Wuntho (), also known as Wying Hsö (), was a Shan state in Upper Burma. It had an area of around with 150,000 inhabitants and lay midway between the Ayeyarwady River and Chindwin Rivers.
Name
The state was at first called Bein-hsö ('town of the tiger') in Shan. This was later changed into Wying Hsö ('city of the tiger'), which was rendered into Burmese as Wuntho (áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂÂá¯). The origin of the name is part of a wider legend which included the founding of the Shan states of Möng Mit, Möng Yang and Möng Kawng.
History
The local history of the Wuntho dates its founding to antiquity with a long list of rulers. James George Scott criticized this as being more patriotic than accurate, and stated that Wuntho may have never been a truly independent Shan State.
In 1555, the governor of Wuntho (a nephew of the Möng Yang saopha) was appointed to resist Bayinnaung's conquest of Upper Burma from Taze.
In 1885 the British annexed Upper Burma and established their rule in the region. Wuntho rebelled in 1891 but the British quelled the uprising. As a consequence a force of 1,800 British soldiers under General Sir George Wolseley occupied the town of Wuntho. In 1892 the state was formally annexed by the British and incorporated into the District of Katha. It was classed by the Burmese as a Shan state, but was never on the same footing as the Shan states to the east.
Rulers
The rulers of Wuntho bore the title Saopha
Saophas:
- 568âÂÂ588 Hso Than Hpa the son of Hso Tue Hpa the saopha of Hsawng Hsup
- 588âÂÂ607 Hso Hkoe Hpa son
- 607âÂÂ623 Hso Waap Hpa son
- 623âÂÂ645 Hso Weeng Hpa son
- 645âÂÂ663 Hso Peng Hpa son
- 663âÂÂ684 Hso Karm Hpa son
- 684âÂÂ700 Hso Kawt Hpa son
- 700âÂÂ723 Hso Kert Hpa son
- 723âÂÂ753 Hso Kyané Hpa son
- 753âÂÂ769 Hso Ngoen Hpa son
- 769âÂÂ779 Hso Kyem Hpa son
- 779âÂÂ799 Hso Pik Hpa son
- 799âÂÂ806 Hso Lip Hpa son
- 806âÂÂ836 Hso Hkyeik Hpa son
- 836âÂÂ850 Hso Wei Hpa son
- 850âÂÂ867 Hso Kaa Hpa son
- 867âÂÂ885 Hso Hkeep Hpa son
- 885âÂÂ904 Hso Kyang Hpa son
- 904âÂÂ927 Hso Nguen Hpa son
- 927âÂÂ941 Hso Hki Hpa son
- 941âÂÂ955 Hso Hkong Hpa son
- 955âÂÂ967 Hso Pong Hpa son
- 967âÂÂ1000 Hso Kyeng Hpa son
- 1000âÂÂ1030 Hso Kyaw Hpa son
- 1030âÂÂ1075 Hso Haw Hpa son
- 1075âÂÂ1104 Hso Hkoong Hpa son
- 1104âÂÂ1128 Hso Houm Hpa son
- 1128âÂÂ1156 Hso Koong Hpa son
- 1156âÂÂ1197 Hso Nyue Hpa son
- 1197âÂÂ1221 Hso Yawn Hpa son
- 1221âÂÂ1247 Hso Yiab Hpa son
- 1247âÂÂ1274 Hso Yiam Hpa son
- 1274âÂÂ1302 Hso Ngan Hpa son
- 1302âÂÂ1337 Hso Hkam Hpa son
- 1337âÂÂ1368 Hso Ngam Möng Hpa younger brother
- 1368âÂÂ1382 Vacant
- 1382âÂÂ1391 Maung Kiao Hpa (Paung Hkè) nephew
- 1391âÂÂ1434 Sao Kyi Hpa son
- 1434âÂÂ1436 Sao Aung Nyo Hpa (Saw Nyi) younger brother
- 1436âÂÂ1438 Nawng Muen Hpa (Hso Hkaung Hpa) from Nawngmawn
- 1438âÂÂ1488 Hso Nyen Hpa son
- 1488âÂÂ1522 Hso Hsa Hpa son
- 1522âÂÂ1534 Vacant
- 1534âÂÂ1538 Hso Lung Hpa the ex-saopha of Mongyang State
- 1538âÂÂ1573 Sao Inn Hkam Hpa son
- 1573âÂÂ1575 Hso Powt Hpa from Kyawkku Hsiwan (Kyaukku, Myinkyadu)
- 1575âÂÂ1599 Hso Yap Hpa son
- 1599âÂÂ1619 Hseng Hkam Hpa (Tein-nyin-sa Saing Hkan) son
- 1619âÂÂ1646 Aung Nyo Hpa (Thakin Kaw Nyo) son
- 1646âÂÂ1647 Chow Hnin Mein the Mahadewi of Aung Nyo Hpa
- 1647âÂÂ1671 Hkam Huea Hpa (Mong Sit Sa, Sit Naing) come from Mongsit
- 1671âÂÂ1697 Oo Kyaw Hpa (Kyem Möng U Kyaw) son
- 1697âÂÂ1698 Maung Kyin Baw (the Burmese peer)
- 1698âÂÂ1703 Maung Sunt (the Burmese peer)
- 1703âÂÂ1714 Nga Kyin Hpa (Kyaung Pyn Hpa) younger brother of Oo Kyaw Hpa (Kyem Möng U Kyaw)
- 1714âÂÂ1750 Myat Kaung (Mong Hkoum) son of Oo Kyaw Hpa (Kyem Möng U Kyaw)
- 1750âÂÂ1756 Vacant
- 1756âÂÂ1778 Aung Nyo younger brother
- 1778âÂÂ1796 Maung Tin son
- 1796âÂÂ1798 Maung Taw San the ex-Pawng Möng of Mye-ne he married with Dewa Ukar the daughter of Hso Hom Hpa the saopha of Kale the Kale population immigrated to Wuntho and settled the villages name Myelin and Taung Kyat
- 1798âÂÂ1827 Maung Tha Ywe (Hso Hung Hpa) son after his death two sons name Möng Kaeo and Thwin Phyu they usurp the throne but the last the throne controlled by Maung Taw San step-son name Maung Shwe Tha (Sao Hla Hkam)
- 1827âÂÂ1833 Maung Shwe Tha (Sao Hla Hkam) 1st time the step-son of Maung Tha Ywe (Hso Hung Hpa) he moved to be the saopha of Mongkawng State during 1833âÂÂ1852
- 1833âÂÂ1849 Maung Shwe Hti (Hso Hom Hpa) the son of Maung Tha Ywe (Hso Hung Hpa)
- 1849âÂÂ1852 San Thit the son of Kyam Me Kyaung the peer of Kawlin
- 1852âÂÂ1878 Maung Shwe Tha (Sao Hla Hkam) 2nd time the step-son of Maung Tha Ywe (Hso Hung Hpa)
- 1878âÂÂ1878 Hso Hon Hpa son
- 1878â 7 Feb 1891 Maung Aung Shwe Myat (Hso Saw Hpa) son â Last Saopha of Waing Hso (b. 1857 - d.1960)
He led the Wuntho troop to fighting with the British in 1891 but surrendered, after that he escaped to Koshanpye in Santa 13 years and Mong La 19 year until Sir Sao Maung of Yawnghwe State persuaded him to come back to his motherland. After that he lived in Taunggyi and received a salary of 100 kyat per month and when Sao Yawt Hkam Serk was the president of Myanmar he received the salary 500 kyat per month
References
External links