Konbaung Dynasty: Map & History
The Konbaung dynasty, also known as the Third Burmese Empire (တတိယမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်), was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885.
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The Konbaung dynasty, also known as the Third Burmese Empire (တတိယမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်), was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. It created the second-largest empire in Burmese history and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of the modern state of Burma. The reforms, however, proved insufficient to stem the advance of the British Empire, which defeated the Burmese in all three Anglo-Burmese Wars over a six-decade span (1824–1885) and ended the millennium-old Burmese monarchy in 1885.
Modern Countries Once Part of Konbaung Dynasty
At its mapped extent, Konbaung Dynasty covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Konbaung Dynasty's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Konbaung Dynasty in Depth
History
The dynasty was founded by a village chief, who later became known as Alaungpaya, in 1752 to challenge the Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom which had just toppled the Taungoo dynasty. By 1759, Alaungpaya's forces had reunited all of Burma (and Manipur) and driven out the French and the British who had provided arms to Hanthawaddy.
Alaungpaya's second son, Hsinbyushin, came to the throne after a short reign by his elder brother, Naungdawgyi (1760–1763). He continued his father's expansionist policy and finally took Ayutthaya in 1767, after seven years of fighting.
In 1760, Burma began a series of wars with Siam that would last well into the middle of the 19th century.
Government
The Konbaung dynasty was an absolute monarchy. As in the rest of Southeast Asia, the traditional concept of kingship aspired to the Chakravartin (Universal Monarchs) creating their own mandala or field of power within the Jambudipa universe, along with the possession of the white elephant which allowed them to assume the title Hsinbyushin or Hsinbyumyashin (Lord of the White Elephants), played a significant role in their endeavours. Of more earthly importance was the historical threat of periodic raids and aiding of internal rebellions as well as invasion and imposition of overlordship from the neighbouring kingdoms of the Mon, Tai Shans and Manipuris.
The kingdom was divided into provinces called myo (မြို့).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Konbaung dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Konbaung Dynasty: Key Facts
| Capitals | Shwebo, Inwa, Amarapura, Mandalay |
|---|---|
| Religion | Theravāda |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 1752 |
| Dissolved | 1885 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1062422 (CC0).
Konbaung Dynasty Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Konbaung Dynasty appears, with the other states of the time.
Konbaung Dynasty Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 675,755 km² in 1817 CE.
Konbaung Dynasty: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Konbaung Dynasty exist?
The Konbaung Dynasty is dated to 1741 CE – 1819 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of the Konbaung Dynasty?
The capital of the Konbaung Dynasty was Shwebo (1752–1760), Sagaing (1760–1765), Ava (1765–1783, 1821–1842), Amarapura (1783–1821, 1842–1857), Mandalay (1857–1885).
How large was the Konbaung Dynasty at its peak?
At its peak in 1817 the Konbaung Dynasty covered about 675,755 km².
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