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22 BIRMAH.
story of the circumstances which led to these events,
will form the proper
HISTORY OF BIRMAH.
AT the beginning of the seventeenth century,
both the English and the Dutch had obtained set-
tlements in various parts of the Birnian dominions;
but owing to the misconduct of the latter, all Europeans
were subsequently banished from Ava. It
was many years after this expulsion, that the English
were reinstated in their factories at Ava and
Syriam, and they also took possession of the Island of
Negrais. The superiority of the Birmans over the
Peguans was maintained until 1740, when a general
revolt took place, and a civil war ensued, which was
prosecuted with savage ferocity.
In the course of this
contest, the British factory at Syriam was destroyed,
and all commerce was, for several years, suspended.
At length the Peguans, having procured supplies of
European fire-arms, with the assistance of some
renegade Dutch and Native Portuguese, gained several
victories over the Birmans, during the years 1750
and 1751; and in the year 1752, the capital of Ava,
after a short siege, surrendered. Dweepdee, the
Birman king, was made prisoner, with all his family,
except two sons, who found means to escape to Siam,
where they met with a friendly reception. Beinga
Delia, king of Pegu, returned in triumph with his
captives to his capital, leaving his brother Apporaza
to govern the subjugated country, and to exact an
oath of allegiance from all Birmans that should be
he is represented as coming from Brama near Siam. But the -word
seems to be used as denoting a chief, or as a proper name. At all
events, it was not the Birman king of Ava that acquired the su-
premacy over the Taliens of Pegu.