1. Hyohyun Lee
TSEA: Period 1
March 15, 2010
1
Burma Poster Research
Ancient History
[Early History]
1. The first identifiable civilsation is Pyu
a) Pyu: - arrived in Burma in the 1st century BC
- Established city kingdoms at Binnaka, Mongamo, Sri Ksetra,
Peikthanomyo, and Halingyi
- known as a humane & peaceful people (far from war)
- Theravada Buddhism
- Not a kingdom – the most powerful city = Sri Ksetra (largest)
2. Mon
- The 6th century Mon kingdom in Thailand extended its frontiers.
- shifted further west deeper into present day Burma
- Indian culture + Theravada Buddhism
- founded kingdoms in lower Burma (Thaton Kingdom)
3. Pagan (1044-1287)
a) Capital (Pagan) located on the Irrawaddy
River
b) Burma’s golden age
c) 13,000 temples were built
d) Anawrahta (ruled 1044-1077)
- United the kingdom and introduced
Theravada Buddhism
- defeat the Mon kingdom of Thaton in
1057
e) broke up in 1287
Capital was overrun by soldiers from
Kubilai Khan’s Mongol empire
4. Small kingdoms
- after fall of Pagan, the kingdom was
broken up into several small kingdoms
a) Ava (1364-1555)
- under repeated Shan raids
- In 1527, fell to a confederation of Shan
States led by Mohnyin, which ruled much of
Upper Burma from Ava until 1555
b) Hanthawaddy Pegu (1287-1539)
- founded in Martaban
- capital shifted to Pegu in 1369
- under Queen Shin Sawbu and her successor King Dhammazedi -> golden age
- flourish of Mon language and culture / Theravada Buddhism
↓Pagan Kingdom

2. Hyohyun Lee
TSEA: Period 1
March 15, 2010
2
c) Shan States (1287-1557)
- Shans (came down with the Mongols) dominate much of northern to eastern of Burma
- The most powerful Shan states = Mohnyin & Mogaung
- Mohnyin constantly raided Ava’s territory throughout 15th and early 16th centuries
d) Arakan (1287-1784)
e) Toungoo (1531-1752)
- broke away from the Ava kingdom
- After the conquest of Ava by the Monhyin
Shans in 1527, many fled to Toungoo
- European traders – Burma as an important
trading center
- Tabinshwehti moved his capital to Pegu due to
its strategic position for commerce
- King Bayinnaung founded the largest empire in
Burmese history / conquered Ava (1555), Shan
States (1557), Lan Na (Chiang Mai, 1558),
Ayutthaya (1564, 1569)
f) Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885)
- second largest Burmese empire
↓SEA in 1540
→Toungoo Kingdom