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Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu

955 – 1048

King of Pagan

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About Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu

Lived 955 – 1048 (aged 92–93). Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu was a monarch.

Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu ( ; c. 955–1048) was king of the Pagan Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1001 to 1021. He was the father of Anawrahta, the founder of Pagan Empire. The principality of Pagan continued to gain strength during his reign. Pagan's surviving walls were most likely constructed during his reign.

Kunhsaw is part of the pantheon of Burmese nats (spirits) as Htihpyusaung Nat.

Brief According to the Burmese chronicles, Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu was a son of an early Pagan king Tannet, who was assassinated when his queen was pregnant with Kunhsaw. However Tannet died in the early 10th century. It is more likely that he was a descendant of Tannet. He took over the Pagan throne from King Nyaung-u Sawrahan, and married three of Nyaung-u's chief queens, two of whom were pregnant and subsequently gave birth to Kyiso and Sokkate. Kunhsaw raised Sokkate and Kyiso as his own sons. When the two sons reached manhood, they forced Kunhsaw to abdicate the throne and become a monk. Kyiso took over as king.

He lost the throne in 1021 although various chronicles do not agree on the dates regarding his life and reign. The oldest chronicle Zatadawbon Yazawin is considered to be the most accurate for the Pagan period. The table below lists the dates given by four main chronicles, as well as Hmannan's dates when anchored by the Anawrahta's inscriptionally verified accession date of 1044. Kunhsaw died four years after his son Anawrahta ascended the throne c. 1048.

Htibyuhsaung Htibyuhsaung ( ; ) is one of 37 nats in the official Burmese pantheon of nats. He was King Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu, father of Anawrahta. He was deposed and forced to become a monk by his stepsons, and died later.

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Important facts

Born
955, Bagan
Birth century
Died
1048, Bagan
Occupation
Positions held
King

Family & relationships

Spouse
Ale Pyinthe (Saw Rahan II)
Spouse
Myauk Pyinthe (Kunhsaw)
Spouse
Taung Pyinthe (Saw Rahan II)
Child
Anawrahta

People in Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu?

king of Pagan

When was Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu born?

Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu was born in 955 in Bagan.

When did Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu die?

Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu died in 1048 in Bagan.

What was Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu's occupation?

Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu was a monarch.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu

· Wikidata: Q470979

· DBpedia: Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu. https://biography.guide/kunhsaw-kyaunghpyu/

MLA: "Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kunhsaw-kyaunghpyu/.

Chicago: "Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kunhsaw-kyaunghpyu/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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