Suhungmung facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suhungmung
Chaopha Swarganarayana Of Ahom Kingdom
Serpent pillar, A commemorative pillar of Swarganarayan Suhunmung
Ahom King
Reign	1497 CE to 1539 CE
Predecessor	Supimphaa
Successor	Suklenmung
Issue	Suklenmung Syureng Syukhreng Syuting
Full name Dihingia Roja Suhungmung
Dynasty	Ahom dynasty
Father	Supimphaa
Religion	Ahom religion

Suhungmung (ruled 1497-1539 CE) was a very important Ahom King. He is also known as Dihingia Roja. His rule marked a big change in the Ahom Kingdom. He helped it grow into a kingdom with many different groups of people.

Under Suhungmung, the Ahom Kingdom became much larger. It expanded by taking over parts of the Chutia and Dimasa kingdoms. He also successfully defended his kingdom from Muslim armies. His general, Ton-kham, even chased the Muslim forces all the way to the Karatoya River. This was the farthest west any Ahom army had ever gone.

Suhungmung was the first Ahom king to use a Hindu title, Swarganarayana. This showed that he wanted to include more people in his kingdom. Ahom kings later became known as Swargadeo, which means "Lord of Heaven" in Assamese. He was called Dihingia Raja because he made Bakata on the Dihing River his capital city. Suhungmung was the last Ahom king from whom all later kings were descended.

How Suhungmung Expanded His Kingdom

Suhungmung had a big plan to make the Ahom Kingdom stronger and larger. He started by stopping a revolt by the Aitonia Nagas in 1504. They then accepted Ahom rule.

To prepare for his military trips, he counted the adult population in 1510. This helped him organize his army better. He took over Habung, which belonged to the Chutia kingdom, in 1512. Later, in 1523-24, he took control of the rest of the Chutia Kingdom.

Taking Over the Chutia Kingdom

After Suhungmung took Panbari of Habung in 1512, the Chutia king, Dhirnarayan, attacked the Ahoms. This happened at Dikhoumukh the next year, but the Chutias lost. The Chutias attacked again in 1520 and took land up to Namdang.

But then Dhirnarayan died. His son-in-law, Nitipal, became king but was not a strong ruler. Many smaller chiefs in the Chutia kingdom became independent. The Ahoms eventually took over these areas. In 1522, the Ahoms fought back and took their land back. They built a fort at Dibrumukh (Dibrugarh). Nitipal tried to attack this fort but failed.

Suhungmung then made the Ahom Kingdom bigger, reaching the Tiphao River. A new fort was built there. The Chutias tried to protect Sadiya, but they were defeated. The Ahom army chased them, and the Chutia king and prince were killed. After taking over the Chutia lands, the Ahoms met new hill tribes. These included the Miris, Abors, Mishmis, and Daflas.

Suhungmung created a new job called the Sadiyakhowa Gohain. Phrasengmung Borgohain was given this job to manage the new Sadiya region. Other new jobs were also created to help run the kingdom better. In 1527, a new important position called Borpatrogohain was created, and Konsheng got the job. This was a major step in expanding the Ahom Kingdom.

Suhungmung and the Kachari Kingdom

In 1526, Suhungmung's army marched against the Kachari Kingdom. In 1531, the Kachari king, Khunkhara, sent his brother Detcha to fight the Ahoms. But the Kachari army lost, and Detcha was killed. The Ahoms chased the Kacharis all the way to their capital, Dimapur, and Khunkhara had to run away.

Suhungmung then made a Kachari prince named Detsung the new Kachari king. But Detsung rebelled a few years later. The Ahoms chased him to Jangmarang, where he was killed. The Kachari Kingdom left Dimapur forever and built a new capital at Maibong. Unlike the Chutia Kingdom, Suhungmung did not take direct control of the Kachari Kingdom.

Defending Against Muslim Invasions

The Ahom Kingdom faced its first Muslim invasion in 1527. But the Ahoms defeated them and pushed them back. A few years later, another Muslim army came by boat on the Brahmaputra River. This attack was also defeated. In another fight, the Ahom general, Barpatra Gohain, killed the Muslim commander, Bit Malik. The Ahoms captured cannons and guns. The biggest attack during this time was led by a commander named Turbak.

Turbak, a general from Gaur, attacked the Ahom Kingdom in April 1532 with a large army. He first fought Suhungmung's son, Suklen, at Singri. Suklen was defeated and hurt, and the Ahoms had to retreat. The Ahoms faced more losses in other battles. But they won a big victory in March 1533 when they defeated a Muslim navy. This led to a pause in the fighting, with both armies camped on opposite sides of the Dikrai River.

The Ahoms finally attacked the invaders and won many battles. Nang Mula was also killed in one of these battles. In the final battle near the Bharali River, Turbak and another Muslim general, Hussain Khan, were killed. The Ahom army chased the remaining soldiers all the way to the Karatoya River in present-day North Bengal. The captured soldiers became the first large group of Muslim people in the Ahom Kingdom. They were called Garia because they came from Gaur. This name was later used for all Muslims. These people became known for their skill in making brass items.

The Ahom historical records, called Buranjis, mention that the Ahoms used firearms for the first time in these battles.

Suhungmung's Death

Suhungmung died in 1539 because of a plot. His oldest son, Suklenmung, was very unhappy. Suhungmung had married the daughter of a goldsmith and made her his most important queen. Suhungmung was killed by his servant, Ratiman, while he was sleeping. It is thought that Suhungmung's son, Suklenmung, who became the next king, was involved in his father's death.

Suhungmung's Family

Suhungmung had four sons.

• His oldest son, Suklen, became the next king and was known as the Tipam Raja.
• His second son, Suleng, was called the Charing Raja. Even though Suleng himself didn't become king, some of his children later ruled.
• The third son, Suteng, was known as the Namrupiya Raja. His family line later became the Tungkhungia kings.
• The fourth son, Sukhring, also called Dop Raja, did not get any land or title.

New Important Jobs

Suhungmung created several new important positions in the Ahom government:

• Borpatrogohain: This was the third most important minister, after the Burhagohain and Borgohain. The first Borpatrogohain was an Ahom prince.
• Sadiakhowa Gohain: This person was in charge of the Sadia region, which was taken from the Chutias in 1524.
• Marangikhowa Gohain: This person managed the lower Dhansiri river valley, which was taken from the Kacharis.

See also

• Ahom dynasty
• Ahom kingdom
• Assam
• Singarigharutha ceremony