Abhiyaza facts for kids

Abhiyaza (Burmese: အဘိရာဇာ [ʔəbi̯jəzà], Abhirājā; died 825 BCE) was a legendary king. He is believed to have founded the Tagaung Kingdom in ancient Burma (now Myanmar). According to a 19th-century historical book called Hmannan Yazawin, he was the first king of the Burmese monarchy. This book says he belonged to the same royal family as the Buddha. However, older historical books tell a different story about the start of the monarchy.

The Story of Abhiyaza

According to Hmannan Yazawin, the story of the Burmese kings began in India around 900 BCE. This was more than 300 years before the Buddha was born. Abhiyaza was a prince from an ancient kingdom called Kosala in what is now northern India.

A Prince from the Buddha's Family

Prince Abhiyaza belonged to the Sakya clan. This was the same family as the Buddha. He was also said to be a descendant of the first Buddhist king, Maha Sammata. Abhiyaza was the ruler of the Kapilavastu area of Kosala. This very place later became the birthplace of the historical Buddha.

A New Kingdom is Born

Around the mid-9th century BCE, a war broke out. Kosala fought against a neighboring kingdom called Panchala. The king of Panchala had asked to marry the Kosala king's daughter but was refused. Because of this, Panchala conquered Kosala. The ruling family of Kosala had to leave their home.

Abhiyaza was one of these princes. He traveled a long, difficult journey with his loyal followers. They trekked through mountains all the way to what is now northern Burma. In 850 BCE, he founded a new kingdom at a place called Tagaung. The Hmannan Yazawin book says he was the first king there.

Abhiyaza's Sons and Successors

Abhiyaza had two sons. When he died, his older son, Kanyaza Gyi, traveled south. He started his own kingdom in Arakan in 825 BCE. His younger son, Kanyaza Nge, became king after his father. A line of 31 kings followed him in Tagaung.

Centuries later, in 483 BCE, some people from Tagaung founded another kingdom. This one was much farther south along the Irrawaddy River. It was called Sri Ksetra, near the modern city of Pyay. Sri Ksetra lasted for almost 600 years. After that, the kingdom of Pagan took its place.

The Hmannan Yazawin continues the story. It says that around 107 CE, Thamoddarit founded the city of Pagan. This place was supposedly visited by the Buddha himself. He was said to have predicted that a great kingdom would rise there. Later, kings like Pyusawhti ruled. The story then connects to the historical king Anawrahta, who became king in 1044 CE.

Why This Story Matters

The story of Abhiyaza first appeared in the Hmannan Yazawin in 1832. Older Burmese historical books, written before the 18th century, did not mention Abhiyaza. Instead, they said the Burmese monarchy started with a different figure named Pyusawhti. Pyusawhti was believed to be the son of a sun spirit and a dragon princess.

Historians believe the Abhiyaza story became popular in the late 1700s. Kings at that time wanted to promote a more traditional form of Theravada Buddhism. They wanted to connect their royal family to the Buddha. This was a common trend in many Buddhist kingdoms. Places like Dali Kingdom and Lan Na also linked their rulers to the Buddha or Emperor Asoka.

During the time when the British ruled Burma, some European scholars doubted these stories. They thought the early history in Burmese books was just copies of Indian legends. They didn't think Burmese civilization was very old. However, modern research shows that many places mentioned in these old records have been lived in for thousands of years. While the exact order of kingdoms might be different, places like Tagaung, Sri Ksetra, and Pagan did exist.

See also

• Tagaung Kingdom
• Sri Ksetra Kingdom
• Pagan Dynasty