Page 85 - Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

It wasn’t until the 1500s that Burma was re-united once again. This time it was the
charismatic King Tabinshwehti who brought the kingdoms together. Together with his
successor, Bayinnaung, the king founded the Taungoo Dynasty, re-united Burma, and
conquered additional territory such as some Chinese Shan states, parts of Thailand, and parts
of Laos. But the additional territories over-extended the dynasty’s resources, and ultimately
proved to be too much to hold on to. In 1599, the Taungoo capital city at Pegu was sacked.

The Taungoo Comeback

What makes the 1599 sacking of Pegu such a key moment in Burma’s history is who the
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the Taungoo were able to regroup and successfully reclaim some of their territory in northern
Burma by 1605. They used this territory as a base from which they challenged the Portuguese
forces, defeating them at Thanlyin in 1613. By 1650, the Taungoo Dynasty had recaptured and
reunited Burma.

While other neighboring countries where being colonized by European powers, the Taungoo
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again. Although the feudal period was long over, the country split into rival groups that echoed
earlier history—the Taungoo, who were a Burman dynasty with roots in the old kingdom of
Ava, were ousted by a rebellion of Mons with roots in the old kingdom of Hanthawaddy.

The Hanthawaddy rule was brief—only seven years. In 1759, they were successfully challenged
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at bay. They even managed to conquer territory in Thailand, China, and India. However, it was
their involvement in India during the 1820s that drew the ire of the British.

Anglo-Burmese Wars

In 1824, a series of border raids between India and Burma sparked of the First Anglo-Burmese
War. The war was brief—only two years—and resulted in Burma ceding almost all of its
foreign territory. With the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, the British seized part of
Burma itself, yet allowed the king to continue his rule. With the Third Anglo-Burmese war in
1885, the British took the entire country, and sent the king into exile in India.

Although their rule was relatively brief, and they eventually lost to the British, the Konbaung
Dynasty oversaw an important transition period. The arts thrived, especially literature and
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reorganization of the monasteries, known as the Sudhamma Reformation. Under the
Konbaung, it seemed that Burma was recapturing some of its importance from the days of the
Taungoo Dynasty.

In contrast, when the British took over, they made Burma a province of India, essentially
reducing it to a backwater. Economically, the union created a boom in rice and other crops,
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