The Burmese Invasion of Assam

 

The Burmese Invasion of Assam

Mind Map: Burmese Invasion of Assam

The central theme is the BURMESE INVASION OF ASSAM.

1. Key Invasions (The Main Events)

• 1817 Invasion (First

  • Cause: Badanchandra Barphukan sought help from the Burmese King Bodawpaya against the powerful Prime Minister, Purnananda Buragohain.

  • Result: Burmese defeated the Ahom army; Purnananda Buragohain died. Badanchandra was appointed Mantri Barphukan. The Burmese returned home quickly.

• 1819 Invasion (Second)

  • Cause: To avenge the assassination of Badanchandra Barphukan in 1818.

  • Result: Burmese restored Chandrakanta Singha to the throne. Purandhar Singha and Ruchinath fled to British territory.

• 1821 Invasion (Third)

  • Cause: Chandrakanta Singha tried to block the Burmese routes by building a fort. The new Burmese King Bagyidaw was enraged.

  • Result: Chandrakanta Singha fled to the English. The Burmese installed a puppet king, Jogeswar Singha ("Maane Pata Raja").

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2. Causes of the Invasion

• Internal Ahom Conflict

  • Importance/Autocracy of Purnananda Buragohain: He was all-powerful, kept minor kings as puppets, and his stern measures made officials unhappy.

  • Conflict between Badanchandra and Purnananda: The bitter rivalry led Badanchandra to seek foreign help.

• Burmese Imperialism

  • Expansion Policy: Since the time of King Alaungpaya, Burma wanted to extend its frontier westward, towards Manipur and Cachar.

  • Against the British: The Burmese wanted to use Assam as a military base against the English.

  • Refugee Issue: Tension with the English grew after the British refused to send back Arakanese refugees.

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3. The Period of Terror: 'Maanar Din'

• Time Period: 1821 A.D. to 1825 A.D..

• Impact: A reign of terror.

  • Villages were plundered and burnt.

  • Terrible atrocities were committed against the people.

  • People became fugitives (bhagania), leading to the period known as 'Maan Bhaganar Din'.

  • Trade and agriculture suffered.

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4. Results of the Invasion

• Fall of Ahom Rule: Paved the way for the downfall of the six-hundred-year-old Ahom rule.

• Ahom Kings as Puppets: The kings became nominal rulers under the Burmese tutelage.

• Political Instability: The internal conflict and lack of military strength led to total instability.

• Intervention by the British: This weakness and the Burmese aggression eventually led to the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26) and the Treaty of Yandaboo.

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Q: What did the people of Assam refer to the Burmese people as?

Answer: 'Maan'.

Q: What was the King of Burma referred to as by the people of Assam?

Answer: 'Maan Raja'.

Q: What is the period from 1821 A.D. to 1825 A.D. often referred to as in Assam history?

Answer: 'Maanar Din'.

Q: What does the period 'Maan Bhaganar Din' refer to?

Answer: The period when people fled as fugitives (bhagania) due to the atrocities committed by the Burmese.

Q: Which king was popularly known as "Maane Pata Raja"?

Answer: Jogeswar Singha.

Q: What does "Maane Pata Raja" mean?

Answer: "King installed by the Burmese".

Q: What was the name of the rebellion in Kamrup led by Haradutta and Biradatta Choudhury?

Answer: 'Danduadroah'.

Q: Which revolt was also known as the Panimua rebellion?

Answer: The rebellion led by Panimua against Purnananda Buragohain during the reign of Kamaleswar Singha.

Q: Name the two scribes who wrote notes on the Burmese military operations in Assam.

Answer: 'Baishali Hukong' and 'Baishali Mung-dun-sun-kham'.

Q: Who succeeded Ahom King Gaurinath Singha?

Answer: Kamaleswar Singha.

Q: Who was the Ahom Prime Minister who became very powerful and tried to restrict foreign interference?

Answer: Purnananda Buragohain.

Q: Who was Badanchandra Barphukan's daughter, who married Purnananda's son?

Answer: Pijou Gabharu.

Q: Who replaced Badanchandra as the Barphukan of Gauhati after being held responsible for the 'Danduadroah' revolt?

Answer: Kaliabhomora.

Q: What title did the Ahom king confer on Kaliabhomora for suppressing the 'Danduadroah' revolt?

Answer: 'Pratapballabh'.

Q: Who was the Burmese king during the capture of Arakan in 1784 A.D.?

Answer: Bodawpaya.

Q: Who was the Assamese queen of the Burmese king who helped Badanchandra get military aid?

Answer: Rangili Aidew.

Q: Who assassinated Badanchandra Barphukan in 1818?

Answer: A Subedar named Rup Singh.

Q: Who was the son of Purnananda Buragohain who succeeded him?

Answer: Ruchinath.

Q: Who led the Burmese force in the Second Burmese Invasion of 1819 A.D.?

Answer: A general named Ala Mingi.

Q: Who succeeded Bodawpaya as the King of Burma?

Answer: His grandson, Bagyidaw.

Q: Who was the supervisor of the fort construction at Jaypur who was killed by Mingimaha Tilwa?

Answer: Patal Barbarua.

Q: Who was installed on the Ahom throne by the Burmese in 1821 A.D. after Chandrakanta Singha fled?

Answer: Prince Jogeswar Singha.

Q: When did the Burmese first invade Assam?

Answer: 1817.

Q: When did the second Burmese invasion of Assam take place?

Answer: 1819.

Q: When did the third Burmese invasion of Assam take place?

Answer: 1821.

Q: In which year was the Kaliabhomora bridge constructed?

Answer: 1987.

Q: At which place did the Burmese army under Badanchandra first defeat the Ahoms?

Answer: Ghiladhari.

Q: Name the battle considered to be the last one fought to revive the independence of Assam.

Answer: The Battle of Mahagarh.

Q: What was the last frontier outpost of Assam where Chandrakanta was defeated?

Answer: Hadirachowki.

Answer: Q: What was the time period of Ahom king Gaurinath Singha's reign?

Answer: 1780–1795.

Q: Who succeeded Kamaleswar Singha to the Ahom throne?

Answer: Chandrakanta Singha.

Q: During which rebellion did the Burmese first try to intervene in the politics of Assam?

Answer: The Moamoria rebellion.

Q: In which part of Assam did the Moamorias, along with the Burmese and Singphos, attack?

Answer: Bengmara (present-day Tinsukia) in Upper Assam.

Q: Who was the chief of the Singphos to whom the Buragohain diplomatically gave an Ahom girl named Rangili?

Answer: Bichanong.

Q: Who was the Ahom girl that Bichanong presented to the Burmese king Bodawpaya?

Answer: Rangili.

Q: Who helped Badanchandra against Purnananda?

Answer: Rangili.

Q: Who led the revolt against the Ahom king in Kamrup with the help of a Burkandaze force of Bengal?

Answer: Haradutta and Biradutta Choudhury.

Q: Who was the Barphukan of Gauhati before Kaliabhomora?

Answer: Badanchandra.

Q: Which two districts did the Kaliabhomora bridge connect when it was constructed?

Answer: Sonitpur and Nagaon districts.

Q: What is the length of the Kaliabhomora bridge?

Answer: 3015 meters.

Q: Which Ahom king fled from his capital to Gauhati during the Moamoria rebellion?

Answer: Gaurinath Singha.

Q: Who thought that peace and order were restored due to the relentless efforts of Purnananda Buragohain after the Moamoria rebellion?

Answer: Edward Gait.

Q: For how long did Purnananda keep the news of Swargadeo Gaurinath Singha's death a secret?

Answer: A year.

Q: In which year did Kamaleswar Singha die?

Answer: 1810 A.D..

Q: Who was made the Charingia Phukan and given a seat near the king after becoming friends with Chandrakanta Singha?

Answer: Satram.

Q: Where was Satram banished before he was killed by Naga miscreants?

Answer: Namrup.

Q: Who was the son of Purnananda Buragohain?

Answer: Oreshanath.

Q: Who was the Barphukan accused of misappropriating the gold and silver of temples like Kamakhya and Hajo?

Answer: Badanchandra.

Q: Who was the British official Badanchandra met at Rangpur (Bengal) before arriving in Calcutta?

Answer: David Scott.

Q: To which capital city of Burma did Badan Barphukan go to seek the king's assistance?

Answer: Amarapura.

Q: Which Burmese king initiated efforts for the extension of the frontier?

Answer: King Alaungpaya.

Q: Name two territories to which the Burmese King expanded his territories.

Answer: Manipur and Cachar.

Q: The occupation of which territory in 1784 A.D. led to the establishment of the political supremacy of the Burmese in the entire Bay of Bengal region?

Answer: Arakan.

Q: To which region did the Arakanese refugees flee from Burmese exploitation?

Answer: British territories of Bengal.

Q: How many Arakanese took refuge in the British territories of Bengal?

Answer: Around forty thousand.

Q: Which island and port marked the extent of Burmese political supremacy in the Bay of Bengal region?

Answer: Margui Island to Chattagram port.

Q: Who was the Assamese queen of the Burmese king, who was also an aunt of Badanchandra?

Answer: Rangili Aidew.

Q: Around how many men did the army sent by Bodawpaya to help Badanchandra consist of?

Answer: Around 8000 men.

Q: Who led the Ahom army sent by Purnananda Buragohain to stop the advancing Burmese invaders in 1817?

Answer: Daman Gogoi and Hau Bora.

Q: Where was the battle fought in which the Burmese army under Badanchandra was first victorious?

Answer: Ghiladhari.

Q: Where did Ruchinath flee after the defeat at Kathalbari?

Answer: Gauhati.

Q: Which city did the Burmese occupy during the First Burmese Invasion?

Answer: Jorhat.

Q: Who was the king-mother who made elaborate arrangements to welcome Badan in the capital?

Answer: Numali Rajmao.

Q: After his victory, what new designation was given to Badanchandra when he was made the Prime Minister?

Answer: Mantri Barphukan.

Q: Who was the Ahom girl Badanchandra presented to the King of Burma after the 1817 invasion?

Answer: Themo or Hemo Aidew.

Q: What was the main aim of the Burmese invasion of 1817 A.D.?

Answer: To safeguard Badan Barphukan and Swargadeo Chandrakanta Singha from Purnananda Buragohain.

Q: What was the relationship between Numali Rajmao and King Chandrakanta Singha?

Answer: She was his mother.

Q: Where was Ruchinath Buragohain when he was summoned to Jorhat after Badanchandra's assassination?

Answer: Gauhati.

Q: With whose help did Ruchinath advance towards Jorhat after Badanchandra's assassination?

Answer: Brajanath Singha and his son Purandhar Singha, along with some Hindustani soldiers.

Q: Who led the force Chandrakanta Singha sent against Ruchinath?

Answer: Luku Dekaphukan.

Q: Who was proclaimed as the new Ahom king by Ruchinath?

Answer: Brajanath Singha (a grandson of Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha).

Q: Why was Brajanath Singha considered ineligible for the throne?

Answer: He had suffered mutilation.

Q: How was Chandrakanta Singha disqualified from sitting on the throne again after his capture in 1818?

Answer: His right ear was slit.

Q: To which place near Jorhat was Chandrakanta Singha banished?

Answer: Taratali.

Q: Where did the first engagement of the Second Burmese Invasion take place?

Answer: Phulapanichiga, near Janji river.

Q: Who led the Ahom army during the first engagement of the Second Burmese Invasion?

Answer: Jagannath Dhekial Phukan (Ruchinath's brother).

Q: Who was appointed as the Barphukan after the Burmese reinstated Chandrakanta Singha in 1819?

Answer: A son of Badanchandra.

Q: Who was appointed as the Barbarua after the Burmese reinstated Chandrakanta Singha in 1819?

Answer: Patal Barua.

Q: Who was left behind with a body of Burmese troops to help Chandrakanta after Ala Mingi returned to Burma?

Answer: Mingimaha Tilwa.

Q: Where did Chandrakanta Singha plan to construct a fort to prevent further Burmese inroads?

Answer: Jaypur.

Q: Who was given the responsibility of supervising the construction of the fort at Jaypur?

Answer: Patal Barbarua.

Q: Who killed Patal Barbarua?

Answer: Mingimaha Tilwa.

Q: How long did Jogeswar Singha rule as the puppet king installed by the Burmese?

Answer: From 1821 A.D. to 1825.

Q: Which city did the Burmese soon occupy in Lower Assam after installing Jogeswar Singha?

Answer: Gauhati.

Q: Who did Chandrakanta Singha and Purandhar Singha enlist to fight against the Burmese after the English refused to help?

Answer: Some mercenaries of Bengal.

Q: Who further strengthened the Burmese army during the conflict around the Battle of Hadirachowki?

Answer: Another commander, Mingimaha Bandula.

Q: What did the Burmese invasion of Assam pave the way for?

Answer: The downfall of the six-hundred-year-old Ahom rule.

Q: For how long did the Ahom rule last before its downfall was paved by the Burmese invasion?

Answer: Six hundred years.

Q: What was the status of the Ahom kings under the Burmese rule?

Answer: They were nominal rulers and under the tutelage of the Burmese king.

Q: Who is commonly held responsible for the Burmese invasion of Assam?

Answer: Badanchandra Barphukan.

Q: Who do some scholars believe was equally responsible for the Burmese invasion along with Badanchandra?

Answer: Purnananda Buragohain.

Q: When did Ahom king Gaurinath Singha die?

Answer: 1795.

Q: When did Kamaleswar Singha die?

Answer: 1810 A.D..

Q: When was Arakan captured by the Burmese?

Answer: 1784 A.D..

Q: In which year was Badanchandra Barphukan assassinated?

Answer: 1818.

Q: When was the Kaliabhomora bridge constructed?

Answer: 1987.

Q: In which year was Chandrakanta Singha installed on the Ahom throne by the Burmese for the second time?

Answer: 1819.

Q: In which year was Jogeswar Singha installed on the Ahom throne?

Answer: 1821 A.D..

Q: Jogeswar Singha ruled until which year?

Answer: 1825.

Q: What was the duration of the reign of Jogeswar Singha?

Answer: 1821 to 1825.

Q: When did Bodawpaya die?

Answer: Between 1819 and 1821 (before the Third Invasion).

Q: What was the name of the rebellion led by Panimua?

Answer: Panimua rebellion.

Q: The 'Danduadroah' revolt was suppressed by whom?

Answer: Kaliabhomora.

Q: Who was the king-mother who conspired to get rid of Badanchandra?

Answer: Numali Rajmao.