Nat Shin Naung
Encyclopedia
Natshinnaung was a Toungoo
prince
who was a noted poet and an accomplished musician, as well as an able military commander. A grandson of King Bayinnaung
and the eldest son of Minye Thihathu, Viceroy
of Toungoo, the prince participated in King Nanda
's campaigns to reconquer Siam
in the early 1590s, and took part in the sacking of Nanda's capital Pegu in 1599. His father had rebelled against Nanda in the late 1590s.
Natshinnaung became Crown Prince
of Toungoo when his father proclaimed himself the king of Toungoo. In November 1600, he killed the captive king Nanda
without his father's permission. On 22 March 1603 (10th waxing of Tagu 965 ME), he married his lifelong love, Princess Yaza Datu Kalyani, for whom his famous poems were written. The marriage was cut short however as the princess died only seven months later.
When Natshinnaung succeeded as king following the death of his father on 16 August 1609 (15th waxing of Wagaung 971 ME), much of the country had been reunited under the leadership of King Anaukpetlun
, one of Natshinnaung's cousins. In 1610, Anaukpetlun attacked Toungoo. The city surrendered on 4 September 1610 (2nd waning of Tawthalin 972 ME). Although the king re-appointed him as viceroy of Toungoo, Natshinnaung was deeply dissatisfied with his reduced status. Natshinnaung secretly made an alliance with Portuguese
mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote, the ruler of Thanlyin
, and invited de Brito to attack Toungoo. When de Brito's attack failed, Natshinnaung accompanied his "blood brother" de Brito back to Thanlyin.
Anaukpetlun finally captured Thanlyin in April 1613 after a month-long siege. The king still offered to pardon his cousin if Natshinnaung would take an oath of allegiance. Natshinnaung refused, saying that he had already taken baptism, and that he was ready to die with de Brito. During the last days of the siege, Natshinnaung was converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptized by a priest from Goa
. The king then reputedly said: "You prefer to be the slave of a foreigner than serve the king of your own race", and ordered his execution.
Later in life, Natshinnaung focused on obtaining power for his kingdom. His poems on war are said to have been based on his experiences as a young prince.
Toungoo Dynasty
The Toungoo Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Burma from the mid-16th century to 1752. Its early kings Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung succeeded in reunifying the Pagan Empire for the first time since 1287, and in incorporating the Shan States for the first time...
prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
who was a noted poet and an accomplished musician, as well as an able military commander. A grandson of King Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung
Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was the third king of the Toungoo dynasty of Burma . During his 30-year reign, which has been called the "greatest explosion of human energy ever seen in Burma", Bayinnaung assembled the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia, which included much of modern day...
and the eldest son of Minye Thihathu, Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of Toungoo, the prince participated in King Nanda
Nanda Bayin
Nanda Bayin , was the king of the Toungoo Dynasty of Myanmar from 1581 to 1599. Nanda was the first son of King Bayinnaung. He was made the crown prince upon the ascension of his father in January 1551. As the crown prince, he led subjugation of Lanna and the sack of Vientiene in 1565...
's campaigns to reconquer Siam
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
in the early 1590s, and took part in the sacking of Nanda's capital Pegu in 1599. His father had rebelled against Nanda in the late 1590s.
Natshinnaung became Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Toungoo when his father proclaimed himself the king of Toungoo. In November 1600, he killed the captive king Nanda
Nanda Bayin
Nanda Bayin , was the king of the Toungoo Dynasty of Myanmar from 1581 to 1599. Nanda was the first son of King Bayinnaung. He was made the crown prince upon the ascension of his father in January 1551. As the crown prince, he led subjugation of Lanna and the sack of Vientiene in 1565...
without his father's permission. On 22 March 1603 (10th waxing of Tagu 965 ME), he married his lifelong love, Princess Yaza Datu Kalyani, for whom his famous poems were written. The marriage was cut short however as the princess died only seven months later.
When Natshinnaung succeeded as king following the death of his father on 16 August 1609 (15th waxing of Wagaung 971 ME), much of the country had been reunited under the leadership of King Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun was the sixth king of Toungoo dynasty of Burma, and was largely responsible for restoring Burmese kingdom after it had famously collapsed at the end of 16th century. In his 22-year reign between 1606 and 1628, Anaukpetlun completed the reunification efforts of the Burmese kingdom begun...
, one of Natshinnaung's cousins. In 1610, Anaukpetlun attacked Toungoo. The city surrendered on 4 September 1610 (2nd waning of Tawthalin 972 ME). Although the king re-appointed him as viceroy of Toungoo, Natshinnaung was deeply dissatisfied with his reduced status. Natshinnaung secretly made an alliance with Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote, the ruler of Thanlyin
Thanlyin
Thanlyin is a major port city of Myanmar, located across Bago River from the city of Yangon. Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. It is home to the largest port in the country, Thilawa port.-History:...
, and invited de Brito to attack Toungoo. When de Brito's attack failed, Natshinnaung accompanied his "blood brother" de Brito back to Thanlyin.
Anaukpetlun finally captured Thanlyin in April 1613 after a month-long siege. The king still offered to pardon his cousin if Natshinnaung would take an oath of allegiance. Natshinnaung refused, saying that he had already taken baptism, and that he was ready to die with de Brito. During the last days of the siege, Natshinnaung was converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptized by a priest from Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. The king then reputedly said: "You prefer to be the slave of a foreigner than serve the king of your own race", and ordered his execution.
Poet
Natshinnaung is considered by many to be the greatest yadu (a classical genre of poetry) poet in Burmese history. Many of his works are dedicated to Princess Yaza Datu Kalyani. The themes of his poetry were often of love, nature, and war. Natshinnaung employed the use of vocabulary and rhymes in his works. In addition, he was a warrior, who advanced many military strategies and tactics of Burma. Some of his yadu poems describe the infantry and the elephant troops. It has been claimed that Natshinnaung sent his poems to Yaza Datu Kalyarni through the usage of a parrot. He wrote all of his works during his youth.Later in life, Natshinnaung focused on obtaining power for his kingdom. His poems on war are said to have been based on his experiences as a young prince.