First Mongol invasion of Burma

Quick Facts: Who was First Mongol invasion of Burma?

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First Mongol invasion of Burma

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Series of Mongol invasions that toppled the Pagan Empire between 1277 and 1287.

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Origins & Early Life

The first Mongol invasion of Burma (Burmese: မွန်ဂို–မြန်မာ စစ် (၁၂၇၇–၁၂၈၇); Chinese: 元緬戰爭) was a series of military conflicts between Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty, a division of the Mongol Empire, and the Pagan Empire that took place between 1277 and 1287. The invasions toppled the 250-year-old Pagan Empire, and the Mongol army seized Pagan territories in present-day Dehong, Yunnan and northern Burma to Tagaung. The invasions ushered in 250 years of political fragmentation in Burma and the rise of ethnic Tai-Shan states throughout mainland Southeast Asia. The Mongols first demanded tribute from Pagan in 1271–1272, as part of their drive to encircle the Song dynasty of China. When King Narathihapate refused, Emperor Kublai Khan himself sent another mission in 1273, again demanding tribute.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1275, the emperor ordered the Yunnan government to secure the borderlands in order to block an escape path for the Song, and permitted a limited border war if Pagan contested. Pagan did contest but its army was driven back at the frontier by the Mongol army in 1277–1278. After a brief lull, Kublai Khan in 1281 again turned his attention to Southeast Asia, demanding tribute from Pagan, the Khmer Empire, Đại Việt and Champa. When the Burmese king again refused, the emperor ordered an invasion of northern Burma. Two dry season campaigns (1283–1285) later, the Mongols had occupied territories down to Tagaung and Hanlin, forcing the Burmese king to flee to Lower Burma.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Mongols organized northern Burma as the province of Zhengmian. Truce negotiations began in 1285, and ended with Narathihapate finally agreeing to submit in June 1286. The Burmese embassy, received by the emperor in Beijing in January 1287, agreed to a treaty that acknowledged the suzerainty of the Mongol Empire over the Pagan Empire and annual payments in taxes to the Yunnan government in exchange for the evacuation of Mongol troops from northern Burma, but the treaty never really took effect as Narathihapate was assassinated in July 1287, and no authority who could honor the treaty emerged. The Mongol command at Yunnan now deemed the imperial order to withdraw void, and ordered an invasion of central Burma. They may not have reached Pagan, and even if they did, after having suffered heavy casualties, they returned to Tagaung.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1271: 1271 Milestone — The Mongols first demanded tribute from Pagan in 1271–1272, as part of their drive to encircle the Song dynasty of China.
2. 1273: 1273 Milestone — When King Narathihapate refused, Emperor Kublai Khan himself sent another mission in 1273, again demanding tribute.
3. 1275: 1275 Milestone — In 1275, the emperor ordered the Yunnan government to secure the borderlands in order to block an escape path for the Song, and permitted a limited border war if Pagan contested.
4. 1277: 1277 Milestone — The first Mongol invasion of Burma (Burmese: မွန်ဂို–မြန်မာ စစ် (၁၂၇၇–၁၂၈၇); Chinese: 元緬戰爭) was a series of military conflicts between Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty, a division of the Mongol Empire, and the Pagan Empire that took place between 1277 and 1287.
5. 1281: 1281 Milestone — After a brief lull, Kublai Khan in 1281 again turned his attention to Southeast Asia, demanding tribute from Pagan, the Khmer Empire, Đại Việt and Champa.
6. 1283: 1283 Milestone — Two dry season campaigns (1283–1285) later, the Mongols had occupied territories down to Tagaung and Hanlin, forcing the Burmese king to flee to Lower Burma.
7. 1285: 1285 Milestone — Truce negotiations began in 1285, and ended with Narathihapate finally agreeing to submit in June 1286.
8. 1287: 1287 Milestone — The Burmese embassy, received by the emperor in Beijing in January 1287, agreed to a treaty that acknowledged the suzerainty of the Mongol Empire over the Pagan Empire and annual payments in taxes to the Yunnan government in exchange for the evacuation of Mongol troops from northern Burma, but the treaty never really took effect as Narathihapate was assassinated in July 1287, and no authority who could honor the treaty emerged.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: First Mongol invasion of Burma

True or False: “The initial Mongol demands for tribute were solely focused on securing passage to the Song Dynasty in China.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While initially linked to the Song, the later demands expanded to include other regional powers like the Khmer Empire and Đại Việt.

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