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The Historical Changes of the Toungoo Dynasty

The Toungoo Dynasty (1531-1752) was a powerful feudal dynasty in the history of Myanmar. Chinese historical records call it Dongwu, Donghu, and Diwula, and during the Jiajing and Wanli years, it was also translated as Dongwu, Dongwu, Dongwu, and Mandongniu. The dynasty was named after the Mangrui style (Myanmar name: Delinrui style), which was founded in Toungoo in 1531.

As early as Ming Jiyu (reigned from 1486 to 1531), Toungoo married Awa, and then formed an alliance with the powerful Baigu Dynasty to contain the aggression of the Awa Dynasty. In 1535, Mangrui began to attack the Baigu Dynasty. In 1539, the Baigu Dynasty was conquered.

Later Mangrui carried out a policy of uniting the Mon people, using the Mon soldiers and employing Portuguese soldiers with modern weapons and warships.

In 1541, it captured the important port of foreign trade, Maduba (the Siege of Madabaan), and in 1542, it captured Pyay (Battle of Pyay). At the time of Mang Shwe Ti’s death, central and southern Myanmar were basically unified.

In 1551, Mang Yinglong succeeded to the throne. He destroyed the Ava Dynasty, conquered the Shan states, completed the second reunification of Myanmar, and took a series of measures for the development of politics, economy and culture, and achieved outstanding political achievements.

After the death of Mang Yinglong, peasant uprisings occurred one after another, and the feudal lords in various places re-separated. The feudal lord of the Arakan Dynasty took the opportunity to take Portuguese mercenaries and united with the feudal lord of Toungoo to capture Baigu in 1599 and capture the Burmese king Mangyingli (the Burmese name is Nanda Boin).

The Dongyu Dynasty was at stake, but King Liangyuan, the youngest son of Mang Yinglong (reigned from 1600 to 1605), saved this decline, occupied the area centered on Ava, and kept half of the rivers and mountains in Upper Burma. Following his throne, Anabillon (reigned from 1605 to 1628) regained all the lost lands in Lower Burma, especially in 1613 when he regained Shalian, which was occupied by the Portuguese, thus completing the unification of Burma once again.

When Thalong was in power (1629-1648), the country was prosperous and the people were strong. He gave up the war of foreign expansion, which was a waste of money and labor, and devoted himself to the recovery and development of the domestic economy, allocating land to landless peasants.

In 1638, he also conducted a national census, and compiled the survey statistics of household registration, cultivated land area, output and taxation in various places, as the basis for taxation and labor service. In the time of Mangda (Pingdali) (1648-1661), the national strength was declining day by day.

In 1627, the Dutch and British East India Company established a branch in Burma. In 1688 and 1709, the French and British East India Company set up branches in Shalian to control its foreign trade, and colonial forces invaded Burma. Toungoo had close relations with the Ming Dynasty of China. After moving the capital to Awa in 1635, it was also called Awa. In 1424 (the 22nd year of Yongle), the Ming Dynasty set up an envoy of Xuanwei in Diwula (that is, Dongyu).

In 1425 (the first year of Hongxi) and 1430 (the fifth year of Xuande), Dongyu sent envoys to China twice to pay tribute. From 1582 (the tenth year of Wanli) to 1583, Mang Yingli invaded Yunnan and was repelled.

In 1659 (the sixteenth year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty), Emperor Yongli of the Southern Ming Dynasty (Ming Zhaozong) Zhu Youlang hunted in Burma, and the Burmese kings Mangda and Mangbai were unable to resist Wu Sangui’s attack, so they had to extradite Zhu Youlang in exchange for the withdrawal of the Qing army. In 1740, there was a Mon uprising in Burma, which shook the rule of the Toungoo Dynasty. In 1752, the Mon army occupied the capital Ava, ending the rule of the Toungoo Dynasty