The history of Burma during the Ancient and Medieval eras is filled with conflict and disorder. Conflict in the form of various wars, raids and factional fighting between ruling families was almost continuous. The nature of the land influenced the development of towns and the civilization in general.

The Irrawaddy River system flows from the north to the sea. Its river system and tributaries dominated the land acting both as a transportation system and providing the fertile areas for providing food to the inhabitants. The Chindwin and Myitnge rivers flow into the Irrawaddy in the region referred to as Upper Burma. Though the area to the east is considered mountainous and filled with dense jungle, it also has rivers flowing through it. The smaller Sittang River flows entirely in Burma. Further east is the longer Salween River, which flows out of China through eastern Burma and into the Indian Ocean.

The land controlled by small city (town) state kingdoms were often followed the river valleys which resulted in long narrow territory. As a result a kingdom could easily be isolated into different parts by an invading army.

The geography produced many small independent villages nominally submissive to a larger trading town, which in turn was a vassal to a larger walled town. Being a walled town was a mark of importance but also made it the focal point of attacks. The villages and towns were very independent with the homage given to larger towns being nominal at best.

It was not unusual for the vassal towns of the same larger city to attack each other or other villages of their lord. By the close of the era covered in the article, 1600, there were still nineteen independent city-states with other villages paying homage to them. Wars were fought between various ethnic groups, over religion, for control of fertile areas and trade routes.

Various ethnic groups migrated to the region due to pressure from other migrating groups in India and areas southwestern China. Hindus from India also established trading outposts along the Burmese coast. These migrating tribes sometimes coexisted and merged with the dominant ethnic group.

If the immigrants were a large horde, then they may conquer an encountered village and displace the original inhabitants. While wars over religion, they varied from those fought in Europe and the Middle East. While friction between Buddhist and Hindus did occur, especially before 900 AD, the main reason for a religious war was to obtain sacred relics or texts from other Buddhist towns. After ethnic reasons, the most common reason for conflict between towns was over economic control with controlling the fertile crop areas and the trade routes as being crucial to the viability of the town.

Bibliography

A short bibliography of available material on ancient and medieval history of Burma includes: Armies of Medieval Burma 700-1300 AD by Daniel Mersey, Outpost Srvices, UK, 1999. I do not agree with every comment but his analysis is very easy to read and can be used as a basis for further research.

A History of Burma by Maung Htin Aung, Columbia University Press, 1967. An easy to read examination of earlier works with varying interpretations based on Burmese views.

Harvey’s History of Burma by G.E. Harvey, London, 1925. The University of Alabama kindly loaned a copy of the final manuscript proof to me through my local library at Birmingham Library.

History of Burma by Arthur Phayre, 1883. Kelly Publisher’s Reprint 1969. Considered one of the classic works in English about the region.

Our Wars with the Burmese by Prince Damrong Rajanubhaub of Siam, 1917, White Lotus reprint 2001. An outstanding easy to read work which provides a lot of detail into how wars were fought in the region.

The British Humiliation of Burma by Terrence Blackburn, Orchid Press, Bankok, 2000. Though the work covers the wars of the 1800s, the illustrations show Burmese warriors and how they could have appeared during earlier times.

A Brief Military History of Burma

200 to 1600 AD Historical Background
Ethnic Groups and City-States of Burma and the Southeast Asia Region
Notes of Military Tactics and Organization
The Dynasties of Burma