Smim Payu

Smim Payu (, ; died 1544) was a general and admiral of the Royal Burmese Armed Forces, and a senior minister at the court of King Tabinshwehti of Toungoo Dynasty from 1536 to 1544. The ethnic Mon commander was originally a minister at the court of King Takayutpi of Hanthawaddy but joined Tabinshwehti's service in 1536 After the capture, Payu decided to switch sides.

Battle of Martaban (1540–1541)

He made his name at the battle of Martaban. The city of Martaban (Mottama) on the upper Tenasserim coast was the last Hanthawaddy holdout. In November 1541, Toungoo forces laid siege to the port city. He led an army at first but was later reassigned to take command of the Toungoo navy with the rank of admiral (; lit. "Minister of War Boats"). For months, Toungoo forces tried but could not break through the wealthy port's heavily fortified defenses that included Portuguese mercenaries, firearms and warships. Toungoo armies could not even get near the high walls of the city defended by Portuguese muskets and cannon. Payu's "navy", which consisted of small war boats, too was unable to take on seven Portuguese warships guarding the harbor.

Payu was showered with awards by the grateful king. He was given Myaungmya in fief and assigned his own cavalry and elephant regiments. He was also given the responsibility to administer the newly enlarged kingdom with Bayinnaung, the king's deputy.

Battle of Prome (1541–1542, 1543–1544) Payu was the joint commander of the navy (with Nanda Yawda, governor of Thamyindon) in Toungoo's November 1541 attack on Prome Kingdom. Toungoo forces took the city of Prome (Pyay) in May 1542. In response, Prome's erstwhile overlord Confederation of Shan States tried to retake Prome in December 1543. Payu was one of the three top military strategists (along with Bayinnaung and Saw Lagun Ein) advising the king. (Payu and Lagun Ein were under the command of Bayinnaung.) Faced with an impending naval and land invasion, the troika advised that Toungoo forces focus on defeating the Confederation's navy first. Their strategy, Payu noted, was modeled after the strategy used by King Razadarit against King Minkhaung I in the Forty Years' War. Tabinshwehti agreed. In December 1543, the Toungoo navy lured the Confederation navy (consisted of 30 large war boats, 30 fast war boats, and 50 cargo ships) to an area where the Toungoo armies had set up artillery on both banks of the Irrawaddy. The Confederation navy was smashed by artillery fire. Without naval support, the 16,000-strong Confederation armies could not break Toungoo lines, and retreated after a month in January 1544.

Death Smim Payu died in late 1544. He was deeply respected by the ethnic Mon lords of Lower Burma. Chronicles report that all of the Mon lords shaved their heads in mourning. His governorship at Myaungmya was succeeded by Satu Gamani.