Territorial Expansion of the First Toungoo Empire in the mid-16th Century

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the growth and development of the First Toungoo Empire (c. 1485-1599) and its territorial expansion in particular. During the post-Pagan period and before the rise of Toungoo, between 1300 and 1530, there was no great state similar to what there was during the heyday of Pagan. The Irrawaddy Basin was politically fragmented. However, the rise of the First Toungoo Dynasty in the mid-16th century lead to a great shift in political development of the region particularly through reuniting all polities within the Irrawaddy Basin and by subjugating the huge Tai-speaking realms on both sides of Salween River. The First Toungoo Empire extended from the west in Manipura to the east in Sipsong Panna and Laos in the upper Mekong region. Burmese historical evidence is mainly consulted here, as well as contemporary western travelersu accounts. The discussion in this paper is carried out in four parts: 1) The rise of Toungoo, 2) Moving the capital to the South, 3) Expansion over east-west coastal areas, and 4) Expansion over hinterland Shan realms.