Wikipedia
Minyekyawswa (also spelled Minye Kyawswa) is a Burmese royal title used in the days of Burmese monarchy, and usually refers to Crown Prince Minyekyawswa of Ava (1391–1417).
Others that also wore the title were:
- Minye Kyawswa I of Ava: King of Ava (r. 1439–42)
- Nanda: King of Burma (r. 1581–99)
- Minye Kyawswa of Yamethin: Viceroy of Yamethin
- Minye Kyawswa II of Ava: Viceroy of Ava (1587–93), Heir-apparent of Burma (r. 1593–99)
- Minye Kyawswa of Sagu: Heir-apparent of Burma (r. 1629–47)
Minyekyawswa (, ; 1391–1417) was crown prince of Ava from 1406 to 1417, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1409 to 1417. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the most fierce battles of Forty Years' War (1385–1424) against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.
The prince, who led an army battalion at age 13 and the entire army at 15, was his father King Minkhaung I's best and most trusted general. Between 1406 and 1417, 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. By 1416, Ava had defeated two strongest Shan states of Mohnyin (1406) and Theinni (1413) in the north, overrun Arakan (1406, 1412) in the west, and seized the entire Irrawaddy delta (1415) in the south, forcing Razadarit to flee Pegu for Martaban. On the cusp of final victory, Minyekyawswa was wounded in a battle near Dala ( Yangon), and captured by the Hanthawaddy army in March 1417. The crown prince of Ava refused treatment, and died shortly after. He was 25.
Minyekyawswa was deeply respected by both sides for his courage. His archenemy Razadarit gave him a burial with full royal honors and rites. Minyekyawswa's campaigns of 1414–1417 were the climax of Forty Years' War. After his death, the war quickly petered out. Only two more campaigns (1417–1418 and 1423–1424) were fought half-heartedly by both sides. Ava's military success was mostly attributable to his inspired leadership; Ava would not see this kind of success again.
Minkhaung and Minyekyawswa's struggles against Razadarit are retold as classic stories of legend in Burmese popular culture. Minyekyawswa's name is still invoked alongside the names of greatest warrior kings of Burmese history.