Yamankan
Encyclopedia
Nga Yamankan was governor of Pegu (Bago) from 1077 to 1084, who raised an unsuccessful rebellion against Sawlu
of Pagan Dynasty. He nearly succeeded. He captured and killed Sawlu. But he was driven out of Upper Burma by Sawlu's brother, Kyansittha
and was killed while in retreat.
, was raised in Pagan
at the court of King Anawrahta
. His mother, who was of noble birth, was Anawrahta's son Sawlu's wet nurse. He was blind in one eye. (The name Yamankan (literally, Blind Mon) was not his true name. It was an insulting name given by the Burmese chronicles for his rebellion. Yaman or Raman means Mon, and Kan means Blind. His true name is lost to history.)
He and Sawlu grew up together at the Pagan court, and became close friends. When Sawlu became in king in 1077, he appointed his childhood friend governor of Pegu. Sawlu proved an ineffective ruler, and over time, Yamankan became convinced that he could successfully break away. He wanted independence for his Mon homeland, which was conquered by Anawrahta only in 1057.
In 1084, Yamankan had a fallout with Sawlu, and raised a rebellion. He sailed up the Irrawaddy river with his army, and took a position on an island a few miles below Pagan. Sawlu recalled Kyansittha
from exile, and gave him the command of Pagan army. They marched south and halted near Myingun (near Magwe
). Yamankan's army was stationed at Thayet
. Sawlu was impatient and against Kyansittha's warning, attacked. But Yamankan had expected such an attack and prepared his positions well. Sawlu's army was routed and the king was taken prisoner.
Yamankan executed Sawlu after Kyansittha tried to rescue Sawlu. (Ironically, the rescue attempt was foiled by Sawlu who alerted the guards that he was being rescued. The captive king trusted his childhood friend and captor Yamankan more than his brother Kyansittha.) Yamankan himself was ambushed by the sniper bow-shot of Nga Sin the hunter and died.
Sawlu
Sawlu was king of Pagan dynasty from 1077 to 1084. He inherited from his father Anawrahta the Pagan Empire, the first ever unified kingdom of Burma but proved an inexperienced ruler. In 1084, he faced a rebellion in Lower Burma, and was captured and killed.-Early life:Sawlu was born in 1039 to...
of Pagan Dynasty. He nearly succeeded. He captured and killed Sawlu. But he was driven out of Upper Burma by Sawlu's brother, Kyansittha
Kyansittha
Kyansittha was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1084 to 1113, and is considered one of the greatest Burmese monarchs. He continued the social, economic and cultural reforms begun by his father, King Anawrahta. Pagan became an internationally recognized power during his 28-year reign...
and was killed while in retreat.
Early life
Yamankan, an ethnic MonMon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
, was raised in Pagan
Bagan
Bagan , formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana and also known as Tambadipa or Tassadessa , it was the capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma...
at the court of King Anawrahta
Anawrahta
Anawrahta Minsaw was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that formed the basis of modern-day Burma...
. His mother, who was of noble birth, was Anawrahta's son Sawlu's wet nurse. He was blind in one eye. (The name Yamankan (literally, Blind Mon) was not his true name. It was an insulting name given by the Burmese chronicles for his rebellion. Yaman or Raman means Mon, and Kan means Blind. His true name is lost to history.)
He and Sawlu grew up together at the Pagan court, and became close friends. When Sawlu became in king in 1077, he appointed his childhood friend governor of Pegu. Sawlu proved an ineffective ruler, and over time, Yamankan became convinced that he could successfully break away. He wanted independence for his Mon homeland, which was conquered by Anawrahta only in 1057.
In 1084, Yamankan had a fallout with Sawlu, and raised a rebellion. He sailed up the Irrawaddy river with his army, and took a position on an island a few miles below Pagan. Sawlu recalled Kyansittha
Kyansittha
Kyansittha was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma from 1084 to 1113, and is considered one of the greatest Burmese monarchs. He continued the social, economic and cultural reforms begun by his father, King Anawrahta. Pagan became an internationally recognized power during his 28-year reign...
from exile, and gave him the command of Pagan army. They marched south and halted near Myingun (near Magwe
Magwe
-Burma:*Magway, Burma, the capital city of Magway Division of Burma *Magway Division *Magway District in Magway Division*Magway Township in Magway District*Magway University in Magwe, Burma...
). Yamankan's army was stationed at Thayet
Thayetmyo
Thayet or Thayetmyo is a city in Thayet District of Magway Region in central Burma . It is a port on the right bank of the Irrawaddy River, across and just south of Allanmyo, between Pyay and Magway. Thayet is the administrative seat of both Thayet District and Thayet Township...
. Sawlu was impatient and against Kyansittha's warning, attacked. But Yamankan had expected such an attack and prepared his positions well. Sawlu's army was routed and the king was taken prisoner.
Yamankan executed Sawlu after Kyansittha tried to rescue Sawlu. (Ironically, the rescue attempt was foiled by Sawlu who alerted the guards that he was being rescued. The captive king trusted his childhood friend and captor Yamankan more than his brother Kyansittha.) Yamankan himself was ambushed by the sniper bow-shot of Nga Sin the hunter and died.