1869.] On the History of the Burma race. 59 



adopted father Thi-ha-thu Ta-tsi-sheng ; and also from the half 

 hrother of that king, Nga-tsi-sheng. The family may be considered 

 as originally Shan, which now had almost become Burman. The 

 governor of Ra-mai-then had a son Meng-kyi-ngyo, who was sent to 

 Toung-u to be under his uncle Tsi-tku-kyau-hteng. The uncle is 

 described as a man of a more savage disposition than even at that 

 time was usual. He decided to break off connection with the king 

 of Ava, and entered into friendship with the king of Pegu. His 

 nephew Meng-kyi-ngyo conspired against him, and put him to death. 

 He then succeeded him in the government of Toungu, and : at once 

 proclaimed himself king in the year 847, being A. D. 1485, He now 

 assumed the title of Ma-ha-thi-ri-dze-ya-thu-ra. He soon became so 

 powerful, that his alliance was sought by the kings of Pegu and Siam. 

 In the year 853, he built a new city or fort in a secure position, which 

 he called Dwa-ra-wa-ti. He became involved in a quarrel with the 

 king of Pegu consequent on border disputes, and his city was attack- 

 ed, but he defeated the assailants. In the year 863, some nobles who 

 had been in rebellion against the king of Ava, fled and took refuge 

 in Toung-u. This produced a war, in which the army of Ava was 

 defeated. In 866, as already mentioned, the king of Toung-u made a 

 league with the king of Prome, Tha-do-meng-tsau, against Ava, in 

 support of two rebel chiefs. In the following year their forces 

 advanced up the Irawati, to support the rebellion of the king of 

 Ava's brothers at Pa-khan-gyi. But the rebellion had been crushed 

 before his troops reached the scene of operations. The king of 

 Toung-u now felt strong enough to build a new city in a more con- 

 venient place than that hitherto occupied. The new city of Toung-u 

 was therefore built in the year 872 (A. D. 1510) on the west bank 

 of the Poung-loung, and in the midst of the most extensive and 

 most fertile plain of the whole territory. The city was called in 

 Pa-li, Ke-tu-ma-ti. It is the custom of the Burmese, Shans, and 

 Talaings, to have a Pali as well as a vernacular name for their cities 

 and districts, which is used in all official documents. A more ancient 

 name for the territory of Toung-u was Dze-ya-wa-ta-na. 



The king of Toung-u appears to have extended his influence and 

 territory towards the north, as the power of the king of Ava declined. 

 In the year 888, when the Mo-nhyin Tsau-bwa conquered Ava, many 



