Timeline of Burmese history
This is a timeline of Burmese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Burma and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Burma. See also the list of Burmese leaders.
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
15th century BCE
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1500s BCE | | Earliest evidence of copper and bronze works, rice growing, domesticating chickens and pigs in Irrawaddy valley |
5th century BCE
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 500 BCE | | Iron-working settlements south of present day Mandalay |
2nd century BCE
1st century BCE
1st century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 70 | | Pyu city of Halin in existence |
2nd century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 200 | | The Pyu convert to Buddhism (to 400) |
7th century
9th century
10th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| c. 980 | | Earliest evidence of Pagan walls |
| 984 | | Earliest evidence of Burmese alphabet (according to an 18th-century recast stone inscription)[1] |
11th century
12th century
13th century
14th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1301 | 15 January – 6 April | Last Mongol invasion fails to topple Myinsaing[5] |
| 1303 | 4 April | Mongols evacuate Tagaung, retreat to Yunnan[5] |
| 1310 | 13 April | Thihathu becomes the sole ruler of Myinsaing[6] |
| 1313 | 11 February | Thihathu moves capital to Pinya[7] |
| 1315 | 16 May | Myinsaing Kingdom splits into Sagaing Kingdom and Pinya Kingdom[8] |
| 1330 | | Hanthawaddy defeats Sukhothai; throws off nominal allegiance to Sukhothai |
| 1359 | | Massive Shan raids into Upper Burma begin (to 1368) |
| 1362 | | Binnya U raises the height of the Shwedagon Pagoda to 66 feet |
| 1364 | April–September | Maw Shans of Mogaung topple Sagaing and Pinya kingdoms. Thado Minbya founds Ava Kingdom. |
| 1365 | 26 February | Capital of Ava (Inwa) founded |
| 1369 | | Capital of Hanthawaddy moved to Pegu (Bago) |
| 1371 | | Shan State of Kale becomes tributary of Ava |
| 1374 | | North Arakan asks for a Burmese regent |
| 1385 | | Forty Years' War between Ava and Hanthawaddy Pegu begins |
| 1389 | | Razadarit consolidates all three Mon-speaking regions in Lower Burma |
|
15th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1406 | | Arakan vassal to Ava or Hanthawaddy Pegu (To Ava: 1406–1407, 1412–1413; To Pegu 1407–1412; 1413–1422/(1430?) (to 1430) |
| | Ava conquers Shan States of Mohnyin, Mogaung, Hsipaw |
| 1417 | 24 March | Minyekyawswa killed in action; Forty Years' War peters out |
| 1430 | 16 November | Min Saw Mon founds city of Mrauk-U[9] |
| 1437 | | Mrauk-U conquers Thandwe, unifying the entire Arakan coast for the first time |
| 1459 | | Mrauk-U conquers Chittagong |
| 1446 | | Chinese invade Upper Burma, demanding surrender of a runaway Shan chief. His dead body was given up. Chinese records say events occurred in 1448–1449 |
| 1450 | | Binnya Kyan increases the height of the Shwedagon Pagoda to 302 feet |
| | Rise of early Burmese vernacular literature |
| 1480 | | Multiple rebellions by its vassals against Ava's rule. Prome, Yamethin and Mohnyin break away (to 1490) |
| 1482 | | Thado Minsaw successfully breaks away from Ava, founds Prome Kingdom |
| 1485 | | Mingyi Nyo becomes ruler of Toungoo; stays loyal to Ava |
16th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1502 | | Ava cedes Kyaukse to Toungoo to buy its loyalty, and cedes Shwebo District to Mohnyin |
| 1510 | 16 October | Toungoo declares independence from Ava |
| 1527 | 14 March | Confederation of Shan States conquer Ava, installs its nominee to Ava throne |
| 1538 | c. November–December | Tabinshwehti of Toungoo Dynasty captures Pegu |
| 1539 | | Capital of Toungoo Kingdom moved to Pegu |
| 1541 | May | Tabinshwehti consolidates Lower Burma and captures Upper Burma up to Pagan (to July 1544) |
| 1547 | 30 January | Min Bin and Tabinshwehti agree to a truce, ending Toungoo–Mrauk-U War (1546–47) |
| 1547–49 | | Burmese invasion of Siam fails |
| 1550 | 30 April | Tabinshwehti assassinated |
| 1555 | 22 January | Bayinnaung captures Ava, and annexes Upper Burma |
| 1557 | January–March | Bayinnaung annexes cis-Salween Shan States; abolishes animal sacrifice at Popa Hill and human sacrifice at Shan Hills |
| 1558 | 2 April | Bayinnaung annexes Lan Na |
| 1563 | April | Bayinnaung captures farther Shan States (Kengtung and Chinese Shan states) |
| 1564 | 18 February | Siam becomes Burmese vassal following the Burmese–Siamese War (1563–64) |
| 1569 | 2 August | Burmese–Siamese War (1568–69) restores Burmese rule in Siam after the Siamese revolted in 1568 |
| 1574 | November | Burma conquers Lan Xang |
| 1584 | 3 May | Siam declares independence |
| 1584–95 | | Repeated Burmese invasions fail to reconquer Siam. Siam regains Tenasserim coast up to Mawlamyaing |
| 1597 | | All regions of the kingdom now in revolt |
| 1599 | | Fall of First Toungoo Empire after Pegu sacked by the Arakanese and Toungoo (city) forces. Siam captures the entire Tenasserim coast to Martaban. Arakanese capture delta ports; appoint Portuguese mercenary de Brito governor of Syriam |
| | Siamese invasions take Martaban (1600) and Lan Na (1602) (to 1605) |
| 1600 | | Nyaungyan restores central rule to Upper Burma and Shan States (to 1606) |
17th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1603 | | De Brito at Syriam declares independence from Arakan, repels Arakanese attacks (to 1605) |
| 1609 | | Portuguese mercenary Tibao captures Sandwip in East Bengal, northernmost Arakanese territory |
| 1613 | 29 March | Anaukpetlun captures Portuguese Syriam |
| 1614 | December | Anaukpetlun recaptures the Tenasserim coast down to Tavoy, and all of Lan Na |
| 1617 | | Min Khamaung recovers Sandwip. Beginning of Arakanese raids on Dakha |
| 1619 | | English East India Company sends a representative to Pegu |
| 1625 | | Arakanese sack Dakha |
| 1627 | | English and Dutch East India companies open branches in Burma |
| 1635 | | Capital moved to Ava from Pegu |
| 1638 | | Thalun's revenue inquest |
| 1660 | | Arakanese use coined currency |
| 1658 | | Yongli Emperor of Ming China given refuge at Sagaing |
| 1659–1661 | | Renegade Ming forces occupy near Shan states and attack Ava |
| 1662 | 15 January | Surrender of the Yongli Emperor to Qing forces |
| | Siamese invasion of Lan Na and Tenasserim repelled (to 1664) |
| 1666 | January | Mogul Empire defeats Arakan and captures Chittagong Province |
| 1677 | | English and Dutch East India companies close branches in Burma |
| 1683 | | Dutch East India Company closes its branch in Arakan |
| 1688 | | French East India Company opens a branch in Syriam |
|
18th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1709 | | English open a branch in Syriam |
| 1724 | | The Manipuris raid Upper Burma (to 1749) |
| 1727 | October | Lan Na revolts; defeats Ava's attacks (1727–1728) and (1731–1732) |
| 1735 | | China annexes northern Shan States (present-day Kachin State, northern Shan State, and trans-Salween Shan State) |
| 1740 | 29 November | The Mon of Lower Burma break away, found Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom |
| | Restored Hanthawaddy gradually pushes upcountry and captures Ava, ending the Tougnoo Dynasty. The Siamese move up their control up the Tenasserim coast, taking Tavoy and then Martaban by 1751 (to March 1752) |
| 1752 | 29 February | Alaungpaya founds the Konbaung Dynasty |
| 23 March | Toungoo Dynasty falls |
| 20 April | Konbaung-Hanthawaddy War begins |
| 1753 | 26 April | English seize Negrais |
| 1755 | 5 May | Alaungpaya captures Dagon, having conquered the Irrawaddy delta in April |
| 1756 | 25 July | Alaungpaya captures French-defended Syriam. |
| | Alaungpaya sends a punitive expedition to Manipur |
| 1757 | 6 May | Pegu captured; end of Restored Hanthawaddy |
| 1758 | November | Konbaung armies overrun Manipur, reassert Burmese authority in northern Shan States which had been annexed by the Chinese in the 1730s (to 1759) |
| 1759 | 6 October | English driven out at Negrais |
| 1760 | May | Burmese invasion of Siam falls short; regains the Tenasserim coast to Tavoy |
| 1763 | January | Lanna rebellion put down |
| 1765 | January–March | Burmese armies capture Laotian states of Luang Prabang and Vientiane |
| March | Hsinbyushin puts down a rebellion in Manipur |
| 23 July | Capital moved to Ava |
| 23 August | Start of Burmese–Siamese War (1765–67) |
| December | Start of Chinese invasions (1765–69) of Burma |
| 1767 | 7 April | Burmese armies sack Ayutthaya; end of Ayutthaya Kingdom |
| 1768 | January–March | Burmese armies withdrawn from Siam and redeployed to the Chinese front. Burmese defenses against the Chinese invasions held. Siam recaptures all of its territories (except Tenasserim) (to 1770) |
| 1769 | 22 December | End of Sino-Burmese War |
| 1770 | January | Rebellion in Manipur put down |
| 1775 | 15 January | Lan Na (Chiang Mai) revolts, seeks and receives Siamese help. |
| April | Hsinbyushin raises the Shwedagon Pagoda to its present height |
| November | Another Burmese invasion of Siam fails; Southern Lan Na becomes Siamese vassal (to 1776) |
| 1778 | December | Laotian states (Luang Prabang and Vientiane) stop paying tribute, switch sides to Siam |
| 1783 | 13 May | Capital moved to Amarapura |
| 1785 | 2 January | Konbaung armies capture Mrauk U, ending five centuries of Arakanese independence |
| | Bodawpaya's invasion of Siam fails; Lan Na now firmly in Siamese camp (to 1786) |
| 1787 | | Defeats Siamese invasion of Tenasserim |
| 1790 | | Resumes diplomatic relationship with China |
| 1792 | | Defeats another Siamese invasion of Tenasserim |
| 1797 | | Burmese invasion of Lan Na and Luang Prabang fails |
19th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1802 | | Ceylonese monks seek ordination at Amarapura |
| 1803 | | Siamese invasion of Kengtung fails (to 1804) |
| 1809 | | Burmese invasion of Junkceylon (Phuket) fails (to 1812) |
| 1814 | February | Burma annexes Manipur |
| 1817 | | Assam becomes tributary to Burma |
| 1819 | | Burmese put down rebellions in Assam and Manipur |
| 1822 | 3 June | Burmese put down another rebellion in Assam, and make it a Burmese province |
| 1824 | 5 March | Start of First Anglo-Burmese War |
| 1826 | 24 February | End of First Anglo-Burmese War; Burma cedes Arakan, Assam, Manipur and Tenasserim |
| 1849 | | Defeats Siamese invasion of Kengtung (to 1855) |
| 1852 | | Second Anglo-Burmese War; British seize Lower Burma |
| 1853 | | British expand Rangoon (modern-day downtown Yangon) |
| 1859 | 23 May | Mindon moves capital to newly founded city of Mandalay |
| 1866 | | Head of reform movement, Crown Prince Kanaung is assassinated. |
| 1871 | | Fifth Buddhist council convenes |
| 1875 | March | Mindon cedes Karenni States to the British to avoid annexation |
| 1878 | | Rangoon College founded |
| 1885 | 29 November | Third Anglo-Burmese War; end of Burmese monarchy |
| 1886 | | British "pacification" of Burma (to 1896) |
| 1 January | Burma is proclaimed a British colony. February: Burma is proclaimed a province of British India |
20th century
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|
| 1920 | | First Rangoon University strike |
| 1921 | | The Dyarchy reforms begin |
| 1930 | | Nationalist and leftist Dobama Asiayone founded |
| | Peasants' rebellion (to 1932) |
| 1936 | | Second Rangoon University strike |
| 1937 | | Burma is separated from British India and becomes a separate colony |
| 1938 | | Third Rangoon University strike and nationwide strikes |
| 1941 | | Burma Independence Army formed with Japanese help |
| 1942 | | Japanese occupation of Burma. Thai occupation of Kengtung (to 1945) |
| 1945 | | Return of British rule |
| 1947 | 12 February | Panglong Agreement signed by Shan, Kachin, Chin and Burman leaders to gain independence from the British[10] |
| 19 July | Aung San and most of his cabinet assassinated. U Nu and his AFPFL party prepare to take power from the British by finishing Burma’s first constitution[11] |
| 24 September | 1947 Constitution guarantees the Federated Shan States (later Shan and Kayah states), Kachin State, and Karen State, the right to secede after a period of ten years after independence |
| 1948 | 4 January | Burma gains independence from the United Kingdom with U Nu as Prime Minister[12] |
| 1949 | | Insurgencies begin |
| 1950 | | Burmese Army repels Nationalist Chinese invasion of Shan State (to 1961) |
| 1958 | | Caretaker government, led by army Chief of Staff General Ne Win, formed following a split in the ruling AFPFL party. (Caretaker Gov. rule till 1960) |
| 1960 | | U Nu's party faction wins decisive victory in 1960 elections, but his promotion of Buddhism as the state religion and his tolerance of separatism angers the military. |
| 1961 | | U Thant becomes 3rd Secretary-General of the United Nations. Yangon hosts Second Southeast Asian Peninsular Games |
| 1962 | 2 March | Democratically elected government of U Nu is overthrown by Ne Win, who abolishes the federal system and inaugurates "the Burmese Way to Socialism" – nationalising the economy, forming a single-party state with the BSPP as the sole political party, and banning independent newspapers |
| 7 July | Government guns down student protesters |
| 1969 | | Yangon hosts Fifth Southeast Asian Peninsular Games |
| 1974 | | Ne Win proclaims a new constitution. Chin Special Division becomes Chin State; Mon State is created out of Tenasserim Division. Government guns down student protesters following U Thant's death |
| 1985 | | Repeated demonetization of higher denomination kyat notes; Intensification of economic hardship on general populace (to 1987) |
| 1988 | | Nationwide uprising brings down Ne Win's government. Military crushes protests, forms a ruling junta, promises elections |
| 1989 | | Junta changes the English spellings of geographic names, including the country's name (to Myanmar) |
| 1990 | | National League for Democracy wins 82% of the seats in the general election. Junta refuses to hand over power, jails NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi |
| | Western nations and Japan begin economic sanctions against Myanmar |
| 1991 | | Aung San Suu Kyi is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize |
| 1997 | | Myanmar is admitted to ASEAN |
21st century
Notes
- ↑ (Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 143): The calendar was reset in year 640 CE. The starting epochal date of the Burmese calendar was 22 March 638. Year 2 of the Burmese calendar began on 21 March 640 per (Eade 1989: 39).
- ↑ Hmannan Yazawin (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 161) says the city was founded on 9th waxing of Kason 641 ME (21 April 1279). Toungoo Yazawin (Sein Lwin Lay 2006: 19) agrees with the date 9th waxing of Kason 641 ME but also says it was a Monday. However, 21 April 1279 was a Friday. But a year later, 9th waxing of Kason 642 ME (8 April 1280) was a Monday.
- ↑ (Pan Hla 2004: 25–26) says per Mon records King Wareru proclaimed independence on Thursday, 6th waning of Old Tagu 648 ME (4 April 1287), which is in contradiction with full moon of Tabodwe 649 (19 January 1288) per Burmese records. Pan Hla conjectures the January 1288 date is the date of coronation.
References
Bibliography
- Aung-Thwin, Michael (2005). The mists of Rāmañña: The Legend that was Lower Burma (illustrated ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 9780824828868.
- Charney, Michael W. (2006). Powerful Learning: Buddhist Literati and the Throne in Burma's Last Dynasty, 1752–1885. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
- Hall, D.G.E. (1960). Burma (3rd ed.). Hutchinson University Library. ISBN 978-1-4067-3503-1.
- Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
- Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press.
- Kala, U (1720). Maha Yazawin Gyi (in Burmese) 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
- Kyaw Thet (1962). History of Burma (in Burmese). Yangon: Yangon University Press.
- Myat Soe, ed. (1964). Myanma Swezon Kyan (in Burmese) 9 (1 ed.). Yangon: Sarpay Beikman.
- Myint-U, Thant (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps—Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6.
- Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon: Armanthit Sarpay.
- Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese) 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.
- Than Tun (December 1959). "History of Burma: A.D. 1300–1400". Journal of Burma Research Society XLII (II).