List of capitals of Myanmar

The current capital of Myanmar (Burma) is Nay Pyi Taw. The following is a list of political capitals of notable states in Burmese history from the 9th century to the present. The list is generally organised in dynastic and chronological orders. National capitals are shown in bold

List of capitals

State	Capital	Period	Duration	Notes
Pagan Kingdom	Pagan (Bagan)	23 December 849 – 17 December 1297	447 years, 359 days	[note 1]
Myinsaing Kingdom	Myinsaing, Mekkhaya and Pinle	17 December 1297 – 13 April 1310	12 years, 117 days	[note 2]
	Pinle	13 April 1310 – 7 February 1313	2 years, 300 days
Pinya Kingdom	Pinya	7 February 1313 – 26 February 1365	52 years, 19 days	[note 3]
Sagaing Kingdom	Sagaing	15 May 1315 – 26 February 1365	49 years, 287 days	[note 4]
Ava Kingdom	Ava (Inwa)	26 February 1365 – 22 January 1555	189 years, 330 days	[note 5]
Prome Kingdom	Prome (Pyay)	c. November 1482 – 19 May 1542	59 years, 6+ months	[1]
Hanthawaddy Kingdom	Martaban (Mottama)	30 January 1287 – c. February 1364	~77 years	[note 6]
	Donwun	by 29 March 1364 – 1369	5+ years	[note 7] [2]
	Pegu (Bago)	1369 – c. November 1538	169+ years	[note 8]
	Pegu	late June 1550 – 12 March 1552	1 year, 8+ months	[note 9]
Mrauk-U Kingdom	Launggyet	18 April 1429 – 16 November 1430	1 year, 212 days	[note 10]
	Mrauk-U	16 November 1430 – 2 January 1785	354 years, 47 days	[note 11] [3]
Toungoo Dynasty	Toungoo (Taungoo)	16 October 1510 – 1539	28–29 years	[note 12]
	Pegu	1539 – 30 April 1550	~11 years	[4]
	Toungoo	11 January 1551 – 12 March 1552	1 year, 61 days	[note 13]
	Pegu	12 March 1552 – 19 December 1599	47 years, 282 days	[5]
	Ava	19 December 1599 – 14 May 1613	13 years, 146 days	[note 14]
	Pegu	14 May 1613 – 25 January 1635	21 years, 256 days	[6]
	Ava	25 January 1635 – 23 March 1752	117 years, 58 days	[7]
Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom	Pegu	November 1740 – 6 May 1757	16 years, 6 months	[8][9]
Konbaung Dynasty	Shwebo	29 February 1752 – 26 July 1760	8 years, 148 days	[10]
	Sagaing	26 July 1760 – 23 July 1765	4 years, 362 days	[11]
	Ava	23 July 1765 – 13 May 1783	17 years, 294 days	[12]
	Amarapura	13 May 1783 – 22 November 1821	38 years, 193 days	[13]
	Ava	22 November 1821 – 10 February 1842	20 years, 80 days	[14]
	Amarapura	10 February 1842 – 23 May 1859	17 years, 102 days	[15]
	Mandalay	23 May 1859 – 29 November 1885	26 years, 190 days	[16]
British Burma	Mawlamyine (Moulmein) and Sittwe (Akyab)	24 February 1826 – 20 December 1852	35 years, 341 days	[note 15]
	Mawlamyine Sittwe Yangon (Rangoon)	20 December 1852 – 31 January 1862	9 years, 42 days	[note 16]
	Yangon	31 January 1862 – 7 March 1942	80 years, 35 days	[note 17]
	Yangon	3 May 1945 – 4 January 1948	2 years, 246 days
Japanese Burma	Yangon	7 March 1942 – 3 May 1945	3 years, 57 days
Myanmar	Yangon	4 January 1948 – 6 November 2005	57 years, 306 days
	Nay Pyi Taw	6 November 2005 – present	15 years, 3 months and 3 days

Notes

1. The date of fortification (6th waxing of Pyatho 211 ME) per Zatadawbon Yazawin (Zata 1960: 41) given as the date of foundation. Zata (Zata 1960: 53) says the city of Arimaddana was founded in 190 CE (Sunday, 15th waxing of Tagu 112 Pyu Era) while the palace was moved to Thiri Pyissaya in 390 (Thursday, 1st waxing of Pyatho 312 Pyu Era). Hmannan Yazawin (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 185–188) gives 107 CE as the date of foundation of Pagan. According to scholarship, Pagan was founded in mid-to-late 9th century, and fortified in the late 10th century at the earliest. (Aung-Thwin 2005: 185): radiocarbon dating shows the earliest human settlement in Pagan dates only to c. 650 CE. (Aung-Thwin 2005: 38): radiocarbon dating of Pagan's surviving walls yields dates no earlier than 980 CE, with more likely dates c. 1020 CE. It means the Pyu Era dates claimed by Zata may have been Burmese Era dates. If true, Pagan was founded on 16 March 751 (15th waxing of Late Tagu 112 ME) and the palace was moved to Thiri Pyissaya on 12 December 950 (1st waxing of Pyatho 312 ME).
   (Than Tun 1959: 119–120): King Kyawswa was dethroned on 17 December 1297 (13th waxing of Pyatho 659) according to inscriptional evidence. Chinese records show that the dethronement occurred in June–July 1298.
2. (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 369) states that King Yazathingyan, ruler of Mekkhaya, died after having reigned for five years. But (Than Tun 1959: 123) quotes an inscription which says two brothers Yazathingyan and Thihathu were still alive after the eldest brother Athinhkaya died on 13 April 1310.
3. (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 370) gives Wednesday, 15th waxing of Tabaung 674 ME, which translates to Saturday, 10 February 1313. But 15th waxing is most probably a copying error since it is highly uncommon to say 15th waxing instead of full moon. The date was probably 12th waxing of Tabaung, which correctly translates to Wednesday, 7 February 1313. Burmese numerals 2 (၂) and 5 (၅) are similar and can easily be miscopied.
4. (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 375): Saw Yun began his reign at Sagaing on 12th waxing of Nayon 677 ME (15 May 1315).
5. Ava fell to Toungoo forces on 22 January 1555 (Tuesday, 2nd waxing of Tabaung 916 ME) per (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 221). Ava had two prior dynastic changes both wrought by the men from Mohnyin. The founding Thado Minbya dynasty (သတိုးဆက်) fell on 20 May 1426 (14th waxing of Nayon 788 ME) to forces led by Mohnyin Thado per (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 62). The Mohnyin dynasty (မိုးညှင်းဆက်) in turn fell to the forces of the Confederation of Shan States led by Sawlon on 14 March 1527 (12th waxing of Late Tagu 888 ME) per (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 113).
6. Wareru's accession date per scholarship (Yazawin Thit Vol. 1 2012: 148, footnote 8): Thursday, Full moon of Tabodwe 648 ME = 30 January 1287.
   As for the move to Donwun, (Pan Hla 2005: 57–59) gives 725 ME (1363/64). (Pan Hla 2005: 48) says that King Binnya U learned of the coup at the Martaban palace four months into his hunting trip. Since the trip most probably began after the end of the Buddhist Lent on 22 September 1363 (full moon of Thadingyut 725 ME), the earliest he learned of the rebellion would be around January 1364. If he began the trip only after the rainy season was over, c. November 1363, he might have learned of the rebellion only in March 1364.
7. (Phayre 1967: 66) says King Saw Zein moved his capital to Pegu soon after he came to power in Thadingyut 685 ME (31 August 1323 to 28 September 1323). (Pan Hla 2004: 39–41) only states Saw Zein first had to reacquire Pegu but does not mention a move. According to Pan Hla, Saw Zein' successor ascended the throne at Martaban in 1330.
8. Chronicles give only 900 ME (30 March 1538 to 29 March 1539) as the date when Pegu fell to Toungoo forces. (Harvey 1925: 368) translates that to year 1539. (Harvey 1925) generally adds 639 when translating from the Burmese calendar to the Western calendar for Ava and early Toungoo periods, which is highly inaccurate. (The Burmese calendar straddles the Western year. In the 16th century, a little over 75% of the Burmese year fell on the Western year arrived at by adding 638. The book does revert to adding 638 in later periods.) Nonetheless many history books on Burma follow (Harvey 1925)'s dates. (Than Tun's books are an exception.) The date Pegu fell is almost always given as 1539 in Western history books although the actual chronicle text clearly indicates that Pegu fell early in the dry season of 1538–1539 (probably c. November/December 1538), and plenty of fighting ensued after Pegu's fall.
9. (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 197): Smim Sawhtut took over Pegu a little over a month and a half after Tabinshwehti's assassination on 30 April 1550. Per the Shwezigon Pagoda Bell Inscription (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 339), Bayinnaung took Pegu on 12 March 1552 (Saturday, 3rd waning of Late Tagu 913 ME).
10. Rakhine Razawin Thit (Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 11) says Min Saw Mon took Launggyet on Thursday, 1st waning of Kason 791, which translates to Monday, 18 April 1429.
11. The founding date of Mrauk-U appears differently in different sources. The Burmese encyclopedia (Myanma Swezon Kyan Vol. 9 1964: 425) gives the date as Sunday, 1st waxing of Natdaw 792 ME (16 November 1430). But (Harvey 1925: 139) gives 1433, and (Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 13) gives Sunday, 1st waxing of Tawthalin 792 ME (20 August 1430).
12. (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 179): Mingyi Nyo declared independence from Ava on Tuesday, Full moon of Tazaungmon 872 ME, which translates to Wednesday, 16 October 1510. (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 196): Tabinshwehti moved his capital to Pegu in 901 ME (30 March 1539 to 29 March 1540).
13. (Maha Yazawin 2006: 201): Bayinnaung took Toungoo on 11 January 1551 (Sunday, 5th waxing of Tabodwe 912 ME). (Maha Yazawin Vol. 2 2006: 339): He took Pegu, and moved his capital on 12 March 1552 (Saturday, 3rd waning of Late Tagu 913 ME).
14. (Hmannan Vol. 3 2003: 172–173): The Burmese chronicles do not state that King Anaukpetlun officially moved the capital to Pegu. But Anaukpetlun arrived at Pegu in early May 1613 as part of his war operations and hosted the first function at his temporary palace on 14 May 1613 (10th waning of Kason 975). He did not go back to Ava afterwards.
15. Mawlamyaing/Moulmein was the capital of the Tenesserim Division while Sittwe/Akyab was that of the Arakan Division of British India. The start date is counted from the date of signing of the Treaty of Yandabo. Arakan, Tenasserim and Pegu were united as British Burma within British India on 31 January 1862.
16. Yangon/Rangoon became the capital of Pegu Division after the Second Anglo-Burmese War.
17. Yangon became the capital of the Province of Burma of British India on 31 January 1862.

References

1. (Hmannan Vol. 1 2003: 213): 5th waxing of Nayon 904 = 19 May 1542
2. Harvey 1925: 368
3. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 2 2004: 2-25): Sunday, 8th waning of Pyatho 1146 ME = 2 January 1785
4. (Hmannan Vol. 2 2003: 257): Wednesday, 1st waning of Kason 912 = 30 April 1550
5. (Hmannan Vol. 3 2003: 102): Sunday, 4th waxing of Pyatho 961 = 19 December 1599
6. (Hmannan Vol. 3 2003: 223): 7th waxing of Tabodwe 996 = 25 January 1635
7. (Hmannan Vol. 3 2003: 392): 8th waxing of Old Tagu 1113 = 23 March 1752
8. (Zata 1960: 44): Natdaw 1102 ME = 19 November 1740 to 17 December 1740
9. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 1 2004: 128): 4th waning of Kason 1119 = 6 May 1757
10. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 1 2004: 52): Full moon of Tabaung 1113 = 29 February 1752
11. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 1 2004: 278): Tuesday, 7th waxing of Wagaung 1127 = 23 July 1765
12. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 1 2004: 395): Tuesday, 13th waxing of Nayon 1145 = 13 May 1783
13. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 2 2004: 223): Thursday, 13th waning of Thadingyut 1183 = 22 November 1821
14. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 3 2004: 33): 1st waxing of Tabaung 1203 = 10 February 1842
15. (Maung Maung Tin Vol. 3 2004: 193): Monday, 7th waning of Kason 1221 = 23 May 1859
16. Htin Aung 1967: 263

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