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History of Myanmar
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Myanmar.
Overview
Burma was unified by Burman dynasties three times during the past millennium. The first such unification came with the foundation of the Pagan Dynasty in 1044 AD, which is considered the "Golden Age" in Burmese history. It is during this period that Theravada Buddhism first made its appearance in Burma, and the Pagan kings built a massive city with thousands of pagodas and monasteries along the Irrawaddy River.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Pagan Dynasty
1044 – 1287
King Anawrahta unified Burma for the first time in 1044, establishing Pagan as a glittering capital along the Irrawaddy River adorned with thousands of pagodas and monasteries. Theravada Buddhism took root as the defining faith of Burmese civilization during this golden age. The dynasty collapsed in 1287 when Mongol forces under Kublai Khan sacked and destroyed the city.
Toungoo Dynasty
1486 – 1752
After a period of fragmented Shan rule centered at Ava, the Toungoo kings reunified Burma's multi-ethnic territories through aggressive military expansion, extending dominion over the Shans and neighboring kingdoms. With Portuguese assistance, the dynasty reasserted Burman supremacy across mainland Southeast Asia. Prolonged warfare and internal power struggles eventually drained the state's resources, leading to its collapse by the mid-eighteenth century.
Konbaung Dynasty
1752 – 1885
Founded by King Alaungpaya, the Konbaung dynasty pursued relentless conquest, sacking the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya in 1767 and repelling four Chinese invasions. The dynasty also fought three catastrophic wars with Britain beginning in 1824, losing territory after each defeat. The Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885 ended with the capture of Mandalay and the complete annexation of Burma into British India.
British Colonial Era
1885 – 1948
Under British rule, Burma was reorganized into a large-scale export economy, becoming the world's leading rice exporter by 1939, while strong administrative institutions reshaped Burmese society. Nationalist sentiment grew fiercely, and General Aung San and his Thirty Comrades allied with Japan to expel the British in 1942 before switching sides in 1945 to aid the Allied liberation. Independence was granted in January 1948, though Aung San was assassinated before the new constitution took effect.
Parliamentary & Early Military Rule
1948 – 1962
The Union of Burma's early parliamentary years were marked by widespread ethnic insurgencies, constitutional disputes, and chronic political instability that undermined democratic governance. Prime Minister U Nu invited the military to temporarily restore order in 1958, a precedent that proved fateful. In 1962, General Ne Win staged a full coup, abolished the constitution, and imposed a xenophobic military-socialist state that systematically isolated Burma from the world economy.
Military Junta Era
1962 – present
Ne Win's socialist dictatorship devastated Burma's economy over more than two decades, culminating in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising in which military forces killed over a thousand demonstrators on August 8. The junta reconstituted itself as SLORC and later SPDC, refusing to honor the NLD's landslide 1990 election victory and repeatedly imprisoning Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Military dominance over political life has persisted into the twenty-first century, punctuated by cycles of protest, violent suppression, and nominal reform.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1057
King Anawrahta founds the first unified Burmese state at Pagan.
King Anawrahta founds the first unified Burmese state at Pagan and adopts Theravada Buddhism.
1287
The forces of Kublai Khan overran Burma.
The forces of Kublai Khan overran Burma. The royal city of Bagan (Pagan) was abandoned under threat from Kublai Khan in the 13th century. The brick temple of Ananda Pahto is in Bagan. More than 4,400 pagodas and 3,000 other religious structures of bricks and stones were built in Bagan, Myanmar’s former capital, during a 243-year period from the 11th to 13th centuries, the result of extraordinary Buddhist fervor.
1531
Toungoo dynasty, with Portuguese help, reunites Burma.
Toungoo dynasty, with Portuguese help, reunites Burma.
1824 – 1826
First Anglo-Burmese war.
First Anglo-Burmese war. The war ends with the Treaty of Yandabo, according to which Burma ceded the Arakan coastal strip, between Chittagong and Cape Negrais, to British India.
1850
Rangoon, Burma, was destroyed by fire.
Rangoon, Burma, was destroyed by fire.
1852
Second Anglo-Burmese War, where General Bandoola died.
Second Anglo-Burmese War, where General Bandoola died.
1885
Britain captures Mandalay after a brief battle.
Britain captures Mandalay after a brief battle; Burma becomes a province of British India.