthawaddy Pegu who reigned from 1426 to 1446. As crown prince, he ended the Forty Years' War
with the rival Ava Kingdom
in 1423. He came to the throne after poisoning his brother King Binnya Dhammaraza
in 1426. As king, Binnya Ran largely kept his kingdom at peace for much of his 20-year reign when Ava was struggling to keep its territories intact. He pursued an opportunistic policy to keep Ava weak, helping Toungoo's rebellion against Ava between 1437 and 1442 during which he placed his son as the viceroy of Toungoo. When Ava reconquered Toungoo in 1442, he did not resume a large-scale war against Ava.
immediately revolted against their elder brother. Binnya Dhammaraza pacified Binnya Ran for a time by making him the heir-apparent and governor of Pathein
(Bassein) and the entire Irrawaddy delta
. Binnya Dhammaraza also pacified Binnya Kyan by making him governor of Martaban. But Binnya Ran was not satisfied. He soon extended his territory, and occupied Dagon
(Yangon) in 1423. When Ava
forces came to occupy Dala
opposite Dagon, Binnya Ran presented his elder sister Shin Sawbu
to Thihathu, and bought peace. Ava forces withdrew, ending the Forty Years' War between Ava and Hanthawaddy Pegu.
In 1426, Binnya Ran poisoned Binnya Dhammaraza and became the eleventh king of Hanthawaddy.
ascended the Ava throne, and Sawlu Thinkhaya, the governor of Toungoo, who felt he should have been king, sought Binnya Ran's alliance against Ava by presenting a daughter. Binnya Ran agreed and attacked Prome together with Toungoo governor's forces. Mohnyinthado broke up the alliance by giving a niece to Binnya Ran. The Pegu king accepted the peace offer as he did not want renewed fighting. In 1430, his sister Shin Sawbu fled secretly from Ava back to Pegu. Binnya Ran received his elder sister with great honor.
The alliance was one of convenience for Binnya Ran. He was happy to see that Mohnyinthado was having trouble with Shan raids into Avan territory throughout the 1430s. When Toungoo revolted again in 1437, Binnya Ran readily provided assistance for Toungoo. With his help, Toungoo defeated Ava, and Binnya Ran's son Minsaw became the viceroy of Toungoo. However, King Minyekyawswa of Ava reconquered Toungoo in late 1442, and appointed Tarabya, a Shan chief. For the remainder of his reign, he was content to see Ava had its hands full with Ming Chinese
invasions and Shan raids.
Binnya Ran died after a reign of 20 years, and was succeeded by nephew and adopted son Binnya Waru
, a son of Shin Sawbu.
Forty Years' War
The Forty Years' War was a military conflict fought between the Burmese-speaking Kingdom of Ava and the Mon-speaking Kingdom of Hanthawaddy Pegu. The war was fought during two separate periods: 1385 to 1391 and 1404 to 1424, interrupted by two truces of 1391–1404 and 1406–1407...
with the rival Ava Kingdom
Ava Kingdom
The Ava Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled upper Burma from 1364 to 1555. Founded in 1364, the kingdom was the successor state to the petty kingdoms that had ruled central Burma since the collapse of Pagan Empire in the late 13th century...
in 1423. He came to the throne after poisoning his brother King Binnya Dhammaraza
Binnya Dhammaraza
Binnya Dhammaraza was the tenth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu who reigned for three tumultuous years between 1422 and 1426. Having ascended to the Hanthawaddy throne after his father Razadarit died in a hunting accident, Binnya Dhammaraza faced both internal rebellions by his brothers Binnya Ran I and...
in 1426. As king, Binnya Ran largely kept his kingdom at peace for much of his 20-year reign when Ava was struggling to keep its territories intact. He pursued an opportunistic policy to keep Ava weak, helping Toungoo's rebellion against Ava between 1437 and 1442 during which he placed his son as the viceroy of Toungoo. When Ava reconquered Toungoo in 1442, he did not resume a large-scale war against Ava.
Crown Prince
Binnya Ran was a son of King Razadarit. After Razadarit's death, Binnya Dhammaraza became king. Binnya Ran and Binnya KyanBinnya Kyan
Binnya Kyan was the 13th king of Hanthawaddy Pegu, who reigned from 1450 to 1453. Binnya Kyan, son of King Binnya Dhammaraza, came to power after assassinating his cousin King Binnya Waru in 1450. One notable project of his reign was the raising of the height of Shwedagon Pagoda to 92 meters from...
immediately revolted against their elder brother. Binnya Dhammaraza pacified Binnya Ran for a time by making him the heir-apparent and governor of Pathein
Pathein
Pathein , also called Bassein, is a port city with a 2004 population estimated at 215,600, and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Burma. It lies on the Pathein River , which is a western branch of the Irrawaddy River....
(Bassein) and the entire Irrawaddy delta
Irrawaddy Delta
The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Ayeyarwady Region , the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, 290 km to the south at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River...
. Binnya Dhammaraza also pacified Binnya Kyan by making him governor of Martaban. But Binnya Ran was not satisfied. He soon extended his territory, and occupied Dagon
Dagon Township
Dagon Township is located immediately north of downtown Yangon. The township comprises five wards, and shares borders with Bahan township in the north, Ahlon township in the west, Mingala Taungnyunt township in the east, and Lanmadaw township, Latha township and Pabedan township in the south.Dagon...
(Yangon) in 1423. When Ava
Ava Kingdom
The Ava Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled upper Burma from 1364 to 1555. Founded in 1364, the kingdom was the successor state to the petty kingdoms that had ruled central Burma since the collapse of Pagan Empire in the late 13th century...
forces came to occupy Dala
Dala Township
Dala Township is located on the southern bank of Yangon river across from downtown Yangon, Myanmar. The township, consisted of 23 wards, is bounded by the Yangon river in the north and east, the Twante Canal in the west, and Twante Township in the south...
opposite Dagon, Binnya Ran presented his elder sister Shin Sawbu
Shin Sawbu
Shin Sawbu was the queen of Hanthawaddy from 1453 to 1472. Queen Shin Sawbu was also known as Binnya Thau or Old Queen in Mon. Queen Shin Sawbu and Queen Jamadevi of Haripunjaya are the two most famous queens among the small number of queens who ruled in mainland Southeast Asia...
to Thihathu, and bought peace. Ava forces withdrew, ending the Forty Years' War between Ava and Hanthawaddy Pegu.
In 1426, Binnya Ran poisoned Binnya Dhammaraza and became the eleventh king of Hanthawaddy.
Reign
As king, Binnya Ran allowed Binnya Kyan to remain as governor of Martaban where the latter exercised almost independent authority. He soon became involved with the dynastic intrigues of Ava Kingdom. In 1427, Mohnyin ThadoMohnyin Thado
Mohnyin Thado was the eighth king of Ava who reigned from 1427 to 1440. The ethnic Burman saopha of Mohnyin came to power after overthrowing King Kale Kyetaungnyo and his queen Shin Bo-Me in 1427. His reign marks the plateauing of Ava's power...
ascended the Ava throne, and Sawlu Thinkhaya, the governor of Toungoo, who felt he should have been king, sought Binnya Ran's alliance against Ava by presenting a daughter. Binnya Ran agreed and attacked Prome together with Toungoo governor's forces. Mohnyinthado broke up the alliance by giving a niece to Binnya Ran. The Pegu king accepted the peace offer as he did not want renewed fighting. In 1430, his sister Shin Sawbu fled secretly from Ava back to Pegu. Binnya Ran received his elder sister with great honor.
The alliance was one of convenience for Binnya Ran. He was happy to see that Mohnyinthado was having trouble with Shan raids into Avan territory throughout the 1430s. When Toungoo revolted again in 1437, Binnya Ran readily provided assistance for Toungoo. With his help, Toungoo defeated Ava, and Binnya Ran's son Minsaw became the viceroy of Toungoo. However, King Minyekyawswa of Ava reconquered Toungoo in late 1442, and appointed Tarabya, a Shan chief. For the remainder of his reign, he was content to see Ava had its hands full with Ming Chinese
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
invasions and Shan raids.
Binnya Ran died after a reign of 20 years, and was succeeded by nephew and adopted son Binnya Waru
Binnya Waru
Binnya Waru was the twelfth king of Hanthawaddy Kingdom who reigned from 1446 to 1450. He was a nephew and adopted son of King Binnya Ran I after whom he succeeded to the Hanthawaddy throne. The king was known for his strict disciplinary rule...
, a son of Shin Sawbu.