This is a timeline of Burmese or Myanmar history , comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Burma and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Burma . See also the list of Burmese leaders .
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources .
15th century BCE [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1500s BCE
Earliest evidence of copper and bronze works, rice growing, domesticating chickens and pigs in Irrawaddy valley
14th century BCE [ ]
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13th century BCE [ ]
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12th century BCE [ ]
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11th century BCE [ ]
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10th century BCE [ ]
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9th century BCE [ ]
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8th century BCE [ ]
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7th century BCE [ ]
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6th century BCE [ ]
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5th century BCE [ ]
Year
Date
Event
500 BCE
Iron-working settlements south of present-day Mandalay
4th century BCE [ ]
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3rd century BCE [ ]
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2nd century BCE [ ]
Year
Date
Event
180 BCE
Beikthano city fortified by Pyu people who had entered the Irrawaddy valley from north; beginning of Pyu city-states
1st century BCE [ ]
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1st century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
70
Pyu city of Halin in existence
2nd century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
200
The Pyu convert to Buddhism (to 400)
3rd century [ ]
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4th century [ ]
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5th century [ ]
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6th century [ ]
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7th century [ ]
8th century [ ]
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9th century [ ]
10th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
c. 980
Earliest evidence of Pagan walls
984
Earliest evidence of Burmese alphabet (according to an 18th-century recast stone inscription)[1]
11th century [ ]
12th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1102
Earliest inscription of the word Mranma (Myanmar) (in Mon script )[3]
1106
Burmese embassy to Song China
1113
Myazedi inscription , earliest evidence of a more settled Burmese script
1118
Pagan restores Letyaminnan to north Arakanese throne
1144
Alaungsithu builds Thatbyinnyu Temple
1170
Affirmation of Burman leadership of Pagan: Burmese script becomes the primary script, replacing Mon and Pyu scripts
1174
Narapatisithu founds the Royal Burmese Armed Forces , the first known standing army in Burmese history
1180
Ceylonese raids to Bassein (Pathein)
Schism develops in Burmese Buddhism; majority of monks shift to Mahavihara school
1190
The word Mranma first appears in Burmese[3]
1200
Dhamaavisala Dhammathat code of law compiled
13th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1210
Kyaukse weir built
1211
18 August
Sithu II dies and Htilominlo succeeds
1218
Htilominlo builds Htilominlo Temple , the last of the great temples
1235
19 July
Kyaswa becomes king of Pagan
1256
6 May
Narathihapate placed on Pagan throne
1273
First mention of Mian (for Mranma) in Chinese[3]
1277
April
The first Mongol invasion begins
1279
17 April
Thawun Gyi and Thawun Nge found Toungoo (Taungoo) as a frontier outpost
1283
22 September
Second Mongol campaign begins
1285
c. 11 January
Wareru seizes governorship of Martaban (Mottama)
1286
3 March
Pagan and Mongol commands sign ceasefire agreement
June
Burmese embassy led by Shin Ditha Pamauk leaves for Beijing
1287
January
The Pagan Empire acknowledges suzerainty of the Mongol Empire
30 January
Wareru declares independence and founds Kingdom of Ramanya
1 July
King Narathihapate is assassinated
1289
30 May
Kyawswa becomes king of Pagan
1293
Wareru receives recognition as a vassal of Sukhothai
1296
Wareru and Tarabya decisively defeat a major Pagan invasion
1297
20 March
Kyawswa receives recognition by the Mongol Emperor as a Mongol vassal[4]
17 December
Kyawswa overthrown and Myinsaing Kingdom founded[4]
1298
June/July
Ramanya receives recognition as a tributary of the Mongols [4]
1299
8 May
Saw Hnit placed as Myinsaing's puppet king of Pagan
14th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1301
15 January
Last Mongol invasion begins
6 April
Mongol forces retreat from Myinsaing
1303
4 April
Mongols evacuate Tagaung , retreat to Yunnan [5]
1307
c. 14 January
Wareru is assassinated and Hkun Law succeeds the Martaban throne
1310
13 April
Athinkhaya dies
1311
10 April
Saw O becomes king of Martaban
1313
7 February
Thihathu founds Pinya Kingdom
1315
15 May
Sagaing secession begins
1316
26 March
Saw Yun 's completes fortification of capital Sagaing
1323
by 28 September
Saw Zein become king of Martaban
1327
5 February
Tarabya I becomes king of Sagaing
1330
Martaban defeats Sukhothai; throws off nominal allegiance to Sukhothai
1340
1 September
Uzana I abdicates Pinya throne
1344
29 March
Kyawswa I becomes undisputed ruler of Pinya
1350
12 December
Kyawswa II becomes king of Pinya
1352
23 February
Thihapate becomes king of Sagaing
1356
Massive Shan raids into Upper Burma begin (to 1368)
1359
19 March
Kyawswa II dies and Narathu succeeds Pinya throne
1362
Binnya U raises the height of the Shwedagon Pagoda to 66 feet
1364
c. February
Byattaba seizes Martaban; Binnya U sets up camp at Donwun
April
Maw forces sack Sagaing
May
Maw forces sack Pinya
September
Thado Minbya takes over Pinya
1365
26 February
Thado Minbya founds Ava Kingdom
1367
5 September
Swa Saw Ke becomes king of Ava
1369
Byattaba drives Binnya U out to Pegu (Bago)
1370
Shan state of Kale becomes tributary of Ava
1373
North Arakan asks for a Burmese regent
1383
by 28 October
Princess Maha Dewi becomes regent of Hanthawaddy Pegu
1384
4 January
Razadarit becomes king of Pegu
1385
Forty Years' War between Ava and Hanthawaddy Pegu begins
1389
Razadarit consolidates all three Mon -speaking regions in Lower Burma
1400
April
Tarabya becomes king of Ava
25 November
Minkhaung I becomes king of Ava
15th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1406
Arakan vassal to Ava or Hanthawaddy Pegu (To Ava: 1406–1407, 1412–1413; To Pegu 1407–1412; 1413–1422/(1430?) (to 1430)
Ava conquers Shan States of Mohnyin , Mogaung , Hsipaw
1415
13 March
Minye Kyawswa killed in action
1430
16 November
Min Saw Mon founds city of Mrauk-U [6]
1437
Mrauk-U conquers Thandwe , unifying the entire Arakan coast for the first time
1459
Mrauk-U conquers Chittagong
1446
Chinese invade Upper Burma, demanding surrender of a runaway Shan chief. His dead body was given up. Chinese records say events occurred in 1448–1449
1450
Binnya Kyan increases the height of the Shwedagon Pagoda to 302 feet
Rise of early Burmese vernacular literature
1480
Multiple rebellions by its vassals against Ava's rule. Prome, Yamethin and Mohnyin break away (to 1490)
1482
Thado Minsaw successfully breaks away from Ava, founds Prome Kingdom
1485
Mingyi Nyo becomes ruler of Toungoo; stays loyal to Ava
16th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1501
7 April
Narapati II becomes king of Ava
1502
Ava cedes Kyaukse to Toungoo to buy its loyalty, and cedes Shwebo District to Mohnyin
1510
16 October
Toungoo declares independence from Ava
1527
13 March
Confederation of Shan States conquers Ava, and installs Thohanbwa as vassal king
1530
24 November
Tabinshwehti becomes king of Toungoo
1534
c. November
Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War (1534–41) begins
1538
c. November
Toungoo forces capture Pegu; Toungoo–Ava War (1538–45) begins
1539
c. 31 March
Pegu made capital of Toungoo Kingdom
1541
May
Toungoo forces capture Martaban
1545
12 October
Toungoo forces invades Arakan
1547
30 January
Min Bin and Tabinshwehti agree to a truce
1547
November
First Burmese invasion of Siam begins
1549
February
Burmese and Siamese commands agree to a truce
1550
30 April
Tabinshwehti is assassinated
1551
11 January
Bayinnaung takes Toungoo
1555
22 January
Bayinnaung captures Ava, and annexes Upper Burma
1557
January–March
Bayinnaung annexes cis-Salween Shan States ; abolishes animal sacrifice at Popa Hill and human sacrifice at Shan Hills
1558
2 April
Bayinnaung annexes Lan Na
1563
April
Bayinnaung captures farther Shan States (Kengtung and Chinese Shan states)
1564
18 February
Siam becomes Burmese vassal following the Burmese–Siamese War (1563–64)
1565
2 January
Burmese forces capture Vientiane , capital of Lan Xang
1568
12 May
Pegu learns of Siamese rebellion
1569
2 August
Burmese–Siamese War (1568–69) restores Burmese rule in Siam
1574
6 December
Burmese forces capture Vientiane
1581
10 October
Bayinnaung dies, and his eldest son Nanda succeeds
1584
3 May
Siam declares independence
1584–95
Repeated Burmese invasions fail to reconquer Siam. Siam regains Tenasserim coast up to Mawlamyaing
1597
All regions of the kingdom now in revolt
1599
Fall of First Toungoo Empire after Pegu sacked by the Arakanese and Toungoo (city) forces. Siam captures the entire Tenasserim coast to Martaban. Arakanese capture delta ports; appoint Portuguese mercenary de Brito governor of Syriam
take Martaban (1600) and Lan Na (1602) (to 1605)
1600
Nyaungyan restores central rule to Upper Burma and Shan States (to 1606)
17th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1603
De Brito at Syriam declares independence from Arakan, repels Arakanese attacks (to 1605)
1609
Portuguese mercenary Tibao captures Sandwip in East Bengal, northernmost Arakanese territory
1613
29 March
Anaukpetlun captures Portuguese Syriam
1614
December
Anaukpetlun the Tenasserim coast down to Tavoy, and all of Lan Na
1617
Min Khamaung recovers Sandwip. Beginning of Arakanese raids on Dakha
1619
English East India Company sends a representative to Pegu
1625
Arakanese sack Dakha
1627
English and Dutch East India companies open branches in Burma
1635
Capital moved to Ava from Pegu
1638
Thalun 's revenue inquest
1660
Arakanese use coined currency
1658
Yongli Emperor of Ming China given refuge at Sagaing
1659–1661
Renegade Ming forces occupy near Shan states and attack Ava
1662
15 January
Surrender of the Yongli Emperor to Qing forces
Siamese invasion of Lan Na and Tenasserim repelled (to 1664)
1666
January
Mogul Empire defeats Arakan and captures Chittagong Province
1677
English and Dutch East India companies close branches in Burma
1683
Dutch East India Company closes its branch in Arakan
1688
French East India Company opens a branch in Syriam
18th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1709
English open a branch in Syriam
1724
Meiteis raid Upper Burma (to 1749)
1727
October
Lan Na revolts; defeats Ava's attacks (1727–1728) and (1731–1732)
1735
China annexes northern Shan States (present-day Kachin State, northern Shan State, and trans-Salween Shan State)
1740
29 November
The Mon of Lower Burma break away, found Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom
Restored Hanthawaddy gradually pushes upcountry and captures Ava, ending the Tougnoo Dynasty. The Siamese move up their control up the Tenasserim coast, taking Tavoy and then Martaban by 1751 (to March 1752)
1752
29 February
Alaungpaya founds the Konbaung Dynasty
23 March
Toungoo Dynasty falls
20 April
Konbaung-Hanthawaddy War begins
1753
26 April
English seize Negrais
1755
5 May
Alaungpaya captures Dagon , having conquered the Irrawaddy delta in April
1756
25 July
Alaungpaya captures French-defended Syriam.
Alaungpaya sends a punitive expedition to Manipur
1757
6 May
Pegu captured; end of Restored Hanthawaddy
1758
November
Konbaung armies overrun Manipur, reassert Burmese authority in northern Shan States which had been annexed by the Chinese in the 1730s (to 1759)
1759
6 October
English driven out at Negrais
1760
May
Burmese invasion of Siam falls short; regains the Tenasserim coast to Tavoy
1763
January
Lanna rebellion put down
1765
January–March
Burmese armies capture Laotian states of Luang Prabang and Vientiane
March
Hsinbyushin puts down a rebellion in Manipur
23 July
Capital moved to Ava
23 August
Start of Burmese–Siamese War (1765–67)
December
Start of Chinese invasions (1765–69) of Burma
1767
7 April
Burmese armies sack Ayutthaya ; end of Ayutthaya Kingdom
1768
January–March
Burmese armies withdrawn from Siam and redeployed to the Chinese front. Burmese defenses against the Chinese invasions held. Siam recaptures all of its territories (except Tenasserim) (to 1770)
1769
22 December
End of Sino-Burmese War
1770
January
Rebellion in Manipur put down
1775
15 January
Lan Na (Chiang Mai) revolts, seeks and receives Siamese help.
April
Hsinbyushin raises the Shwedagon Pagoda to its present height
November
Another Burmese invasion of Siam fails; Southern Lan Na becomes Siamese vassal (to 1776)
1778
December
Laotian states (Luang Prabang and Vientiane) stop paying tribute, switch sides to Siam
1783
13 May
Capital moved to Amarapura
1785
2 January
Konbaung armies capture Mrauk U , ending five centuries of Arakanese independence
Bodawpaya's invasion of Siam fails; Lan Na now firmly in Siamese camp (to 1786)
1787
Defeats Siamese invasion of Tenasserim
1790
Resumes diplomatic relationship with China
1792
Defeats another Siamese invasion of Tenasserim
1797
Burmese invasion of Lan Na and Luang Prabang fails
19th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1802
Ceylonese monks seek ordination at Amarapura
1803
of Kengtung fails (to 1804)
1809
Burmese invasion of Junkceylon (Phuket) fails (to 1812)
1814
February
Burma annexes Manipur
1817
Assam becomes tributary to Burma
1819
Burmese put down rebellions in Assam and Manipur
1822
3 June
Burmese put down another rebellion in Assam, and make it a Burmese province
1824
5 March
Start of First Anglo-Burmese War
1826
24 February
End of First Anglo-Burmese War ; Burma cedes Arakan, Assam, Manipur and Tenasserim
1849
Defeats Siamese invasion of Kengtung (to 1855)
1852
Second Anglo-Burmese War ; British seize Lower Burma
1853
British expand Rangoon (modern-day downtown Yangon)
1859
23 May
Mindon moves capital to newly founded city of Mandalay
1866
Head of reform movement, Crown Prince Kanaung is assassinated.
1871
Fifth Buddhist council convenes
1875
March
Mindon cedes Karenni States to the British to avoid annexation
1878
Rangoon College founded
1885
29 November
Third Anglo-Burmese War ; end of Burmese monarchy
1886
British "pacification" of Burma (to 1896)
1 January
Burma is proclaimed a British colony. February: Burma is proclaimed a province of British India
20th century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
1920
[citation needed ]
1921
The Dyarchy reforms begin
1930
Nationalist and leftist Dobama Asiayone founded
Peasants' rebellion (to 1932)
1936
[citation needed ]
1937
Burma is separated from British India and becomes a separate colony
1938
and nationwide strikes[citation needed ]
1941
Burma Independence Army formed with Japanese help
1942
Japanese occupation of Burma . Thai occupation of Kengtung (to 1945)
1945
Return of British rule
1947
12 February
Panglong Agreement signed by Shan , Kachin , Chin and Burman leaders to gain independence from the British[7]
19 July
Aung San and most of his cabinet assassinated. U Nu and his AFPFL party prepare to take power from the British by finishing Burma's first constitution[8]
24 September
1947 Constitution guarantees the Federated Shan States (later Shan and Kayah states), Kachin State, and Karen State, the right to secede after a period of ten years after independence
1948
4 January
Burma gains independence from the United Kingdom with U Nu as Prime Minister[9]
1949
Insurgencies begin
1950
Burmese Army repels Nationalist Chinese invasion of Shan State (to 1961)
1958
Caretaker government, led by army Chief of Staff General Ne Win , formed following a split in the ruling AFPFL party. (Caretaker Gov. rule till 1960)
1960
U Nu's party faction wins decisive victory in 1960 elections , but his promotion of Buddhism as the state religion and his tolerance of separatism angers the military.
1961
U Thant becomes 3rd Secretary-General of the United Nations . Yangon hosts Second Southeast Asian Peninsular Games
1962
2 March
Democratically elected government of U Nu is overthrown by Ne Win, who abolishes the federal system and inaugurates "the Burmese Way to Socialism " – nationalising the economy, forming a single-party state with the BSPP as the sole political party, and banning independent newspapers
7 July
Government guns down student protesters
1969
Yangon hosts Fifth Southeast Asian Peninsular Games
1974
Ne Win proclaims a new constitution . Chin Special Division becomes Chin State ; Mon State is created out of Tenasserim Division . Government guns down student protesters following U Thant's death
1985
Repeated demonetization of higher denomination kyat notes; Intensification of economic hardship on general populace (to 1987)
1988
Nationwide uprising brings down Ne Win's government. Military crushes protests, forms a ruling junta , promises elections
1989
Junta changes the English spellings of geographic names, including the country's name (to Myanmar)
1990
National League for Democracy wins 82% of the seats in the general election . Junta refuses to hand over power, jails NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Western nations and Japan begin economic sanctions against Myanmar
1991
Aung San Suu Kyi is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1997
Myanmar is admitted to ASEAN
21st century [ ]
Year
Date
Event
2003
February
A major bank run in private banking occurs
2005
7 May
Bombings kill 11 people and injured 162
6 November
Junta moves the capital to Naypyidaw
2007
Junta suppresses anti-government protests , killing scores of protesters, including Buddhist monks
2008
2008 Constitution reserves 25% of the seats in a bicameral Hluttaw to the military.
2 May
Cyclone Nargis kills nearly 140,000 people and devastates the Irrawaddy delta
2009
27–30 August
1st Kokang incident occurs
2010
15 April
Bombings kill 10 people and injured 178
21 October
Government changes country's flag and its official name is adopted as "Republic of the Union of Myanmar "[7]
November
The 2010 general election gives the victory to military-backed USDP [7]
November
Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest[7]
2011
31 January
The first session of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (parliament) convenes
24 March
An earthquake occurs in Shan State
30 March
Thein Sein becomes President of Burma
Reforms in Burma begins
2012
Economic sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States are eased
13 January
Prominent political prisoners including Min Ko Naing are released
1 April
National League for Democracy wins in by-elections
2 May
Aung San Suu Kyi becomes a lawmaker
June–October
Rakhine State riots occurs
9 November
A train crash kills at least 27 people and injured 80
November
Government suppresses copper mine protests
2013
March–October
Tensions between Buddhist and Muslim flare into violent clashes in various cities
11–17 October
Bombings kill 3 people and injured 10
11–22 December
27th Southeast Asian Games takes place
2014
14–20 January
7th ASEAN Para Games takes place
March–April
A nationwide census takes place (Total population 51,486,253)
12–13 November
Ninth East Asia Summit takes place
2015
February–June
2nd Kokang incident occurs
March
Government suppresses education law protests
July–September
Severe flooding occur
10 November
The 2015 general election gives the victory to NLD
22 November
A major landslide kills at least 116 people
2016
1 February
The second session of Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house) convenes
3 February
The second session of Amyotha Hluttaw (upper house) convenes
8 February
The second session of Assembly of the Union (Union Parliament) convenes
8 February
The second session of State and Region Hluttaws (regional parliaments) convenes
30 March
Htin Kyaw becomes President of Myanmar
6 April
Aung San Suu Kyi becomes State Counsellor of Myanmar (de facto prime minister)
See also [ ]
Notes [ ]
^ (Maha Yazawin Vol. 1 2006: 143): The calendar was reset in year 640 CE. The starting epochal date of the Burmese calendar was 22 March 638. Year 2 of the Burmese calendar began on 21 March 640 per (Eade 1989: 39).
References [ ]
Bibliography [ ]
Aung-Thwin, Michael (2005). The mists of Rāmañña: The Legend that was Lower Burma (illustrated ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 9780824828868 .
Charney, Michael W. (2006). Powerful Learning: Buddhist Literati and the Throne in Burma's Last Dynasty, 1752–1885 . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
Hall, D.G.E. (1960). Burma (3rd ed.). Hutchinson University Library. ISBN 978-1-4067-3503-1 .
Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824 . London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma . New York and London: Cambridge University Press.
Kala, U (1720). Maha Yazawin Gyi (in Burmese). 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
Kyaw Thet (1962). History of Burma (in Burmese). Yangon: Yangon University Press.
Myat Soe, ed. (1964). Myanma Swezon Kyan (in Burmese). 9 (1 ed.). Yangon: Sarpay Beikman .
Myint-U, Thant (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps—Histories of Burma . Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6 .
Pan Hla, Nai (1968). Razadarit Ayedawbon (in Burmese) (8th printing, 2004 ed.). Yangon: Armanthit Sarpay.
Royal Historical Commission of Burma (1832). Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). 1–3 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar.
Than Tun (December 1959). "History of Burma: A.D. 1300–1400". Journal of Burma Research Society . XLII (II).