18 Facts About Bagyidaw

Bagyidaw moved the capital from Amarapura back to Ava in 1823.

Bagyidaw's reign saw the First Anglo-Burmese War, which marked the beginning of the decline of the Konbaung dynasty.

Bagyidaw inherited the largest Burmese empire, second only to King Bayinnaung's, but one that shared ill-defined borders with British India.

Bagyidaw's ill-advised decision to allow the Burmese army to pursue the rebels along the vaguely defined borders led to the war.

Bagyidaw was forced to cede all of his grandfather's western acquisitions, and Tenasserim to the British, and pay a large indemnity of one million pounds sterling, leaving the country crippled for years.

Devastated, Bagyidaw held out hope for some years that Tenasserim would be returned to him, and paid the balance of indemnity in 1832 at great sacrifice.

Bagyidaw took on five more queens as crown prince.

Bagyidaw appointed Badan Chandra Borphukan as Mantri Phukan.

Bodawpaya died on 5 June 1819, and Bagyidaw ascended to the throne without opposition.

Bagyidaw inherited the second largest Burmese empire but one that shared a long vaguely defined borders with British India.

The first to test Bagyidaw's rule was the Raja of Manipur, who was put on the Manipuri throne only six years earlier by the Burmese.

In October 1819, Bagyidaw sent an expeditionary force of 25,000 soldiers and 3,000 cavalry led by his favorite general Maha Bandula to reclaim Manipur.

Bagyidaw hired mercenaries from Bengal and began to strengthen the army.

Bagyidaw began to construct fortification to prevent further Burmese invasion.

Bagyidaw now scrapped the six- century-old Assamese monarchy and made Assam a province under a military governor-general.

Bagyidaw ordered Bandula and most of the troops back home to meet the enemy at Yangon.

In February 1826, with the British army only 50 miles away from Ava, Bagyidaw agreed to British terms.

Bagyidaw delivered the balance of the indemnity at great sacrifice in November 1832.