kingdom · Mainland Southeast Asia

Sagaing Kingdom

1315 CE – 1364 CE · capital Sagaing

A breakaway Burmese kingdom on the west bank of the Irrawaddy that rivalled Pinya for half a century in the 14th century.

Origins

In 1315 Saw Yun, a son of Thihathu of the Pinya Kingdom, quarrelled with his father and set up his own court at Sagaing, across the Irrawaddy from present-day Mandalay. After Thihathu's death he gained control of the lands north and west of the river, and Pinya recognised Sagaing's independence.

Rule and society

Sagaing controlled the Mu valley rice lands and routes toward the Chindwin and the northern Shan states. Its kings kept up Pagan-style Buddhist patronage and court ceremonial, and the hills of Sagaing began their long history as a monastic centre. Court politics were turbulent, with regents and queens shaping successions.

Decline and legacy

In 1364 Shan forces of Mong Mao sacked Sagaing and Pinya. Thado Minbya, a Sagaing prince, seized power, executed rivals and in 1365 founded the Ava Kingdom, uniting the two rival courts. Sagaing later served briefly as a royal capital under the Konbaung dynasty.

Lineage

Pinya Kingdom 1313 CE – 1365 CESagaing KingdomAva Kingdom 1364 CE – 1555 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sagaing Kingdom. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sagaing-kingdom
MLA
“Sagaing Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sagaing-kingdom. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Sagaing Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sagaing-kingdom.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sagaing Kingdom’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sagaing-kingdom (Accessed: ).

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