Burmese Sources for the History of the Konbaung Period 1752–1885

Abstract

Before outlining these Burmese sources, I would like to make a very brief survey of Burmese history. Burmese history proper begins with Aniruddha, A.D. 1044. From then to 1287 was the heyday of Pagan until it fell at the hands of the Mongols. From then till the time of Bayinnaung 1551–81 Burma was divided into a number of small kingdoms with the Mons in the south. The principal Burmese kingdom had its seat at Ava. Then under Tabinshwehti and his successor Bayinnaung, Burma excluding Arakan but including the Shan States and Chiengmai was unified. This kingdom lasted till 1740 when the Mons of the south broke away to form a kingdom of their own. When they gained in strength they attacked the northern kingdom in annual raids which culminated in the capture of Ava 1751. This brought an end to the Toungoo dynasty and the Mons became practically the masters of the whole of Burma proper. But not for long. U Aungzeya (later known as Alaungpaya, 1752–60), gathered round him a certain following in Shwebo which was also known as Konbaung (subsequently the name of the period): and offered resistance to the Mons. From there his power spread until he was able to crush the shortlived Mon kingdom, unify the whole of Burma proper and make successful raids on Manipur and even Assam. He led an invasion of Siam but he died before he could achieve anything. He had however begun a dynasty, the Konbaung dynasty.