The future king of Arakan was born…

The future king of Arakan was born Min Pa to Crown Prince Raza of Mrauk-U and Princess Saw Nandi in 1493.

His parents were first cousins; his mother was a daughter of Raza's maternal uncle.

He has at least one younger brother named Min Aung Hla, and many half-siblings.

In 1502, his grandfather King Salingathu died, and his father succeeded the throne.

As king, his father had raised three new queens, and made his mother merely a minor queen.

A few years later, the king appointed Min Pa as a general in the army In 1513, Raza was overthrown by Gazapati, another son by a concubine.

Although Min Pa was older than Gazapati and had a more legitimate claim to the throne, he kept a low profile.

He managed to survive intrigues and power struggles at the court, which would see three different kings (Gazapati, Saw O and Thazata) in the next eight years.

In 1521, King Thazata died, and the king's younger brother Minkhaung succeeded in getting the throne.

Though he lost the throne to Minkhaung, Min Pa had managed to be appointed as the new governor of Thandwe (Sandoway), the second most important city in the kingdom.

At Thandwe, Min Pa had patiently built a loyal following, and collected arms.

Ten years later, he revolts, and marches to Mrauk-U with land and naval forces.

At Mrauk-U, his forces defeat the king's army, and he has Minkhaung executed.

Min Bin ascends to the throne on May 27, 1531, with the royal styles of Thiri Thuriya Sanda Maha Dhamma Yaza and Zabuk Shah.

As someone who has come to power by force, the new king immediately issues a decree to strengthen the defenses of Mrauk-U.

(In the following decade, Mrauk-U will receive an elaborate defensive works consisting of massive stone walls and a deep moat filled with tidal waters.

The defense works will later be extended to the rest of the kingdom, as after 1532, the coastal areas of the kingdom will become liable to pillage by Portuguese pirates.)

He also works to consolidate his rule, and is to face no opposition in this regard.

Lords from around the Arakanese kingdom come to pledge their allegiance on September 16, 1531, at the coronation ceremony held at the new palace in the capital.

According to chronicles, one notable absence at the coronation ceremony is Chittagong, which had paid tribute to strong Arakanese kings Ba Saw Phyu (r. 1459–1482) and Dawlya (r. 1482–1492).

Min Bin is determined to restore what he calls his forebears' rightful realm, which according to him, includes all of Bengal, not just Chittagong.