Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the Dutch East India Company had established a trading base in Mrauk U in 1635. Later,
in the 1740s, the French East India Company established their own HQ in Thanlyin, sup-
plying arms to the local Mon during their rebellion against the Taungoo Empire.
The first British presence in Myanmar was the small colony of Cape Negrais , at the far
southwestern corner of the Ayeyarwady Delta, established in 1753 following the collapse of
the Taungoo Empire - although it was destroyed by Konbaung soldiers in 1759, after which
relations between the two nations remained strained.
The First Anglo-Burmese War
Bodawpaya's capture of Mrauk U in 1784, and his subsequent seizure of Assam in 1816,
created a long and only vaguely defined border between Konbaung territories and British In-
dia. Clashes were inevitable, given the British desire to neutralize what was seen as growing
French influence at the Konbaung court, and also to seize more of the border territories for
themselves. Aftersomepreliminary skirmishes, war-the FirstAnglo-BurmeseWar ,asit's
now known - was officially declared in March 1824.
Ledby GeneralMahabandoola ,Burmeseforcesenjoyedsomespectacularearlysuccesses
inArakanthankstotheirgreaterexperienceofjunglewarfare.TheBritishcounteredbysend-
ing a large naval division to attack Yangon, causing the local population to flee. Eventually,
inNovember,therivalarmiesmetoutsideYangon.Britishforcesresistedrepeatedattacksby
the numerically superior but poorly armed Burmese, who were cut down in their thousands
and then forced back into the small town of Danubyu. At the same time, a counteroffensive
was launched against Konbaung troops still in Arakan. On March 29, 1825, British forces
simultaneously attacked Danubyu, killing Mahabandoola, and captured the Arakan capital,
Mrauk U. The war was effectively over. An armistice was subsequently declared, and al-
though Konbaung troops attempted a daring counterattack against British troops in Pyay in
November, they too were defeated and forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Yandabo
(1826). Under this, the Konbaung were obliged to cede Arakan, Manipur and Assam in the
westandalargesliceofterritoryinTenasserim(modernTanintharyi)inthefarsouth,aswell
as paying a colossal indemnity of £1 million.
The Second Anglo-Burmese War
The effect of the conflict on both Konbaung finances and morale was devastating, with
the empire left economically crippled and its leaders in disarray. King Bagyidaw (ruled
1819-37),relocatedthecapitaltoAvain1823butbecameincreasinglyreclusiveandineffec-
tualfollowingthedisastrouswar.Hewasoverthrownby Tharrawaddy (ruled1837-46)who
continued to plot fruitlessly against the British, and then by his son Pagan Min (1848-53).
The origins of the Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) were little more than a minor dip-
lomatic squabble after the captains of two British merchant ships were detained in Bago on
charges of customs violations. The British, seeing a chance of making further inroads into
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