was widely reported that Saw Maung was actually suffering from a nervous breakdown and believed himself to be the reincarnation of an 11th-century warrior-king. This was in fact a plot by his successor General Than Shwe and other hardliners to justify the takeover and cement his control. Some believe that Saw Maung's decision to hand over power to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy was too much for other generals who also had the consent from Ne Win to carry out the palace coup. Saw Maung died of a heart attack at 69 on 24 July 1997. Family and personal life He married Daw Aye Yee who died on 25 December 2004. He is succeeded by his three children; two sons and a daughter, and three grandchildren. Saw Maung was also a golfer and a devout Buddhist. References Burma Library Biography Burma Library Biography 1928 births 1997 deaths Foreign ministers of Myanmar Defence ministers of Myanmar Government ministers of Myanmar People from Mandalay Burma Socialist Programme Party politicians Leaders who took power by coup Burmese Buddhists Recipients of the Alinkar Kyawswar