Burmese royal titles


Burmese royal titles are the royal styles that were in use by the Burmese monarchy until the disintegration of the last Burmese monarchy, the Konbaung dynasty, in 1885. These titles were exclusively used by those of royal lineage, or more formally, Maha Zi Maha Thwei.

Titles and rank in the Konbaung dynasty

King

Kings in Burma assumed a distinctive regnal name and title, usually a combination of Pali and Sanskrit, upon ascending to the throne.
The King was known by a variety of titles, including the following:
  • Hpondawgyi Hpaya
  • Ashin Hpaya
  • Shwe Nan Shin Hpaya
  • Ekarit Min Myat
  • Shin Bayin
  • Athet U San Paing Than Ashin
  • Shwe Nan Shwe Pyatthat Thahkin - used in the Taungoo and Konbaung dynasties
  • Hkamedaw - by his children
  • Dagadaw Yemyeshin - by Buddhist monks
  • Dagadaw Ekarit Min Myat - by Buddhist monks

King's consorts

In the early days of the Konbaung Dynasty, Kings had at most three Senior Queens. Innovations of a fourth Senior Queen and four lesser queens dated to the last quarter of the 1700s.
Queens of first rank were called Nanya Mibaya. The expansion and ranking of Senior Queens was an innovation during the reign of King Singu Min. In order of precedence, they were as follows:
  1. Supreme Royal Chief Queen or Royal Queen of the Southern Palace တော် မိဖုရား - As the Supreme Chief Queen, she alone had the right to a white umbrella and to sit with the King on the royal throne. She was also variously known as Taung Nyazan, Ashin Nanmadaw Hpaya. and Nanmadaw
  2. Royal Queen of the Northern Palace
  3. Royal Queen of the Central Palace
  4. Royal Queen of the Western Palace
There was a special position between Nanya Mibaya and Ahsaungya Mibaya named Nanzwe Mibaya, for the blue-blood sisters of the King, primed to become a Nanya Mibaya if any of them died. For example, when the first Anauk Nandaw Mibaya of King Mindon, Pintale Mibaya died, her sister Yinge Mibaya, one of the four Nanzwe Mibayas of King Mindon, was replaced as the second Anauk Nandaw Mibaya. As they were the blue-blooded ones, they could not be given the position of ordinary queens. So they became Nanzwe Mibayas. This position was created only during the reign of a king who had many queens, such as Bodawpaya and Mindon Min.
Royal Queens of second rank were known as Ahsaungya Mibaya. These ranks were created during the reign of King Tharrawaddy Min. In order of precedence, they were as follows:
  1. Royal Queen of the Southern Apartment
  2. Royal Queen of the Northern Apartment
Royal Queens of third rank were known as Shweye Hsaungya Mibaya. These were innovations dating to the reign of King Bodawphaya. In order of precedence, they were as follows:
  1. Royal Queen of the Southern Gilded Chamber
  2. Royal Queen of the Northern Gilded Chamber
  3. Royal Queen of the Central Gilded Chamber
  4. Royal Queen of the Western Gilded Chamber
Royal Queens of fourth rank were considered minor consorts:
  1. Myosa Mibaya
  2. Ywaza Mibaya
Royal concubines were typically the daughters of officials and tributary princes. They received no rank and in order of precedence were as follows:
  1. Kolottaw
  2. Chedawtin
  3. Maungma
Consorts were granted titles based on rank, divided into two grades.
The styles of queens contained the following words based on rank, as follows :
  1. Devī
  2. Mahe or Hesī
  3. Sīri
  4. Su
  5. Min
The styles of royal concubines contained the following words based on rank, as follows :
  1. Devī
  2. Vatī
  3. Rujā
  4. Pabhā
  5. Kesā
  6. Candā
  7. Mālā
  8. ''Muttā''

Princes

Royal princes included the sons and brothers of the King who were ranked, as follows :
  1. Crown Prince - the Heir Apparent, who was appointed by the King and second only to the King in precedence. He was also known as the Uparaja.
  2. Great Princes - First-grade princes. There were 18 Great Princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right.
  3. #Shwe Kodawgyi Awratha : The eldest son of the King, by his chief Queen
  4. #Shwe Kodawgyi Razaputra : The younger sons of the King, by his chief Queen
  5. #Shwe Kodawgyi : The sons of the King, by his senior Queens
  6. Middle Princes - Second grade princes born of lesser queens. There were 18 Middle Princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right.
  7. #Kodawgyi : The sons of the King, by his junior wives
  8. Princes - Minor princes born of concubines
Non-royal princes were individuals of non-royal lineage who were promoted to the rank of prince, and were divided into there ranks, each of which consisted of 18 princes at any given time, divided into 9 of the left and 9 of the right. They were ranked, as follows :
  1. Great Princes – The first grade of non-royal princes
  2. Middle Princes – The second grade of non-royal princes
  3. Cavalry Captain Princes – The third grade of non-royal princes
Princely titles were granted based on the prince's rank, which divided into three grades, as follows :
  1. Dhammarājā – usually suffixed to the prince's title.
  2. *First rank – granted a title of 10 syllables
  3. *Second rank – granted a title of 9 syllables
  4. *Third rank – granted a title of 8 syllables
  5. *Fourth rank – granted a title of 6 syllables
  6. Thado – usually prefixed to the prince's title.
  7. *Fifth rank – granted a title of 8 syllables
  8. *Sixth rank – granted a title of 6 syllables
  9. *Seventh rank – granted a title of 5 syllables
  10. *Eighth rank – granted a title of 3 syllables
  11. Minye – usually prefixed to the prince's title.
  12. *Ninth rank – granted a title of 7 syllables
  13. *Tenth rank – granted a title of 6 syllables
  14. *Eleventh rank – granted a title of 4 syllables
  15. *Twelfth rank – granted a title of 3 syllables

Princesses

The ranks of the King's daughters were determined by the rank of their mothers. These ranks in order of precedence were as follows:
  1. Hteik Suhpaya – The daughters of the King by his queens
  2. Hteik Hkaungtin – The unmarried daughters of the King, by his minor consorts
  3. Hteik Hta Mibaya – The married daughters of the King, by his junior wives
The Crown Princess in line to become chief queen, specially designated to wed the Crown Prince was known as the Tabindaing Minthami or as the Einshe Hteik Hta Mibaya.

Ranking officials

High-ranking court officials were also ranked into 9 ranks, representing their place at the Great Audience Hall during obeisance ceremonies, as follows :
  1. Sitthugyi – commander-in-chief
  2. Neyalutne - dignitaries above rank, including the tributary princes
  3. Sawbwagyi Naukne
  4. Tawchun
  5. Taw
  6. Du
  7. Sani
  8. Atwin Bawaw
  9. Apyin Bawaw
Said officials also received 11 types of titles commensurate with their rank, as follows :
  1. Thado, from Sanskrit satviva shaktidhara
  2. Mingyi
  3. Mahā
  4. Min Thon Hsin Bwe - title containing three Min
  5. Min Hna Hsin Bwe - title containing two Min
  6. Min Ta Hsin Bwe - title containing one Min
  7. Nemyo Min
  8. Nemyo
  9. Nawrahta
  10. Shwedaung
  11. Ordinary titles
The wives of some high-ranking officials also received rank, as follows :
  1. Amaydawkhan Gadawgyi
  2. Gadaw
  3. Shethwe
  4. Naukthwe
  5. Pwetet Neya
  6. ''Lethsaungdaw Thein Thami Kanya''