Tyao Khamti

Ahom dynasty
List of Ahom kings 1 Sukaphaa 1228–1268 2 Suteuphaa 1268–1281 3 Subinphaa 1281–1293 4 Sukhaangphaa 1293–1332 5 Sukhrangpha 1332–1364 Interregnum 1364–1369 6 Sutuphaa 1369–1376 Interregnum 1376–1380 7 Tyao Khamti 1380–1389 Interregnum 1389–1397 8 Sudangphaa 1397–1407 9 Sujangphaa 1407–1422 10 Suphakphaa 1422–1439 11 Susenphaa 1439–1488 12 Suhenphaa 1488–1493 13 Supimphaa 1493–1497 14 Suhungmung 1497–1539 15 Suklenmung 1539–1552 16 Sukhaamphaa 1552–1603 17 Susenghphaa 1603–1641 18 Suramphaa 1641–1644 19 Sutingphaa 1644–1648 20 Sutamla 1648–1663 21 Supangmung 1663–1670 22 Sunyatphaa 1670–1672 23 Suklamphaa 1672–1674 24 Suhung 1674–1675 25 Gobar Roja 1675–1675 26 Sujinphaa 1675–1677 27 Sudoiphaa 1677–1679 28 Sulikphaa 1679–1681 29 Supatphaa 1681–1696 30 Sukhrungphaa 1696–1714 31 Sutanphaa 1714–1744 32 Sunenphaa 1744–1751 33 Suremphaa 1751–1769 34 Sunyeophaa 1769–1780 35 Suhitpangphaa 1780–1795 36 Suklingphaa 1795–1811 37 Sudingphaa 1811–1818 38 Purandar Singha 1818–1819 39 Sudingphaa 1819–1821 40 Jogeswar Singha 1821–1822 41 Purandar Singha 1833–1838
v t e

Tyao Khamti or Tao Khamthi^[1] was the king of Ahom kingdom from 1380 CE to 1387 CE. His accession to the throne put an end to the interregnum in Ahom kingdom, which lasted from 1376 CE to 1380 CE, after king Sutuphaa was treacherously murdered by Chutia king. But his weakness towards his elder queen and to her acts of atrocities towards common people, ultimately led to his own assassination, followed by another interregnum.

Ancestry and accession to the throne

Tyao Khamti was the third son of Ahom king Sukhaangphaa. After the death of king Sukhaangphaa, his two elder sons subsequently succeeded him, Sukhrangphaa from 1332 CE to 1364 CE, and Sutuphaa from 1364 CE to 1376 CE. In 1376 CE, Ahom king Sutuphaa was treacherously murdered by the Chutiya king. The nobles led by the Burhagohain and the Borgohain came into conclusion that none of the princes were fit enough to rule the kingdom, therefore, the ministers, Burhagohain and Borgohain ruled the kingdom without any king for four years (1376–1380). Finding it difficult to rule the state without a king, the nobles installed Tyao Khamti as the king of Ahom kingdom in 1380 CE.^[2]

Reign

Affairs in royal family

Tyao Khamti had two wives. Of the two, the younger queen (the second wife) was his favorite. Tyao Khamti had appointed his elder queen in charge of the kingdom, in his absence. The younger queen was pregnant at the time of the king's departure. The elder queen was jealous of the younger queen as the latter was more favored by the king and she was about to give birth to king's first child, which would enhance her position. Therefore, in order to get rid of younger queen, the elder queen took advantage of her position as regent to cause a false accusation to be preferred against her. The charge was investigated and declared true, whereupon the elder queen ordered her to be beheaded. The ministers however, seeing that she was pregnant, set her adrift on the Brahmaputra on a raft instead of killing her. The raft floated for some time and landed in Habung village, where a Brahmin gave the unfortunate woman shelter. She died after giving birth to a boy and told the Brahmin about the real identity of the boy. The Brahmin brought up the young prince along with his other children. The young prince took the Brahmin and his family as his own and spent his childhood with them. The boy would later be crowned as the king of Ahom Kingdom in 1397 CE, and named as Sudangphaa.^[3][4][5]

Assassination

Tyao Khamti was horrified to hear of the execution of his favorite wife, especially when a new and impartial enquiry showed that the allegations against her were false. He was, however, too much under the influence of his elder queen to venture to take action against her. This, and his failure to prevent her from committing numerous acts of oppression, irritated the nobles so much that in 1389 CE, they caused him to be assassinated. The notorious elder queen was also put to death and was entombed along with the king in Charaideo.^[6][7][8]

Character and legacy

Not much is written about Tyao Khamti's character in ancient Ahom chronicles, yet one can find that he was brave and courageous, from the fact that he personally led the army against Chutia kingdom, yet his inability to take action against his elder queen, showed the weakness in his character. His assassination resulted in another period of interregnum which lasted from 1389 CE to 1397 CE, until his son Sudangphaa by his second wife ascended the throne.

See also

• Ahom Dynasty
• Ahom Kingdom
• Assam
• Charaideo
• Sibsagar district
• Sukaphaa
• Chutia Kingdom

Notes

References

• Barbaruah, Hiteswar (1981). Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms. Guwahati: Publication Board of Assam.
• Barua, Gunaviram (2008). Assam Buranji or A History of Assam. Guwahati: Publication Board of Assam.
• Gait, E.A. (1926). A History of Assam. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co.