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9th Century: Founding of the Bagan Empire

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9th Century: Founding of the Bagan Empire

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Bagan was founded by the Mranma people, who migrated from the Nanzhao Kingdom (Shally-Jensen and Vivian 61-62).

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King Anawrahta was the first ruler of the Bagan Empire and is considered the forefather of Myanmar. When he first became king he set about instating economic and military reforms, and built a irrigation system, which included canals. Anawrahta was the first to unify and control the region of Myanmar. His rule is even considered the Golden Age of the Pagan Empire. Importantly, Anawrahta converted to Theravada Buddhism and made this the state religion (Shally-Jensen and Vivian 62).

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Beginning of the 13th Century: King Sithu II 

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Beginning of the 13th Century: King Sithu II 

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The peak of the Bagan Empire occurred under Sithu the 2nd, who ruled at the beginning of the 13th century. Under Sithu II culture thrived. He initiated military and administrative changes that exceeded his death, and the empire as a whole.(Shally-Jensen and Vivian 62).

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The empire continued all the way up until the invasions of the Mongols in 1277 and 1287. However, the empire had begun to weaken before this. It was a religious practice to donate your land to the Buddhist community, leaving the government with lots of land they could not profit of off and that they must oversee. Narapthihapate, the last King, experienced revolts from the south and the north of his empire. However, after his death the empire continued on for decades. Finally, Narapthihapate refused to pay tribute to the Mongols, and they invaded, ending the Bagan Empire (Shally-Jensen and Vivian 63).

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Image Source: Taken by YE AUNG on Getty Images on Artnet

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25 years after it was first nominated (Frontier).

Meets Criteria:

III:

to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.

IV:

to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.

VI:

to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance ("Bagan").

Image Source: Photo of hot air balloons in Bagan by ISTOCK

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Image Source: Taken on February 17, 2021 on Global Conflict Tracker by Stringer/Reuters