Reconquest of Arakan
The Reconquest of Arakan was a campaign led by the Bengal Sultanate to help Min Saw Mon, an Arakanese king, to regain control of his country. Bengali forces defeated Burmese forces and installed Min Saw Mon as the ruler of Mrauk U. As a result of the victory, Arakan became a vassal state of the Bengal Sultanate.
| Reconquest of Arakan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Bengal Sultanate |
Ava Kingdom Hanthawaddy Kingdom | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah Wali Khan Min Saw Mon (Suleiman Shah) |
Minkhaung I Binnya Ran I | ||||||||
Background
In 1406,[1] Burmese forces from the Kingdom of Ava invaded Arakan. Arakan was later divided between the Ava kingdom and the powerful Hanthawaddy Kingdom of Lower Burma. The former Arakanese ruler Min Saw Mon received asylum in the Bengal Sultanate and lived there for 24 years. Saw Mon became close to the Bengal Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah, serving as a commander in the king's army. Saw Mon convinced the sultan to help reconquer Arakan from the Burmese.[2]
Invasion
In 1429, General Wali Khan led an army to invade Arakan sent by Bengal Sultanate.[3] Min Saw Mon was proclaimed king in Launggyet on 18 April 1429.[2] Saw Mon shifted the capital to Mrauk U in 1430, where the Mrauk U dynasty was established as a protectorate of Bengal.
Aftermath
The Bengalis established settlements in Arakan following the reconquest. Arakanese kings adopted Islamic titles and fashioned themselves after Bengali rulers. The Taka began to be minted as Arakan's currency.
References
- William J. Topich; Keith A. Leitich (9 January 2013). The History of Myanmar. ABC-CLIO. pp. 17–22. ISBN 978-0-313-35725-1.
- Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2: 11
- Myint-U 2006: 73
Further reading
- Gutman, Pamela (2001). Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan. Bangkok: Orchid Press. ISBN 974-8304-98-1.
- Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
- Myat Soe, ed. (1964). Myanma Swezon Kyan (in Burmese). 9 (1 ed.). Yangon: Sarpay Beikman.
- Myint-U, Thant (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps—Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6.
- Sandamala Linkara, Ashin (1931). Rakhine Yazawinthit Kyan (in Burmese). 1–2 (1997–1999 ed.). Yangon: Tetlan Sarpay.