Anawrahta
Anawrahta was a prominent figure in the history of Myanmar, known for his role as a skillful soldier-statesman and the founder of the Pagan Empire in the 11th century. His reign began in 1044, during which he expanded his territory by annexing regions such as Arakan and the lower parts of Burma. A significant achievement of his rule was the conquest of the Mon kingdom of Thaton in 1057, which not only extended his control over the important Irrawaddy and Salween river valleys but also enriched Burmese culture through the integration of Mon artistic and literary traditions. This conquest was pivotal in Anawrahta's personal transformation, leading to his conversion from Mahayana Tantric Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism.
Under his patronage, Pagan became a vital center for Buddhist learning and practice, attracting attention even from distant Sri Lanka, which sought assistance in revitalizing its own Buddhist traditions. Anawrahta's military expeditions, although ambitious, did not result in the conquest of regions as far as modern-day Thailand; instead, he focused on establishing fortified positions to safeguard his eastern borders. His life came to a tragic end, reportedly due to an accident with a wild buffalo while returning from one of his military campaigns. Anawrahta's legacy is significant in the context of Myanmar's history and the spread of Theravada Buddhism in the region.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Anawrahta
- Born: Unknown
- Birthplace: Unknown
- Died: 1077
- Place of death: Unknown
Also known as: Aniruddha
Principal wars: Burmese Wars of Expansion
Military significance: Created the first unified state in Burma (modern-day Myanmar), linking the Myanmar people of the north with the Mon kingdoms of the south.
Little is known of Anawrahta’s early life. A skillful soldier-statesman who first ruled the central Burmese kingdom of Pagan, Anawrahta extended his control by annexing Arakan and the lower portion of Burma. His conquest of the Mon kingdom of Thaton, in 1057, brought the Irrawaddy and Salween valleys under Pagan control and enriched Burmese culture by incorporating the artistic and literary tradition of the more advanced Mons. It also led to Anawrahta’s conversion from the Ari sect of Mahayana Tantric Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism. Though he may have sent expeditions as far as the Chao Phraya valley (modern Thailand), he did not conquer the region and eventually built a string of fortified positions to prevent Shan incursions along his eastern frontier.
Under Anawrahta’s patronage, the capital of Pagan became a great center of Buddhist religion and learning. Sri Lanka, then threatened by the Hindu Cholas of southern India, looked to Burma as a stronghold of Theravada Buddhism. In 1071, King Vijayabahu of Ceylon requested that Burmese monks be sent to help revive Buddhism there. Anawrahta was reputedly killed by a wild buffalo as he returned from one of his expeditions.
Bibliography
Cœdès, George. The Making of Southeast Asia. 2d ed. London: Allen and Unwin, 1983.
Lieberman, Victor B. Burmese Administrative Cycles: Anarchy and Conquest, c. 1580–1760. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1984.
Tarling, Nicholas, ed. The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.