 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Thai. (May 2020)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Mekuti Sutthiwong
| |
|---|---|
_nat.jpg) Mekuti as Yun Bayinnat | |
| King of Lan Na under Burmese rule | |
| Reign | 1558 – 1564 |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | Wisutthithewi |
| King of Lan Na | |
| Reign | 1551 – 1558 |
| Predecessor | Setthathirath |
| Successor | None |
| Died | 1581 |
| House | Mangrai dynasty |
Mekuti Sutthiwong (Northern Thai:ᨻᩕᨾᩮᨠᩩᨭᩥᩈᩩᨴ᩠ᨵᩥᩅᩫᨦ᩠ᩈ᩼;Thai:เมกุฏิสุทธิวงศ์; died 1581) orMae Ku (Northern Thai:ᨻᩕᨸᩮ᩠ᨶᨧᩮᩢ᩶ᩣᨾᩯ᩵ᨠᩩ;Thai:พระแม่กุ) was king ofLan Na from 1551 to 1564.[1]: 29 [2] His reign saw the transition of Lan Na into avassal state under the Burmese-ledToungoo empire, followingBayinnaung's capture ofChiang Mai. InBurmese folk religion, Mekuti is venerated asYun Bayin (Burmese:ယွန်းဘုရင်,pronounced[jʊ́ɰ̃bəjɪ̀ɰ̃];lit. 'King of theYuan'), one of 37nats in the official pantheon of Burmese nats.
Across historical sources, Mekuti is known by various names, including:Maeku (พระเป็นเจ้าแม่กุ) in the Chiang Mai Chronicle,Mekuti (พระเมกุฏิสุทธิวงศ์) in the Yonok Chronicle,Phaya Maeku (พญาเมกุ),Chao Khanan Maeku (เจ้าขนานแม่กุ), as well asYun Bayin (ယွန်းဘုရင်) andBya Than (ဗြသံ) inBurmese language sources.[3]
Mekuti was a direct descendant of KingMangrai, descending from Mangrai's son, Khun Khrua, who ruledMong Nai (in modern-dayShan State of Myanmar) from 1312 onward.[4]
Mekuti reigned from 1551 to 1558 as King of Lan Na. Following the defeat ofLan Na during theBurmese-Siam War of 1563, Lan Na became a tributary state of theFirst Toungoo Empire. He continued to reign under the auspices ofBayinnaung until 1564, when he was removed from office, in response to Mekuti's refusal to join Bayinnaung's military campaign againstAyutthaya, which was seen by Bayinnaung as an act of rebellion.[5][6] Bayinnaung then appointedWisutthithewi asqueen regent of Lan Na.
Upon Mekuti's removal from office, he was forced into exile and relocated to the Toungoo Empire's capital at Pegu (nowBago). During his stay at theKanbawzathadi Palace, he was accorded with a royal residence crowned with a multi-tieredpyatthat roof.[4] He died ofdysentery in 1581.[7]
Mekuti is worshipped as one of 37nats (spirits) in the official pantheon inBurmese folk religion, and the only not to be of Burmese origins.[8] Posthumous depictions of Mekuti as Yun Bayin nat portray a man dressed in Burmese royal attire, seated on apalin (throne), brandishing a sheathed sword.[9][10]
| Preceded by | King of Lanna 1551–1564 | Succeeded by |
