76 On the History of the Burma race. „ [No. 2, 



capital, and the flight of the king to the southern provinces, completed 

 the ruin of the kingdom. An immigration of Shans had long been 

 going on — independently of the earlier arrival of people of that race 

 in the upper Irawati — into the country of the middle Irawati. 

 They had gradually acquired the influence due to their superior 

 energy and intelligence. In the confusion which resulted from the 

 destruction of the ancient monarchy, three brothers, leading men of 

 Shan race, born in the country, who had risen to power under the 

 native kings, gradually acquired independent authority. This au- 

 thority probably did not extend in any direction over one hundred 

 miles from Myin-tsaing as a centre. Before long, this Shan kingdom 

 was separated into two states, one being established at Sagaing and 

 one at Pan-ya. About fifty years later, these two states were absorbed, 

 and a new dynasty was established at Ava in a position not far from 

 the two former cities, by Meng-kyi-tswa, who professed to unite in 

 his person, the claims of the three Shan brothers, and also of the 

 ancient race of kings of Pu-gan. Ava indeed had been built in the 

 year 1364 A. D. by Tha-do-meng-bya, who claimed to be descended 

 from the ancient kings of Ta-goung ; but he died without issue, and 

 Meng-kyi-tswa was then called to the throne, as one who could rule 

 in troublous times, and possessed what were acknowledged to be 

 hereditary claims. While there seems to be no reason for doubting 

 his descent from the sister of the three Shan brothers, his alleged 

 direct descent from Kyau-tswa, the deposed king of Pu-gan, is pro- 

 bably an invention of aftertimes. However this may be, it is 

 evident from the history that the whole power in the country which 

 constituted the kingdom of Ava from A. D. 1364 until A. D. 1554, 

 was held by Shans, or persons of Shan descent. The story of the 

 finding of golden images by Meng-kyi-tswa at Meit-hti-lau, said to 

 represent those who should reign in Burma of the race of the " Leng- 

 dzeng kings of Siam," shows that that king desired to be considered 

 of Thai, rather than of Mran-ma or Burma race. The length of the 

 reign of Meng-kyi-tswa, thirty-three years, enabled him to consoli- 

 date his power to some extent ; to place a relative on the throne of 

 Arakan, and to seek to extend his dominions by the conquest of Han- 

 tha-wa-ti or Pegu. The same object was striven after in the reign 

 of his son Meng-khoung, and Pegu was invaded year after year, but 



