Assam GK Topic

What Were The Causes, Events, And Consequences Of The Burmese Invasion Of Assam (1817 To 1826)?

The Burmese Invasion of Assam (1817 to 1826) was one of the most devastating episodes in Northeast Indian history. During this period, the Burmese Empire launched three major military invasions that shattered the Ahom Kingdom, caused widespread destruction, and ultimately paved the way for British colonial rule. Locally remembered as Manor Din, or the Days of the Burmese, this era witnessed mass killings, population displacement, and the collapse of a dynasty that had ruled Assam for nearly 600 years.
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Burmese Invasion of Assam: Causes, Timeline, Impact and Aftermath (1817 to 1826)

Background and Causes of the Burmese Invasion

By the early nineteenth century, the Ahom Kingdom had weakened due to internal conflicts, incompetent rulers, and rivalry among nobles. After the death of Kamaleswar Singha in 1811, his brother Chandrakanta Singha, still a minor, was placed on the throne. Real power fell into the hands of Purnananda Buragohain, who became the de facto ruler.

Chandrakanta Singha later attempted to free himself from noble control, particularly through his close association with Satram, whom he appointed Charingiya Phukan. Satram's rise angered the Ahom nobility and led to a conspiracy against Purnananda Buragohain, which failed. Satram was banished and later killed, but political instability deepened.

Another turning point came when Badan Chandra Borphukan was appointed as the Barphukan of Lower Assam. His oppressive rule and rivalry with Purnananda Buragohain led to conflict. When Purnananda tried to arrest him, Badan Chandra fled first to Bengal seeking British support, which was refused. He then approached the Burmese court, where his request was welcomed. The Burmese, already pursuing imperial expansion, saw Assam's instability as a strategic opportunity.

Thus, the Burmese invasions were driven by:

  • Ahom political chaos

  • Personal rivalries among nobles

  • Burmese imperial ambitions in Northeast India

First Burmese Invasion (1817)

The First Burmese Invasion began in March 1817, when Burmese King Badawpaya sent an army of about 8,000 soldiers, which later increased to nearly 16,000 while passing through the Patkai-Nongyang route with the support of local chiefs. This invasion was led at the request of Badan Chandra Borphukan.

During this time:

  • Purnananda Buragohain died upon hearing of the Burmese advance.

  • Burmese forces defeated Ahom troops and suppressed resistance.

  • Chandrakanta Singha was reinstated on the throne.

  • Badan Chandra Borphukan emerged as the real power behind the throne.

After imposing a heavy war indemnity, the Burmese forces withdrew, leaving Assam politically unstable.

Second Burmese Invasion (1819)

Following the Burmese withdrawal, Assam plunged deeper into anarchy:

  • Badan Chandra Borphukan was assassinated.

  • Chandrakanta Singha was deposed and mutilated.

  • Purandar Singha was placed on the throne.

Enraged by these developments, the Burmese king dispatched a large army under Alamingi in 1819. The Burmese defeated resistance, advanced to Jorhat, and restored Chandrakanta Singha as king. Purandar Singha fled to Guwahati. Though Alamingi withdrew in April 1819, Mingimaha Tilwa was left behind with a military force to supervise Assam's affairs, signaling growing Burmese influence.

Third Burmese Invasion and Direct Rule (1821 to 1825)

By 1821, Chandrakanta Singha grew suspicious of Burmese intentions and began constructing a fort at Jaipur to prepare for conflict. Burmese King Bagyidaw, offended by this move, sent royal gifts but also ordered the killing of Patalang, the fort's supervisor. Fearing retaliation, Chandrakanta fled, first to Guwahati and later to Calcutta.

The Burmese then:

  • Installed Jogeswar Singha as a puppet king in 1821.

  • Established direct control over Assam, turning it into a Burmese province.

  • Suppressed resistance with extreme brutality.

Chandrakanta Singha attempted to reclaim Assam but was decisively defeated at the Battle of Hadira Chowki in June 1822. From this point onward, Burmese authority remained unchallenged until British intervention.

This phase of Burmese dominance, remembered as Manor Din, was marked by:

  • Mass killings and forced migrations

  • Destruction of villages and agriculture

  • Sharp decline in population

  • Complete breakdown of Ahom administration

British Intervention and the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824 to 1826)

The Burmese occupation of Assam alarmed the British East India Company, as Burmese forces had already taken control of Manipur and threatened Cachar, Sylhet, and Bengal. The situation escalated when Burma occupied Shahpuri Island on the Chittagong frontier in 1823.

British officer David Scott, stationed on the Northeast frontier, warned that Burmese forces could invade Bengal through Assam, Manipur, or Cachar. Acting on his recommendation, Governor-General Lord Amherst declared war on Burma on 5 March 1824, beginning the First Anglo-Burmese War.

In Assam:

  • British forces under Lieutenant Colonel George Mac Moraine, later succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Richards, advanced through the Brahmaputra Valley.

  • Guwahati was captured without resistance in March 1824.

  • By April 1824, Guwahati, Raha, and Nowgong were under British control.

  • After monsoon delays, operations resumed in late 1824.

  • The Burmese retreated to Rangpur, but were forced to abandon it in March 1825 due to shortages, internal conflicts, and lack of reinforcements.

With Rangpur's fall, Assam was effectively freed from Burmese occupation. Campaigns in Arakan and Rangoon continued until early 1826.

Treaty of Yandaboo and End of Burmese Rule (1826)

The Burmese, unable to resist further, sued for peace. On 24 February 1826, the Treaty of Yandaboo was signed between the Burmese government and the British East India Company. Under this treaty:

  • Burma renounced all claims over Assam.

  • Assam came under British control.

  • The First Anglo-Burmese War formally ended.

This treaty reshaped the political boundaries of Northeast India and marked the beginning of British colonial rule in Assam.

Impact of the Burmese Invasion of Assam

The Burmese invasions had long-lasting consequences:

  • End of Ahom Dynasty: The 600-year-old Ahom rule effectively collapsed.

  • Demographic Disaster: Large sections of the population were killed or displaced.

  • Economic Destruction: Agriculture, villages, and trade networks were ruined.

  • Political Transformation: Assam passed from Ahom rule to Burmese occupation and then to British administration.

  • Colonial Expansion: The invasions directly facilitated British dominance in Northeast India.

Main Highlights

  • Period: 1817 to 1826

  • Local name: Manor Din

  • Number of invasions: Three

  • Key figures: Chandrakanta Singha, Badan Chandra Borphukan, Purnananda Buragohain, Jogeswar Singha, David Scott

  • Key battles: Hadira Chowki (1822)

  • Foreign war: First Anglo-Burmese War (1824 to 1826)

  • Final outcome: Treaty of Yandaboo, British control over Assam