Shan States: Map & History
The Shan States were a collection of Shan (Tai) principalities called möng whose rulers bore the title saopha (sawbwa).
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The Shan States were a collection of Shan (Tai) principalities called möng whose rulers bore the title saopha (sawbwa). The term "Shan States" was first used during the British rule in Burma as a geopolitical designation for certain autonomous areas of Burma, analogous to the princely states of British India. The terms "Siamese Shan States" and "Chinese Shan States" were also used to refer to the Tai principalities in northern Thailand and southern Yunnan, which instead came under the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Siam or Qing dynasty.
Modern Countries Once Part of Shan States
At its mapped extent, Shan States covered territory in 1 present-day country. 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 Shan States'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.
Shan States in Depth
History
Early history of the Shan states is clouded in myth. Most states claimed having been founded upon a predecessor state with a Sanskrit name Shen/Sen. Tai Yai chronicles usually begin with the story of two brothers, Khun Lung and Khun Lai, who descended from heaven in the 6th century and landed in Hsenwi, where the local population hailed them as kings.
The Shan people have inhabited the Shan Hills and other parts of northern modern-day Burma as far back as the 10th century AD. According to local accounts, the Shan kingdom of Möng Mao may have existed in Yunnan in the 10th century CE but became a Burmese vassal state during the reign of King Anawrahta of Pagan (1044–1077).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Shan States (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Shan States: Key Facts
| Religion | Theravāda |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1215 |
| Dissolved | 1563 |
Facts from Wikidata Q4765854 (CC0).
Shan States Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Shan States appears, with the other states of the time.
Shan States Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 387,847 km² in 1534 CE.
Shan States: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Shan States exist?
Shan States is dated to 1294 CE – 1563 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Shan States?
The capital of Shan States was Taunggyi.
How large was Shan States at its peak?
At its peak in 1534 Shan States covered about 387,847 km².
How did the map of Shan States change over time?
Shan States appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1300 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram