1873.] 
Sir Arthur P. Pliayre —The History of Pegu. 
129 
tary to Pegu.” Those conquests were accomplished many years after the 
conquest of Pegu, by the successor of Tabeng Shwe hti, who is generally 
styled Bureng Naung, and by the Portuguese historian ‘ Branginoco’ and 
‘ Chaumigrem.’ Both of these kings are mentioned in the Talaing history 
with the title Meng-ta-ra (to which Phra would he added in speaking of 
them); both invaded Siam, and both besieged Prome, so that the error 
which confused one with the other, is not to he wondered at. 
It is doubtful whether Bureng Nairng had any hereditary right to 
succeed Tabeng Slrwe hti. His claim seems to have been his great military 
talent, and his marriage with the king’s sister. 
The following statement is taken from the Universal History, Yol. VI., 
published in London in 1781. It professes to derive its information regard¬ 
ing Pegu and the adjoining, countries from Portuguese, Hutch, and English 
authorities. “ In 1519, Antony Correa was sent to Bressagukan (Binya 
“ Ran), king of Pegu, to conclude a treaty. That king was slain, in 1539, 
11 by some Banna labourers who were furnished by Para Mandara, king of 
“ the Barmas. The cause of the rising is not stated. The king of Banna 
“ now invaded the country, and Dacha Rupi, the heir to the deceased, was 
“ unable to oppose him. At this time, Ferdinand de Morales arrived with 
“ a great galleon, sent by the Viceroy of Gfoa to trade. He took the side 
“ of Dacha Rupi, but they could not resist the overwhelming numbers of 
“ the Barmas, and De Morales was slain. This occurred in 1539.” 
Here we have the names of the two last kings of Pegu, one considerably 
distorted, and it is Binya Ran who is here said to have been killed by the 
Burmese labourers in 1539. But that king as we have seen, died peaceably 
before the great troubles came in 1529. His son and successor Takarwutbi, 
whom we recognise in Dacha Rupi, died (or was killed) in the jungle in 
1539 (or 1540, by the Talaing history), and this date with his flight and 
death in the jungle seems to give the clue to the origin of the story of the 
king killed by Burmese labourers. 
Tabeng Shwe hti, having taken the city of Hanthawati, proceeded to lay 
siege to Muttama. This city, which lies to the south-west of the ancient capital, 
and at a travelling distance of nearly one hundred miles, was then governed 
by Tsau-bi-nya, brother-in-law of the conquered king, who had the rank of a 
Viceroy. The siege operations against Muttama, or Martaban, are related 
in detail in the Burmese Maha Radzaweng,* but the Talaing narrative is 
brief, and draws a veil over the final defeat of the Mun race. The besieging 
army numbered 130,000 men, with numerous vessels of every description. 
The whole was under the command of Bureng Naung, the king’s brother-in- 
law, who is called by the Portuguese historian ‘ Branginoco.’ 
Not a word 
said in either of the native histories of Europeans being in the service of the 
* See History of Burma race, Journal, As. Society of Bengal, Vol. XXXVIII, for 1869. 
