BURMA

STYLES & TITLES: Copyright© Christopher Buyers Copyright© Christopher Buyers
The sovereign: in common with other South East Asian rulers, the kings of Burma assumed a distinctive reign name and title on acceeding to the throne. The last King, Thibaw, being styled "The Most Glorious and Excellent Majesty who rules over all the Umbrella Wearers and Eastern Countries within the Empire of Thunapranta (Sanapranta) and Tambadepa (Jambudwipa), Lord of the Celestial Elephant and Proprietor of White Elephants, Lord of Life, the Great and Just Chief". They were entitled King of Burma, with the style of His Majesty, in communications with the European powers.
The wives of the sovereign:
Queens of the first rank (Nanya Mibura):
Nammadaw Mibura Hkaung Gyi: The Chief Queen (usually a half-sister by the same father), she alone had the right to a white umbrella and to sit with the King on the divan-throne.
Myauk-nandaw Mibura: Queen of the Northern Palace (the third most senior wife of the King), entitled to an umbrella of cloth interwoven with gold threads.
Ale-nandaw Mibura: Queen of the Centre Palace (the fourth most senior wife of the King), entitled to an umbrella of cloth interwoven with gold threads.
Anauk-nandaw Mibura: Queen of the Western Palace (the fifth most senior wife of the King), entitled to an umbrella of cloth interwoven with gold threads.
Queens of the second rank (Ahsaungya-ya Mibura):
Taung-saungdaw Mibura: Queen of the Southern Apartment (first senior wife).
Myauk-saungdaw Mibura
: Queen of the Northern Apartment (second senior wife of the second rank).
Myan Aung Taung-shwe-ye-saung Mibura: Queen of the Southern Gilded Chamber (first senior wife of the third rank).
Myan Aung Myauk-shwe-ye-saung Mibura
: Queen of the Northern Gilded Chamber (second senior wife of the third rank).
Myan Aung Ale-shwe-ye-saung Mibura
: Queen of the Central Gilded Chamber (second senior wife of the third rank).
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Myan Aung Anauk-shwe-ye-saung Mibura: Queen of the Western Gilded Chamber (third senior wife of the third rank).
Myosa Mibura or Yuwa-sa Mibura: the fourth rank of minor wives.
The eldest son of the sovereign, by his chief Queen: Shwe Kodaw-gyi Awratha, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
The younger sons of the sovereign, by his chief Queen: Shwe Kodaw-gyi Rajaputra, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
The sons of the sovereign, by his senior Queens: Shwe Kodaw-gyi, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
The sons of the sovereign, by his junior wives: Kodaw-gyi, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
The sons of a Prince, by a junior wife: Hteik Tin, i.e. Prince.
The sons, grandsons, brothers and nephews of a sovereign were assigned fiefdoms when they came of age, and promoted to the rank of Min-nyi Min-tha (i.e. Princes of the Blood) divided into four principal grades, as follows:
1) The Great Deputy King: Maha Uparaja Anaudrapa Ainshe Min, incorrectly termed Crown Prince by Europeans, and addressed as His Royal Highness.
2) Viceroys of the great provinces: (territorial title) Buring Khan, i.e. Viceroy, with the style of His Royal Highness.
3) Great Princes, a maximum of eigteen at any one time, divided into nine great princes of the left and nine great princes of the right: Minthaya-gyi, together with the rank of Sado Min, i.e. Prince, with the style of His Royal Highness.
4) Middle Princes, a maximum of eigteen at any one time, divided into nine middle princes of the left and nine middle princes of the right: Mintha-lap, together with the rank of Min Ye, Prince, with the style of His Royal Highness.
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The principal Royal wife of the Great Deputy King: Ainshe Hteik Hta Mibura, incorrectly termed Crown Princess by Europeans, and addressed as Her Royal Highness.
The principal Royal wife of a Viceroy: (husband's territorial title) Hteik Hta Mibura, i.e. Princess with the style of Her Royal Highness.
The daughters of the sovereign by his Royal wives: Hteik Suhpaya, i.e. Princess with the style of Her Royal Highness:
The daughters of the sovereign, by his junior wives, before marriage: Hteik Hkaung-tin, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
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The daughters of the sovereign, by his junior wives, after marriage: Hteik Hta Mibura, i.e. Prince with the style of His Royal Highness.
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Copyright© Christopher Buyers, December 2002 - July 2008