£8 o B I R I A H E M F I R E.
Modern
Hi.sröRV
gant faBlés öftfee notorious Mendez de Pînto-, the foveretgh of hyperbolic
vofyagerSi The' Portuguefe continued to influence thefe countries1
till they were expelled by the Butéh,' who obtained lettlenienta in
various parts of the Birman territory ; while the Englifh had factories
at Siriân, ttnd eVefi at Ava. «
The Birrivàhs continue^ to exercife their fupremaey over Pegu till
about thé year 1740, whed a civil war atdfe, during which the Britifli
factory at Sirian- was deftroyed in £744. By feme1 European aids the
Peguefe, in 1750 and 175I, gained federal victories OVèr thé' Birmans ^
and in .1753 Avar was Ikifiëged ahdtàkeh; the laft of a hSng lhîe $>f
Birman kings being reduced tó captivity, but twö öf Hië fïms efcapéd tb'
Siam.
When -Binga Bella, Mng of Pegu, had- completed the conqueft df
Ava-, he returned to- his own country, leaving his brother Apporazâ to*
govern the late capital of the Birman king, All wore the afpeét of
trahquil fubmiffion, when there fuddenly àrbfé one of thefe in'éh who-
are deftined, hy means almoft irivifiblë, to break- the ftrongeft rod df
power, and to change the fate of empires. Alompra, a Birman of low
extraction, was the chief of a fmall village, and was codtinued in this-
petty office By .the viâors. With one hundred devoted followers he:
attacked à band of. fifty Peguefe, whom he put to the ftvord ; and afterwards
defeated a fmall force fent againft him; and, about the autumn
of 1753, took pofleffion of Ava, while the Peguefe government feerus
to havé been loft by mere infatuation; After repeatéd defeats Binga
Bella himfelf advanced againft Alompra* and'the war was coirdu&ed byfleets
on thé great river Trrawady, as well as-by land; that of the Pé-
guefe being utterly defeated in dófe combat by that of the Birmans»
Alompra, proceeding rh his cofiqtiefts, founded'the town- rlovb wfell
knoWn by the name óf Rangoon, which lignifies “ viiStofy atchieved ;”
aiid foon after chaftifed the people of CalFay, who had revolted froth-
the Birman authority. In 17.5 6-he blockaded Sïfian, which yielded to
his arms; and,after having deprived the capital of any foreign aid by
water, he advanced againft the city of Pegu, fituated on an extenfivo
plain, and then furrounded with no mean fortifications, while the ftu-
pendous pagoda of Shomadoo ferved as a citadel. This capital was inveiled
veiled iri January 17^7; and in: ahout-three' months became a-prey to. Modern^
the Birmans. Alolnpra then proceeded-tt^feMue,the couuttie&tt^ the -
eaftWa-rd-, as far aEs «he Three Etfgodas, the, ancient, boundary. betw^tt
Pegu hnd Siam. Tavoy has been- fmce added to^the^Bitipan pof- -
feffions id' this quarter-. -
Alorhpra next determined" to ehaftifethe Siamefe, for.t^pnepurage-'
mént they haft'given to this rebellious fubje&s, and ordered a fleet to
fail to - Mêrghi,- a feia port beloagiflg to ; the, Siamefe, which,; was eafily
taken, *nd was * followed by the conqueft of,/Tanaferiiiq, adarge and .
populous city.
. The V'idor next advanced'againft the capital pESiam-j hut two days'
alter the liege had commenced Alompra was feized with a,deadry'difeafe,\
which favedr the Siamefe from deftrudron.* - He died, within two days
march of Martaban,'about the:,i£th May, i^ q ,
people,v. who at once venerated him as theft; $ejrverer,_ andas a greatI
and viderious-monarch. This^ founder of thé Birman ensure had'nob
completed his fiftieth year;.his,perfon, ftrong. and wellpro|^j|med,
exceeded the middle .fizpand though his,futures were, coaM,?his
complexion dark, and his countenance fat-urniane, there was; a dignity in
his deportment that beeame his-high»ftation,.and whi^h,-.like tha^of 1
©liver Cfomwel^.fqems to *fpringftom cq^cImSj poyr^. ^ ’
He was fhcceeded by- his fpn hJtmdogee, who fuppreffed Teyer,aVin--
farredions; and died in 1764, leaving an-infant fon, Momien, w-pfe
uncle Shemhuen; fecond fon of the great Alompra, ‘ affume'd .the regency'
and afterwards the-diaaem. ■ . :
•MShembuen, tO -divert the national attention,•^asl-u|hah.|vith
declared war-againft Siam; and in 17^6 two armies entered fhat.'cqhntfy
from the.N. and S. and, being united, delegated fhe Si^me^^é^t feven -
days jpurney from their capital., The -Siamefe,kipg-privately withdrew
after a blockade of two months,valid the. capitulated; a. Siamefe
governor being appointed who fwore allegiance-, to - the Birman fö-
vereignty, And engaged to pay an annual tribute.
The Ghinefe, appreh^nfive of the^progrefs ofthffe eonq^uefts,,. a^-
vataced an army from the province ^of-.Yunan, hut werè 'chmple^ljr '
defeated by.the Bismans. Policy fpared.the captives, who were ! g |
4. vjted-;