Shan States

Shan States is an historic name for minor kingdoms (analogous to princely states of British India) ruled by Saopha (analogous to Thai royal title Chao Fa Prince or Princess) in large areas of today's Burma (Myanmar), China's Yunnan Province, Laos and Northern Thailand from the late thirteenth century until the mid-twentieth century.

The first founding of Shan states inside the present-day boundaries of Burma began during period of the Pagan Kingdom in the Shan Hills and Kachin Hills and accelerated after the fall of the Pagan Kingdom to the Mongols in 1287.The Shans, a Tai ethnic group who had come down to Burma with the Mongols, stayed and quickly came to dominate much of northern to eastern arc of Burma—from northwestern Sagaing Division to Kachin Hills to the present day Shan Hills.

The Shans, who came down with the Mongols, stayed and quickly came to dominate much of northern to eastern arc of Burma—from northern Chin State and northwestern Sagaing Region to the present-day Shan Hills.

The newly founded Shan States were multi-ethnic states that included a substantial number of other ethnic minorities like the Chin, Palaung, Pa-O, Kachin, Akha, Lahu, Wa and Burmans.

The most powerful Shan states were Mohnyin (Mong Yang) and Mogaung (Mong Kawng) in present-day Kachin State, followed by Theinni (Hsenwi), Thibaw (Hsipaw), Momeik (Mong Mit) and Kyaingtong (Keng Tung) in present-day northern Shan State.

Minor states include Kale, Bhamo, Nyaungshwe and Kengtung.

The Shan States are a dominant force in the politics of Upper Burma throughout the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries.Mohnyin, in particular, constantly raids Ava's territory in the early sixteenth century.

the Monhyin-led Confederation of Shan States, in alliance with the Prome Kingdom, captures Ava itself in 1527.

The Confederation defeats its erstwhile ally Prome in 1533, and rules all of Upper Burma except Toungoo, but the Confederation is marred by internal bickering, and cannot stop Toungoo, which conquers Ava in 1555 and all of the Shan States by 1563.