42 On the History of the Burma race. [No. 2, 



The two kings exchanged presents and, on an appointed day, 

 proceeded together on foot, and hand in hand, to the great pagoda 

 which crowns a hill overlooking the Irawati. There they solemnly 

 promised to observe their engagements to each other. The boun- 

 daries of their kingdoms were marked out, the city of Prome being 

 allowed to belong to Burma, and the kings then separated. After- 

 wards the king of Pegu married the sister of king Meng Khoung, 

 the princess being sent by land from Ava by the Poung-louug route. 

 The marriage was celebrated on the frontier in a pavilion or temporary 

 palace, "whereby," says the history, "the two kings were united as 

 one piece of gold, and their friendship was warm as living fire, and 

 clean as pure water." 



But this good understanding was of short duration. In 768, king 

 Meng- Khoung made Meng-rai-kyau-tswa, his son, Ein-She-meng or 

 crown prince, and married him to the daughter of Ta-ra-phya-gyi, the 

 governor of Pu-khan. The king's brother Thi-ri-dze-ya-thu-ra, go- 

 vernor of Tsagaing, was offended at the young prince being raised to 

 this distinction. He raised a rebellion, but was defeated and made 

 prisoner. The king pardoned and released him ; but he fled and took 

 refuge with the king of Pegu, whose sister he had married. He was 

 received with distinction, and from that time the king of Pegu no 

 longer sent presents or tribute which, since the last arrangement, he 

 had been accustomed to do. 



In Arakan, after A-nau-ra-hta had been placed on the throne, the son 

 of the deposed king Htau-ra-gyi, named Na-ra-meit-hla, fled and took 

 refuge with king Ra-dza-di-rit. When the brother of the king of 

 Ava arrived in Pegu, at his suggestion, an army was sent by the king 

 of Pegu to Arakan to support the cause of Na-ra-meit-hla. This array, 

 under the command of Tha-mein-phyat-sa was successful. The king 

 of Ava's son-in-law, Anau-ra-hta, and his wife, the king's daughter, 

 were taken prisoners, and sent to Pegu ; while Na-ra-meit-hla was 

 placed on the throne of Arakan. The king of Pegu put A-nau-ra- 

 hta to death, and his wife he made one of his principal queens. At 

 this cruel and treacherous conduct king Meng-Khoung was much 

 enraged. But as he and his enemy were nearly matched, he deter- 

 mined, before going to war, to form alliances, so as to be able to crush 

 his foe at once. He addressed the king of Zimmay, informing him 



