Timeline of Burmese history

This is a timeline of Burmese or Myanmar 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 adding missing items with reliable sources.
Millennia: 2nd BCE–1st BCE · 1st–2nd · 3rd
Centuries: 15th BCE · 14th BCE · 13th BCE · 12th BCE · 11th BCE · 10th BCE · 9th BCE · 8th BCE · 7th BCE · 6th BCE · 5th BCE · 4th BCE · 3rd BCE · 2nd BCE · 1st BCE

15th century BCE

[edit]
Year Date Event
1500s BCE Earliest evidence of copper and bronze works, rice growing, domesticating chickens and pigs in Irrawaddy valley

14th century BCE

[edit]

13th century BCE

[edit]

12th century BCE

[edit]

10th century BCE

[edit]

9th century BCE

[edit]

8th century BCE

[edit]

7th century BCE

[edit]

6th century BCE

[edit]

5th century BCE

[edit]
Year Date Event
500 BCE Iron-working settlements south of present-day Mandalay

4th century BCE

[edit]

3rd century BCE

[edit]

2nd century BCE

[edit]
Year Date Event
180 BCE Beikthano city fortified by Pyu people who had entered the Irrawaddy valley from north; beginning of Pyu city-states

1st century BCE

[edit]

Centuries: 1st · 2nd · 3rd · 4th · 5th · 6th · 7th · 8th · 9th · 10th · 11th · 12th · 13th · 14th · 15th · 16th · 17th · 18th · 19th · 20th

1st century

[edit]
Year Date Event
70 Pyu city of Halin in existence

2nd century

[edit]
Year Date Event
200 The Pyu convert to Buddhism (to 400)

3rd century

[edit]

4th century

[edit]

5th century

[edit]

6th century

[edit]

7th century

[edit]
Year Date Event
7th century Mon migrations to Lower Burma from Haribhunjaya and Dvaravati (present-day Thailand) (to 900)
640 21 March The Pyu of Sri Ksetra Kingdom launch the Burmese calendar with the start date of 22 March 638.[note 1]

8th century

[edit]

9th century

[edit]
Year Date Event
832 Pyu city-states destroyed by Nanzhao raids
849 23 December Pyinbya founds Pagan (Bagan)

10th century

[edit]
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

[edit]
Year Date Event
1004 Pagan sends embassy to Song court at Bianjing
1035 Earliest evidence of Burmese alphabet (at the Mahabodhi Temple, India)[2]
1044 11 August Anawrahta ascends to Pagan throne
1050s Anawrahta founds Pagan Kingdom including, Thaton, near Shan States, North Arakan, Malay Peninsula (to 1060)
1056 Anawrahta converted to Theravada Buddhism by Shin Arahan
1057 17 May Pagan conquers Thaton Kingdom according to the Burmese chronicles
1071 Anawrahta helps restart Theravada Buddhism in Ceylon
1082–84 Rebellion in Lower Burma by Yamankan
1084 21 April Kyansittha becomes king
1090 Kyansittha builds Ananda Temple

12th century

[edit]
Year Date Event
1102 Earliest inscription of the word Mranma (Myanmar) (in Mon script)[3]
1106 Burmese embassy to Song China
1113 Myazedi inscription, earliest evidence of a more settled Burmese alphabet
1118 Pagan restores Letyaminnan to north Arakanese throne
1144 Alaungsithu builds Thatbyinnyu Temple
1170 Affirmation of Burman leadership of Pagan: Burmese becomes the primary written language, replacing Mon and Pyu
1174 Narapatisithu founds the Royal Burmese Armed Forces, the first known standing army in Burmese history
1180 Ceylonese raids to Bassein (Pathein)
Schism develops in Burmese Buddhism; majority of monks shift to Mahavihara school
1190 The word Mranma first appears in Burmese[3]
1200 Dhamaavisala Dhammathat code of law compiled

13th century

[edit]
Year Date Event
1210 Kyaukse weir built
1211 18 August Sithu II dies and Htilominlo succeeds
1218 Htilominlo builds Htilominlo Temple, the last of the great temples
1235 19 July Kyaswa becomes king of Pagan
1256 6 May Narathihapate placed on Pagan throne
1273 First mention of Mian (for Mranma) in Chinese[3]
1277 April The first Mongol invasion begins
1279 17 April Thawun Gyi and Thawun Nge found Toungoo (Taungoo) as a frontier outpost
1283 22 September Second Mongol campaign begins
1285 c. 11 January Wareru seizes governorship of Martaban (Mottama)
1286 3 March Pagan and Mongol commands sign ceasefire agreement
June Burmese embassy led by Shin Ditha Pamauk leaves for Beijing
1287 January The Pagan Empire acknowledges suzerainty of the Mongol Empire
30 January Wareru declares independence and founds Kingdom of Ramanya
1 July King Narathihapate is assassinated
1289 30 May Kyawswa becomes king of Pagan
1293 Wareru receives recognition as a vassal of Sukhothai
1296 Wareru and Tarabya decisively defeat a major Pagan invasion
1297 20 March Kyawswa receives recognition by the Mongol Emperor as a Mongol vassal[4]
17 December Kyawswa overthrown and Myinsaing Kingdom founded[4]
1298 June/July Ramanya receives recognition as a tributary of the Mongols[4]
1299 8 May Saw Hnit placed as Myinsaing's puppet king of Pagan

14th century

[edit]
Year Date Event
1301 15 January Last Mongol invasion begins
6 April Mongol forces retreat from Myinsaing
1303 4 April Mongols evacuate Tagaung, retreat to Yunnan[5]
1307 c. 14 January Wareru is assassinated and Hkun Law succeeds the Martaban throne
1310 13 April Athinkhaya dies
1311 10 April Saw O becomes king of Martaban
1313 7 February Thihathu founds Pinya Kingdom
1315 15 May Sagaing secession begins
1316 26 March Saw Yun's completes fortification of capital Sagaing
1323 by 28 September Saw Zein become king of Martaban
1327 5 February Tarabya I becomes king of Sagaing
1330 Martaban defeats Sukhothai; throws off nominal allegiance to Sukhothai
1340 1 September Uzana I abdicates Pinya throne
1344 29 March Kyawswa I becomes undisputed ruler of Pinya
1350 12 December Kyawswa II becomes king of Pinya
1352 23 February Thihapate becomes king of Sagaing
1356 Massive Shan raids into Upper Burma begin (to 1368)
1359 19 March Kyawswa II dies and Narathu succeeds Pinya throne
1362 Binnya U raises the height of the Shwedagon Pagoda to 66 feet
1364 c. February Byattaba seizes Martaban; Binnya U sets up camp at Donwun
April Maw forces sack Sagaing
May Maw forces sack Pinya
September Thado Minbya takes over Pinya
1365 26 February Thado Minbya founds Ava Kingdom
1367 5 September Swa Saw Ke becomes king of Ava
1369 Byattaba drives Binnya U out to Pegu (Bago)
1370 Shan state of Kale becomes tributary of Ava
1373 North Arakan asks for a Burmese regent
1383 by 28 October Princess Maha Dewi becomes regent of Hanthawaddy Pegu
1384 4 January Razadarit becomes king of Pegu
1385 Forty Years' War between Ava and Hanthawaddy Pegu begins
1389 Razadarit consolidates all three Mon-speaking regions in Lower Burma
1400 April Tarabya becomes king of Ava
25 November Minkhaung I becomes king of Ava

15th century

[edit]
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
1415 13 March Minye Kyawswa killed in action
1430 16 November Min Saw Mon founds city of Mrauk-U[6]
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

[edit]
Year Date Event
1501 7 April Narapati II becomes king of Ava
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 13 March Confederation of Shan States conquers Ava, and installs Thohanbwa as vassal king
1530 24 November Tabinshwehti becomes king of Toungoo
1534 c. November Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War (1534–41) begins
1538 c. November Toungoo forces capture Pegu; Toungoo–Ava War (1538–45) begins
1539 c. 31 March Pegu made capital of Toungoo Kingdom
1541 May Toungoo forces capture Martaban
1545 12 October Toungoo forces invades Arakan
1547 30 January Min Bin and Tabinshwehti agree to a truce
1547 November First Burmese invasion of Siam begins
1549 February Burmese and Siamese commands agree to a truce
1550 30 April Tabinshwehti is assassinated
1551 11 January Bayinnaung takes Toungoo
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)
1565 2 January Burmese forces capture Vientiane, capital of Lan Xang
1568 12 May Pegu learns of Siamese rebellion
1569 2 August Burmese–Siamese War (1568–69) restores Burmese rule in Siam
1574 6 December Burmese forces capture Vientiane
1581 10 October Bayinnaung dies, and his eldest son Nanda succeeds
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

[edit]
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

[edit]
Year Date Event
1709 English open a branch in Syriam
1724 Meiteis 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

[edit]
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

[edit]
Year Date Event
1920 First Rangoon University strike[citation needed]
1921 The Dyarchy reforms begin
1930 Nationalist and leftist Dobama Asiayone founded
Peasants' rebellion (to 1932)
1936 Second Rangoon University strike[citation needed]
1937 Burma is separated from British India and becomes a separate colony
1938 Third Rangoon University strike and nationwide strikes[citation needed]
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[7]
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[8]
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[9]
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 until 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

[edit]
Year Date Event
2003 February A major bank run in private banking occurs
2005 7 May Bombings kill 11 people and injured 162
6 November Junta moves the capital to Naypyidaw
2007 Junta suppresses anti-government protests, killing scores of protesters, including Buddhist monks
2008 2008 Constitution reserves 25% of the seats in a bicameral Hluttaw to the military.
2 May Cyclone Nargis kills nearly 140,000 people and devastates the Irrawaddy delta
2009 27–30 August 1st Kokang incident occurs
2010 15 April Bombings kill 10 people and injured 178
21 October Government changes country's flag and its official name is adopted as "Republic of the Union of Myanmar"[7]
November The 2010 general election gives the victory to military-backed USDP[7]
November Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest[7]
2011 31 January The first session of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (parliament) convenes
24 March An earthquake occurs in Shan State
30 March Thein Sein becomes President of Burma
Reforms in Burma begins
2012 Economic sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States are eased
13 January Prominent political prisoners including Min Ko Naing are released
1 April National League for Democracy wins in by-elections
2 May Aung San Suu Kyi becomes a lawmaker
June–October Rakhine State riots occurs
9 November A train crash kills at least 27 people and injured 80
November Government suppresses copper mine protests
2013 March–October Tensions between Buddhist and Muslim flare into violent clashes in various cities
11–17 October Bombings kill 3 people and injured 10
11–22 December 27th Southeast Asian Games takes place
2014 14–20 January 7th ASEAN Para Games takes place
March–April A nationwide census takes place (Total population 51,486,253)
12–13 November Ninth East Asia Summit takes place
2015 February–June 2nd Kokang incident occurs
March Government suppresses education law protests
July–September Severe flooding occur
10 November The 2015 general election gives the victory to NLD
22 November A major landslide kills at least 116 people
2016 1 February The second session of Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house) convenes
3 February The second session of Amyotha Hluttaw (upper house) convenes
8 February The second session of Assembly of the Union (Union Parliament) convenes
8 February The second session of State and Region Hluttaws (regional parliaments) convenes
30 March Htin Kyaw becomes President of Myanmar
6 April Aung San Suu Kyi becomes State Counsellor of Myanmar (de facto prime minister)

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ (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).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Aung-Thwin 2005: 198
  2. ^ Aung-Thwin 2005: 172, 198
  3. ^ a b c Hall 1960: 13
  4. ^ a b c Than Tun 1959: 119–120
  5. ^ Than Tun 1959: 122
  6. ^ Myanma Swezon Kyan Vol. 9 1964: 425
  7. ^ a b c d World Statesmen – Myanmar (Burma)
  8. ^ Burma Chronological History
  9. ^ Burma profile

Bibliography

[edit]
  • 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). Vol. 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). Vol. 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). Vol. 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).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timeline_of_Burmese_history&oldid=1232074147"