| Kantarawadi (Eastern Karenni) ကန္ဒရဝတီ | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princely State of theKarenni States | |||||||||
| 18th century–1959 | |||||||||
 1917 map of the Karenni States | |||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• 1931 | 6,475 km2 (2,500 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1931 | 30,677 | ||||||||
| • Type | Monarchy | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Independence | 18th century | ||||||||
• Abdication of the Kayah rulers | 1959 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Kantarawadi (Burmese:ကန္ဒရဝတီ;Thai:กันตรวดี), also known asGantarawadi,[1] was one of theKarenni States in what is todayKayah State inBurma. It was also known as "Eastern Karenni" owing to the location of part of its territory east of theSalween River.[2]
According to local tradition in the early times of the Karenni states there was a principality led by a"Sawphya" that was under the overlordship of aShan prince. This state finally became independent in the 18th century. In the 19th century the Karenni state was divided into five principalities(sawphyas).
In 1864 a Karenni prince requested the status ofBritish protectorate for his state, but the British authorities did not show any interest. After the death of this prince in 1869 his two sons renewed the petition claiming that they feared Burmese ambitions on their state. The British refused again, but agreed to arbitrate before theKing of Burma. Since theBurmese monarchy insisted in their demands on the Karenni territories, the British granted recognition to four states, Kyebogyi, Namekan (Nammekon), Naungpale and Bawlake, which became independent under British protection on 21 June 1875. Kantarawadi state, however, remained independent without official protection. Kantarawadi was heavily fined in 1888 for the disturbances caused by Myoza Sao Law Paw (Sawlapaw).[3] After his successor Sao Lawi agreed to pay a tribute ofRs 5,000 to the British government, he was granted the title ofSaopha.[1]
In November the same year the government ofSiam tried to establish its territorial rights over the eastern tract of land in Kantarawadi. Following the expedition against the Red Karens in the Karenni area theAnglo-Siamese Boundary Commission of 1892-93 would be set up in order to resolve the disputes about the territory the Siamese had occupied on the eastern side of the Salween as well as the Trans-Salween territories that had been handed over to the Saopha ofMong Pan State to which Siam also laid claim.[3]
In 1942, theImperial Japanese Army accompanied by the ThaiPhayap Army invaded the Federated Shan States from Thailand. The defense of the Shan States had been left to the Nationalist Chinese forces, upon the request of the British. The 93rd Division of the Chinese Army defended the Keng Tung, while the 249th and 55th Divisions guarded from the Kengtung to Karenni States along the Thai border. The Japanese forces with superior air power went on to dislodge the Nationalist Chinese forces by November 1942.[4] The IJA allowed the Phayap Army to occupy all of Kengtung State and the four trans-Salween districts of Möng Tang, Möng Hang, Möng Kyawt and Möng Hta ofMongpan State. Following the existing agreement between Thai Prime MinisterPlaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun) and theJapanese Empire, on 18 August 1943, the Japanese government agreed to the Thai annexation of Kengtung and part of Mongpan state (as well as the annexation of Kelantan, Trengganu, Kedah, Perlis states and nearby islands in Malaya.)[5] The Thai government wanted the two districts of Möngmaü and Mehsakun ofMawkmai of the southern Shan states as well as part of Kantarawadi, all located east of the Salween River, but the Japanese assigned them to their clientState of Burma in September 1943.[6]
Following the defeat and surrender of theJapanese Empire, Thailand left the territories it had annexed to the north in 1945. However, the Thai government officially relinquished its claim over Kantarawadi State only in 1946 as part of the condition for admission to theUnited Nations and the withdrawal of all wartime sanctions for having sided with theAxis powers.[7]
The rulers of Kantarawadi bore the title ofSaopha after 1903.[8]
