Smin Ye-Thin-Yan

Ye-Thin-Yan made his name in the battles of Hlaing (1386–1387) and Donwun (1387–1388)

Ye-Thin-Yan proved to be a lifelong loyalist of the new king, now known by his regnal title, Razadarit. He steadfastly supported the king in the decades-long war against the northern kingdom of Ava. He first made his name during Ava's 1386–1387 invasion when he served as the deputy commander of the 500-strong regiment led by Dein Mani-Yut that successfully defended Hlaing (Taikkyi) against much larger Ava forces.[11][12]

He was also instrumental in the capture of Donwun by the Hanthawaddy army in the following dry season. According to the Razadarit Ayedawbon chronicle, when the Hanthawaddy army could not take the heavily fortified city for months, Razadarit sent Ye-Thin-Yan on a mission to get the city's gates opened. The scheme called for Ye-Thin-Yan to deceive his childhood friend and thwethauk[note 1] comrade Sam Lek, the viceroy of Donwun. As the story goes, Ye-Thin-Yan and 300 men showed up at the gates of Donwun, pretending to have defected. Ye-Thin-Yan also presented a sack of gold and silver, which he claimed to have taken from the royal treasury. Sam Lek was initially skeptical but he was finally persuaded by his thwethauk comrade, and let the defectors in.[3] Once inside, the men bided their time until the predetermined date and time when Razadarit's forces attacked from the outside. They then attacked from the inside, and opened the gates. The city finally fell, and Sam Lek was killed.[13][14]

At the turn of the 15th century, Ye-Thin-Yan continued to be part of Razadarit's inner circle, serving primarily as an adviser. His military career essentially winded down after 1401–1402 when he commanded a naval flotilla that invaded Ava in 1401–1402.[15] The old minister did not go to the front again afterwards for the next dozen years. The only commands he held were defensive in nature. He was twice entrusted to guard the capital Pegu while Razadarit left for the front with the main army during the 1408 and 1409–1410 campaigns. Ye-Thin-Yan did not see any action in either case.[16]

Representation of Crown Prince Minye Kyawswa, whose forces Ye-Thin-Yan fought in 1414

The old general was to return to active duty in 1414, however. By then, the tide of war had decidedly turned to Ava's favor under the leadership of Crown Prince Minye Kyawswa,[17] and two senior Hanthawaddy commanders Byat Za and Lagun Ein had fallen.[18] Ye-Thin-Yan was assigned to defend Khebaung, Hanthawaddy's main frontline fort that guarded the invasion route to the Irrawaddy delta.[note 2]

The battle began in October 1414. Minye Kyawswa sent an 8000-strong army (8 regiments, 600 cavalry, 40 war elephants), and a naval flotilla carrying 13,000 troops. Ava forces attacked for five consecutive days but could not break through. Meanwhile, Ye-Thin-Yan motivated his troops by "handing out awards, and making displays with swords and shield at every portal to the stirring sound of war drums."[19][20] When Ava forces resumed their attack a few days later, those that got past the fort's moat were cut down while trying to scale the walls. The attack was called off after three hours.[note 3]

The reprieve was short-lived. Ava forces again returned a few days later, with Minye Kyawswa himself leading the attack. The crown prince had declared that anyone who failed to charge would be executed. The crown prince and his elite 800 troops then led the charge. After half an hour of fierce fighting,[note 4] Ava forces finally breached the fort's walls. The fighting continued inside, and Ye-Thin-Yan died in action.[20][21]

When informed about the fall of Khebaung and the old general's death, a shaken Razadarit remarked that Ye-Thin-Yan was the best defensive commander ever in his service while Byat Za and Lagun Ein were the best ever offensive commanders.[2][20][22]