by Comrade Shoaib Nagi

Created on: December 19, 2009

King Bagyidaw was the seventh king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma. He was chosen as the crown prince by his grandfather King Bodawpaya and was made the king in 1819 after his death. His reign lasted more than 17 years until his abdication in 1837.

During his reign he had to face many British supported rebellions in the western acquisitions of the empire. His decision to allow the Burmese army to pursue rebels across the border sparked a war with the British in India. The war ended decisively in the favour of the British and giving him no choice rather than to accept British terms and agreements. He lost most of his grandfather’s western acquisitions to the British and was forced to pay a huge indemnity of million pounds to the British which left the empire’s economy in ruins.

Bagyidaw was born on 23rd July 1784 in Amarapura as Maung Sein to Prince Thado Minsaw. He was made the general of the Northern and Southern Corps of the Royal Cavalry at the age of nine by his grandfather. At the age of eighteen he married Princess Hsinbyume, who was the granddaughter of Bodawpaya.

His father who was the Crown Prince died on 9th April 1808. Bagyidaw aged 23 was made the Crown Prince by his grandfather 23 days later. This elevation to Crown Prince brought him some royal servants like Maung Yit who became later General Maha Bandula and Maung Sa who later became the Lord of Myawaddy.

King Bodawpaya died on 5th June 1819 and King Bagyidaw succeeded him without any opposition. Two days later he was crowned and he inherited the second largest Burmese empire. Burmese control of Manipur and Assam Disturbed the British as it threatened their own influence in the region. To grow their influence, British supported rebellions in that area in order to weaken Bagyidaw’s empire.

Raja Marjit Singh who was put to Manipuri throne six years earlier by the Burmese failed to attend the coronation ceremony of Bagyidaw. Bagyidaw sent a force of 25000 under General Maha Bandula to reclaim the land. Manipur was reconquered by Bandula but the Raja escaped to neigbouring Cachar which was ruled by his brother. From there he continued to raid Manipur.

The troubles spread to Assam when the Assamese King who was put to throne by the Burmese four years earlier switched his allegiance to the British. Bagyidaw again sent a strong army under Bandula to finish off the Assamese army. His army scrapped the Assamese monarchy and made Assam a province of the Burmese empire. The king escaped

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