73-548: The Manipur Kingdom also known as Meckley was an ancient kingdom at the India–Burma frontier. Historically, Manipur was an independent kingdom ruled by a Meitei dynasty . But it was also invaded and ruled over by Burmese kingdom at various point of time. It became a protectorate of the British East India Company from 1824, and a princely state of British Raj in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in
146-568: A British demand to pay an indemnity of one million pounds sterling , and signed a commercial treaty. The war was one of the most expensive in British Indian history. Fifteen thousand European and Indian soldiers died, together with an unknown number of Burmese military and civilian casualties. The high cost of the campaign to the British, 5–13 million pounds sterling (£500 million – £1.38 billion as of 2023) contributed to
219-423: A four thousand strong British force supported by a flotilla of gunboats attacked Danubyu. The first British attack failed, and Bandula attempted a counter-charge, with foot soldiers, cavalry and 17 fighting elephants. But the elephants were stopped by rocket fire and the cavalry found it impossible to move against the sustained British artillery fire. On 1 April, the British launched a major attack, pounding down on
292-533: A frontal attack on British positions. The British, with superior weaponry, withstood several Burmese charges at the Shwedagon fort, cutting down men by the thousands. By 7 December, the British troops, supported by rocket fire, had begun to gain the upper hand. On 15 December, the Burmese were driven out of their last remaining stronghold at Kokine. In the end, only 7,000 of the 16,000 Burmese soldiers returned to
365-605: A great stir. The British Residency in Imphal was attacked and the Chief Commissioner for Assam J.W. Quinton , Col. Sken, the British Resident and other British officials were murdered. In the middle of the unrest Ethel St Clair Grimwood , the widow of Frank St Clair Grimmond, the killed British Resident, was credited with leading a retreat of surviving sepoys out of Manipur to Cachar. She was later lauded as
438-467: A hero. A 5,000 strong punitive expedition was sent against Manipur on 27 April 1891. Three British columns entered Manipur from British Burma , Cachar and the Naga Hills, which after several skirmishes with the 3,000 men strong Manipuri army, managed to pacify the kingdom. Following the British attack, Tikendrajit and Kulachandra Singh fled, but were captured. Tikendrajit and those Manipuris involved in
511-410: A lease to Burma. as the British paid a compensation of 500 Sicca Rupees per month. After these developments, Manipur is deemed to have become a British protectorate , even though its ensuing status is debated till this day. At the death of Gambhir Singh, his son Chandrakirti Singh was only one year old, and his uncle Nara Singh was appointed as regent. That same year the British decided to restore
584-516: A movement for representative government in Manipur in 1954. The Indian home minister, however, declared that the time was not yet ripe for the creation of representative assemblies in Part C States such as Manipur and Tripura , stating that they were located in strategic border areas of India, that the people were politically backward and that the administration in those states was still weak. However, it
657-548: A policy of Manipuri claims to the neighbouring Kabaw Valley . The zenith of the Kangleipak State was reached under the rule of King Khagemba (1597–1652). Khagemba's brother Prince Shalungba was not happy about Khagemba's rule so he fled to the Taraf where he allied with the local Bengali Muslim leaders. With a contingent of Bengali Muslim soldiers led by Muhammad Sani , Shalungba then attempted to invade Manipur but
730-594: A result of the agreement, the Manipur State merged into the Indian Union as a Part C State (similar to a Chief Commissioner's Province under the colonial regime or a Union Territory in the present Indian structure), to be governed by a Chief Commissioner appointed by the Government of India. The representative assembly of Manipur was abolished. Unhappy with the central rule, Rishang Keishing began
803-716: A severe economic crisis in British India which cost the East India Company its remaining privileges. Although once strong enough to threaten the interests of the British East India Company (especially with respect to the eastern border regions of Assam, Manipur, and Arakan), the Burmese Empire now suffered "the beginning of the end" of its status as an independent nation. They would be economically burdened for years to come by
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#1732788090706876-599: A severe economic crisis in India, which by 1833 had bankrupted the Bengal agency houses and cost the British East India Company its remaining privileges, including the monopoly of trade to China . For the Burmese, the treaty was a total humiliation and a long-lasting financial burden. A whole generation of men had been wiped out in battle. The world the Burmese knew, of conquest and martial pride, built on
949-535: A small town not far from Yangon, in the Irrawaddy delta . Having lost experienced men in Yangon, the Burmese forces now numbered about 10,000, of mixed quality, including some of the king's best soldiers but also many untrained and barely armed conscripts. The stockade itself stretched one mile (1.6 km) along the riverbank, and was made up of solid teak beams no less than 15 feet (4.6 m) high. In March 1825,
1022-646: The casus belli was Burma occupying Shalpuri Island near Chittagong , which was claimed by the East India Company. In January 1824, Burma sent one of their top generals, Thado Thiri Maha Uzana , into Cachar and Jaintia to disperse the rebels. The British sent in their own force to meet the Burmese in Cachar, resulting in the first clashes between the two. The war formally broke out on 5 March 1824, following border clashes in Arakan. The British reason for
1095-481: The Battle of Danubyu .) After a few days of fighting, the Burmese forces at Mrauk-U were defeated on 1 April, coincidentally the same day Maha Bandula fell at Danubyu. Sa and the remaining Burmese forces evacuated and left Arakan. The British proceeded to occupy the rest of Arakan. On 17 September 1825, an armistice was concluded for one month. In the course of the summer, General Joseph Wanton Morrison had conquered
1168-581: The Battle of Ramu , 10 miles (16 km) east of Cox's Bazar , on 17 May 1824. Sa's column then joined Bandula's column on the march to defeat British forces at Gadawpalin, and went on to capture Cox's Bazar. The Burmese success caused extreme panic in Chittagong and in Calcutta. Across the eastern Bengal, the European inhabitants formed themselves into militia forces. A large portion of the crews of
1241-646: The Burmese occupation of Manipur and of Assam , in 1824, the British declared war on Burma, which came to be known as the First Anglo-Burmese War . The exiled Manipur prince Gambhir Singh sought British help for raising a force and the request was granted. Sepoys and artillery were sent and British officers trained a levy of Manipuri troops for the battles that ensued. With British help, Gambhir Singh succeeded in expulsion of Burmese from Manipur, after receiving additional reinforcement, he expelled
1314-701: The Chief Commissioner of Assam (Lieutenant Governor of East Bengal and Assam during 1905–1912) During the princely state stage (1891–1947), an Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer of the East Bengal and Assam cadre was appointed as the administrator, first as the vice-president of the Manipur State Darbar, and, from 1916, as its president. The Indian Agents were subordinated to the Governor of Assam . The Dewans were representing
1387-704: The First Burma War in English language accounts and First English Invasion War ( Burmese : ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ် ကျူးကျော် စစ် ) in Burmese language accounts, was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese empires in the 19th century. The war, which began primarily over the control of what is now Northeastern India , ended in a decisive British victory, giving the British total control of Assam , Manipur , Cachar and Jaintia as well as Arakan Province and Tenasserim . The Burmese submitted to
1460-474: The Governor of Assam . The State of Manipur had a set of two flags, a white one and a red one. All featured the Pakhangba dragon in the centre, although not as prominently in the latter flags. 24°49′N 93°57′E / 24.817°N 93.950°E / 24.817; 93.950 Ningthouja dynasty The Ningthouja dynasty, also known as Mangang dynasty, comprises the descendants of
1533-712: The Sanskrit name Manipur ( transl. the City of Jewels ) was adopted as the name of the state, to make the realm eponymous with Manipura of the Mahabharata . King Garib Niwaj made several incursions into Burma , but made no permanent conquest. After the death of Gharib Nawaz in 1754, Manipur was occupied by the Kingdom of Burma and the Meitei king Bhagyachandra ( Meitei : Ching-Thang Khomba ) sought help from
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#17327880907061606-485: The Tenasserim coast as well as two million pounds sterling of indemnity. The Burmese would not agree to give up Arakan and the large sum of indemnity. In November 1825, the Burmese decided to throw everything they had into a last-ditch effort. Starting in mid-November, the Burmese forces, consisting mainly of Shan regiments led by their sawbwas , threatened Prome in a daring circular movement that almost surrounded
1679-428: The British cannons fired exploding shells. Unbeknown to him, the British had just received the first shipment of Congreve rockets , a new weapon in the war that the Burmese had never seen. More ominously for the Burmese, the speedy march through the hilly regions of Rakhine Yoma and Assamese ranges had left their troops exhausted. On 30 November, in what turned out be the biggest mistake of his career, Bandula ordered
1752-416: The British only needed a few to vanquish a vast horde sent against them. According to the Burmese royal chronicles, the number was around 16,000. Bandula believed that he could take on a well-armed British force of 10,000 head-on. Although the Burmese were numerically superior, only around half the army were musketeers with the rest armed with spears and swords. The Burmese cannons fired only balls whereas
1825-445: The British, but when the British refused help he went to Ahom King Rajeswar Singha who sent a force of 40,000 under Haranath Senapati Phukan to free Manipur. A treaty of alliance was negotiated in 1762 and a military force was sent to assist Manipur. The force was later recalled and then the state was left to its own devices. Manipur was invaded at the onset of the First Anglo-Burmese War , together with Cachar and Assam . Following
1898-583: The Burmese by 5 December. The defeat in Prome effectively left the Burmese army in disarray, and it was in constant retreat from then on. On 26 December, they sent a flag of truce to the British camp. Negotiations having commenced, the Burmese capitulated to the British terms to end the war, signing the Treaty of Yandabo in February 1826. The British demanded and the Burmese agreed to: The Treaty of Yandabo
1971-453: The Burmese from Kabaw Valley by 1826 as well, and Gambhir Singh became the king of Manipur, after the war the Treaty of Yandabo was signed. According to the British political agent McCulloch , by the treaty of Yandabo, Manipur was declared independent but being too weak by itself to remain so, and its position being in a military point of view, of too much importance to permit the chance of
2044-467: The Burmese obtaining the command of it, the British government has been compelled to guard against such a chance and to retain in the country a political agent, all border disputes having been settled by this officer. However, the Burmese did not agree to the cession of Kabaw Valley. After prolonged negotiations, the British agreed to return Kabaw Valley to Burma, on the ground that Marjit Singh had already ceded it earlier. Some Manipuri scholars regard this as
2117-541: The Burmese, who had been fighting in the jungles of Manipur and Assam for nearly a decade, were more familiar with the terrain, which represented "a formidable obstacle to the march of a European force". Uzana had already defeated the British units in Cachar and Jaintia in January 1824. The British sent reinforcements but they were largely indecisive. In May, a Burmese column of some 4000 men led by Maha Thiha Thura , fought their way into Bengal, defeating British troops at
2190-548: The Burmese. Convinced that war was inevitable, Burmese commander-in-chief Maha Bandula became the main proponent of offensive policy against the British. Bandula was part of the war party at Bagyidaw's court, which also included Queen Me Nu and her brother, the Lord of Salin. Bandula believed that a decisive victory could allow Ava to consolidate its gains in its new western empire in Arakan, Manipur, Assam, Cachar, and Jaintia, as well as take over eastern Bengal. In September 1823,
2263-410: The East India Company's ships was landed to assist in the defense of Calcutta. But Bandula, not wanting to overstretch, stopped U Sa from proceeding to Chittagong. Had Bandula marched on to Chittagong, which unbeknown to him was lightly held, he could have taken it and the way to Calcutta would have opened. Had they been able to threaten Calcutta, the Burmese could have obtained more favourable terms in
Manipur (princely state) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2336-474: The Kabaw Valley to the Kingdom of Burma , which had never been happy about the loss. A compensation was paid to Raja of Manipur in the form of an annual allowance of Rs 6,370 and a British residency was established in Imphal, the only town of the state, in 1835 to facilitate communication between the British and the rulers of Manipur. After a thwarted attempt on his life, Nara Singh took power and held
2409-602: The Khaba clan. They established Kangla as their seat of power. From Kangla they absorbed the surrounding clan principalities of Luwang, Moirang, Khaba-Nganba, Angom, Sarang-Leishangthem and Khuman. Since 33 CE till the rule of the last King Bodhchandra, Manipur was ruled by seventy-four kings, of whom the hallowed reign of Pakhangba, Naothingkhong, Loiyumba, Kiyamba , Khagemba, Charairongba, Pamheiba, Maharaja Jai Singh, Maharaja Gambhir Singh , Maharaja Nara Singh , Chandrakirti and Churchand are outstanding. Since 19th century
2482-537: The Manipuri crown over the state. During the dynastic disturbances and the British intervention the Naga and Kuki hill tribes of the state lapsed into lawlessness, with numerous instances of murder and arson in the mountain villages, a situation that lasted well into 1894. The child ruler Churachand belonged to a side branch of the Manipur royal family, so that all the main contenders to the throne were bypassed. While he
2555-498: The back of the impressive military success of the previous seventy-five years, had come crashing down. The Court of Ava could not come to terms with the loss of the territories and made unsuccessful attempts to get them back. An uninvited British resident in Ava was a daily reminder of the humiliating defeat. In addition, the burden of indemnity left the Burmese royal treasury bankrupt for years. The indemnity of one million pounds sterling
2628-536: The city. The British forces led by General Archibald Campbell took positions inside the Shwedagon Pagoda compound, which was fortified. The British launched attacks on Burmese lines and, by July 1824, had successfully pushed the Burmese towards Kamayut , five miles (8 km) from Shwedagon. Burmese efforts to retake Shwedagon in September failed. King Bagyidaw ordered a near-complete withdrawal from
2701-455: The coast, as well as a squadron of cavalry under the command of Gen. Morrison, attacked Burmese positions in Arakan. Despite their superior numbers and firearms, the British had to fight depleted Burmese forces for nearly two months before they reached the main Burmese garrison at Mrauk-U , Arakan's capital. On 29 March 1825, the British launched their attack on Mrauk-U. (At the same time, Campbell also launched an attack on Bandula's positions in
2774-623: The cost of the indemnity. The British, eventually waging the Second and Third Anglo-Burmese Wars against a much-weakened Burma, would assume control of the entire country by 1885. By 1822, Burmese expansion into Manipur and Assam and its "forward policy" of probing into the hill states of Jaintia and Cachar , had put pressure on British Bengal . Calcutta unilaterally declared Cachar and Jaintia British protectorates and sent in troops. Cross-border raids into these newly acquired territories from British territories and spheres of influence vexed
2847-427: The country for future British plans whereas previous envoys were concerned principally with trade concessions. Anglo-French rivalry had already played a role during Alaungpaya's endeavours of unifying the kingdom. The Burmese in these wars were advancing into smaller states not ruled by the British or the subject of expansionist goals by the British before the war began, and the British were not so much preoccupied by
2920-610: The early 18th century. In 1714, King Pamheiba was initiated into Gaudiya Vaishnavism by Shantidas Gosai , a Bengali Hindu from Sylhet . He made the Gaudiya Vaishnava faith the state religion , replacing Meitei religion , made the Meitei language (aka Manipuri language ) written in Bengali script , destroying many documents of Meitei language written in Meitei script and changed his name to Garib Niwaj. In 1724,
2993-404: The governors of Danyawaddy, Wuntho, and Taungoo. Bandula's plan was to attack the British on two fronts: Chittagong from Arakan in the southeast, and Sylhet from Cachar and Jaintia in the north. Bandula personally commanded the Arakan theatre while Uzana commanded the Cachar and Jaintia theater. Early in the war, battle-hardened Burmese forces were able to push back the British forces because
Manipur (princely state) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3066-577: The heavy cost in lives and money which the war had entailed. Some 40,000 British and Indians troops had been involved, of whom 15,000 died. British casualties were blamed on poor planning and logistics as only a quarter of the casualties were from the fighting while almost 70% were from tropical diseases. In the Arakan Campaign alone, 659 Europeans out of 1,500 and some 3,500 Indians out of a total of 8,000 died in hospital. The 1st Madras European Regiment lost 600 out of 900 men in two years. Despite
3139-494: The high-sounding titles such as Maharaj Kumar and Maharaj Kumari. On the inherent title and privilege of the princes Major Maxwell, the then British Political Agent in Manipur and the regent of the young Raja Churchand Singh writes:"Rajkumars, or as they are called in Manipur Ninthou Machas, a Rajas, are very numerous; if, for instance, a Raja had eight sons and these sons were equally well blessed with male issue,
3212-545: The killing of the British officers were tried and hanged, while the deposed King Kulachandra Singh and other leaders of the rebellion were sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands . Manipur was briefly annexed to British India by virtue of the doctrine of lapse . On 22 September 1891 when Meidingngu Churachand (Churachandra), a 5-year-old boy, was put on the throne, power was restored nominally to
3285-538: The kings of Manipur. Ningthouja literally means progeny of King ( Ningthou means king and cha or macha means progeny in which ja is a corrupted word of cha). It has 125 extended families. It was apparently founded by King Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba in 33 CE. By the beginning of the 1st millennium CE, the Ningthouja Dynasty began to emerge in Imphal River valley, overrunning the territory of
3358-578: The lapse of paramountcy of the British Crown, Manipur regained its political autonomy that it had prior to 1891. The Maharaja had signed the Instrument of Accession on 11 August 1947, which legality is argued by many, ceding the three subjects of defence, external affairs and communications to the Union of India , while retaining internal political autonomy. A ' Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 '
3431-629: The official reports' emphasis on the disparity of death from disease and combat casualties, Captain Frederick Doveton commented on the British casualties that they were nevertheless high for the troops that engaged, "in the case before us the proportion of killed and wounded to the numbers engaged and space of time occupied may bear in comparison to the palmy and bloody days of Talavera and Waterloo!" The cost to British India's finances had been almost ruinous, amounting to approximately 13 million pounds sterling. The cost of war contributed to
3504-413: The palace by Tikendrajit and Kulachandra Singh , two of the king's brothers, Surachandra Singh announced his intention to abdicate and left Manipur for Cachar. Kulachandra Singh then rose to the throne while Tikendrajit Singh, as the commander of the Manipuri armed forces, held the real power behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Surachandra Singh, after leaving Manipur, appealed to the British for help to recover
3577-512: The province of Arakan; in the north, the Burmese were expelled from Assam; and the British had made some progress in Cachar, though their advance was finally impeded by the thick forests and jungle. Peace negotiations that began in September broke down by early October after the Burmese would not agree to British terms. The British had demanded no less than the complete dismemberment of the Burmese western territories in Arakan , Assam, Manipur, and
3650-472: The refugee problem initially as by the threat posed by the French until further incidents forced their hand. The commander in chief of the Burmese army, Maha Bandula , was supported by twelve of the country's best divisions, including one under his personal command, all totaling 10,000 men and 500 horses. His general staff included some of the country's most decorated soldiers, men such as the Lord of Salay and
3723-430: The royal army. Campbell's despatches stated the Burmese suffered some 6,000 casualties over the fifteen day battle. The rest of the Burmese army, most of them conscripts fled and returned to their homes. The British losses were considered heavy in proportion as well: 40 officers and 500 other ranks were killed or wounded in combat with a much larger number ill from disease. Bandula fell back to his rear base at Danubyu ,
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#17327880907063796-530: The ruling family was divided into several royal houses. They are: The members of the Royal Family of Manipur since 1709 CE include: The royal titles of Meitei princes are: The royal titles for Meitei princesses are: Since the adoption of Hinduism in the 18th century the royal family of Manipur styled Hindu titles: During the reigns of Maharaja Churchand Singh (1891–1941) and Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh (1941–1955) their sons and daughters were given
3869-542: The soldiers were captured and made to work as labourers in Manipur. These soldiers married local Meitei women and adapted to the Meitei language . They introduced hookah to Manipur and founded the Meitei Pangals (Manipuri Muslim community). It is claimed that Manipur learned the art of making gunpowder from the Chinese merchants who visited the state around 1630 and had started making rockets named Meikappi by
3942-468: The subsequent peace negotiations. Instead of fighting in hard terrain, the British took the fight to the Burmese mainland. On 11 May 1824, a British naval force of over 10,000 men (5,000 British soldiers and over 5,000 Indian sepoys) entered the harbour of Yangon (Rangoon), taking the Burmese by surprise. The Burmese, pursuing a scorched earth policy, left an empty city behind and chose to fortify positions along an east–west 10-mile (16 km) arc outside
4015-406: The throne until his death in 1850. His brother Devendra Singh was given the title of Raja by the British, but he was unpopular. After only three months, the rightful heir Chandrakirti Singh invaded Manipur and rose to the throne. Numerous members of the royal family tried to overthrow Chandrakirti Singh, but none of the rebellions was successful. In 1879, when British Deputy Commissioner G.H. Damant
4088-557: The throne. The British decided to recognise Kulachandra Singh as Raja, and to send a military expedition of 400 men to Manipur to punish Senapati Tikendrajit Singh as the main person responsible for the unrest and the dynastic disturbances. This action and the violent events that followed are known in British annals as the 'Manipur Expedition, 1891', while in Manipur they are known as the 'Anglo-Manipur War of 1891'. The British attempt to remove Tikendrajit from his position as military commander (Senapati) and arrest him on 24 March 1891 caused
4161-437: The title Agga Maha Thenapati ( Pali : Aggamahāsenāpati ), the highest possible military rank. Bandula was also made the governor of Sittaung. By November, Bandula commanded a large army outside Yangon. There is great disparancy of the numbers ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 mostly from British sources. Terrance Blackburn discuss the numbers and felt that Campbell had exaggerated the Burmese numbers in his reports to imply that
4234-416: The town and cut off communications lines to Yangon. In the end, the superior firepower of the British guns and missiles won out. On 1 December, Gen. Campbell, with 2500 European and 1500 Indian sepoys, supported by a flotilla of gunboats, attacked the main Burmese position outside Prome. On 2 December, Maha Ne Myo was killed by a shell launched from the flotilla. After Maha Ne Myo's death, the British dislodged
4307-414: The town with their heavy guns and raining their rockets on every part of the Burmese line. Bandula was killed by a mortar shell. Bandula had walked around the fort to boost the morale of his men, in his full insignia under a glittering golden umbrella, disregarding the warnings of his generals that he would prove an easy target for the enemy's guns. After Bandula's death, the Burmese evacuated Danubyu. U Sa
4380-523: The treaty and in the territories such as the Rangoon area which were occupied for several years to guarantee compliance with the financial terms of the treaty. While both nations suffered heavy military and financial losses, the treaty imposed a more severe financial burden on the Burmese Kingdom and effectively left it crippled. The British terms in the negotiations were strongly influenced by
4453-516: The war was, in addition to expanding British Bengal 's sphere of influence, the desire for new markets for British manufacturing. The British were also anxious to deny the French the use of Burmese harbours and concerned about French influence at the Court of Ava , as the kingdom was still known to them. British Ambassador Michael Symes 's mission was equipped to gain as much knowledge as possible of
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#17327880907064526-530: The west and British Burma in the east, and in the 20th century covered an area of 22,327 square kilometres (8,621 sq mi) and contained 467 villages. The capital of the state was Imphal . The early history of Manipur is composed of mythical narratives . The location of the Kangla Fort on the banks of the Imphal River is believed to be where King Pakhangba built his first palace. Loyumba Shinyen ,
4599-573: The western front—Bandula from Arakan and Bengal, and Uzana from Assam, Cachar, and Jaintia to meet the British in Yangon. In August, in the midst of monsoon season, Bandula and his army crossed the Arakan Yoma . Moving tens of thousands of men over the 3,000-foot-high Arakan hills, or 10,000-foot-high Assamese ranges, heavily forested with only narrow footpaths and open to attack by tigers and leopards, would have been difficult even in mild weather conditions. The King later granted both Bandula and Uzana
4672-849: The whole 64 grandsons would be Ningthou Machas, and their sons again, and so on." Rajkumars were a troublesome people, Major Maxwell observed and he gave them little encouragement. (dated 1944, 7 min, 35 mm) (dated 1945) (dated 1941) (Imphal: Manipur sahitya Parisad) (London, 2005). (Imphal: W. Ananda Meetei, 2010) (Imphal, 2005) (New Delhi: Akansha Publishing). First Anglo-Burmese War British victory [REDACTED] British Empire [REDACTED] Konbaung dynasty [REDACTED] Royal Burmese Army 72 percent of European casualties died from disease (25 percent killed in action) Over 3,500 Indian and others The First Anglo-Burmese War ( Burmese : ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ်-မြန်မာ စစ် ; [pətʰəma̰ ɪ́ɰ̃ɡəleiʔ-mjəmà sɪʔ] ; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as
4745-460: The written constitution of Kangleipak was formally developed by King Loiyumba (1074–1121) in 1110 AD. He consolidated the kingdom by incorporating most of the principalities in the surrounding hills. After subjugating all the villages within their valley Kangleipak kings grew in power and began a policy of expansion beyond their territory. In 1443 King Ningthoukhomba raided Akla (present day Tamu, Myanmar ), an area ruled by Shan people , initiating
4818-591: Was a minor the affairs of state were administered by the British Political Agent , which facilitated the introduction and implementation of reforms. The first paved road to Manipur was inaugurated in 1900 —until then there had been no proper roads to reach the kingdom— and this improvement in communication facilitated a visit by Viceroy Lord Curzon in 1901. Raja Churachand was formally declared king in 1907 after completing education in Ajmer . In 1918 he
4891-519: Was considered a large sum in Europe at that time. It appeared even more daunting when converted to the Burmese kyat equivalent of 10 million. The cost of living of the average villager in Upper Burma in 1826 was one kyat per month. The British would wage two less expensive wars against the weaker Burmese in 1852 and 1885 , and annex Burma by 1885. Under the command of General Cotton: Under
4964-583: Was enacted, giving the state its own constitution, although this did not become known in other parts of India owing to the relative isolation of the kingdom. The Government of India did not recognize the Constitution. On 21 September 1949, the Maharaja was coerced to sign a Manipur Merger Agreement with the Union of India, to take effect on 15 October the same year, which legality is also disputed by many As
5037-512: Was given a substantial measure of local self-government under the Territorial Councils Act of 1956, a legislative body and council of ministers in 1963, and full statehood in 1972. The rulers of Manipur state were entitled to an 11- gun salute by the British authorities. The present dynasty began in 1714. There were two feudatory kings during the time of the Burmese invasions . The Political agents were subordinated to
5110-584: Was given the privilege to use the title ' Maharaja ' and during his reign Manipur enjoyed a period of relative peace and prosperity. In 1934 king Churachand was knighted by the British, becoming Sir Churachandra Singh. Between March 1944 and July 1944 part of Manipur and the Naga Hills District of Assam Province were occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army . The capital Imphal was shelled on 10 May 1944. On 14 August 1947, with
5183-588: Was killed by an Angami Naga party, the king of Manipur assisted the British by sending troops to neighbouring Kohima . Following this service to the crown, Chandrakirti Singh was rewarded with the Order of the Star of India . After Maharaja Chandrakriti's death in 1886 his son Surachandra Singh succeeded him. As in previous occasions, several claimants to the throne tried to overthrow the new king. The first three attempts were defeated, but in 1890, following an attack on
5256-706: Was left to command the remaining Burmese troops in Arakan after Bandula's death and the main battalions were ordered to withdraw from Arakan by Bagyidaw to meet the British invasion in Yangon in August 1824. Sa held on to Arakan throughout 1824 while fighting was concentrated in Yangon. After Gen. Archibald Campbell finally defeated Gen. Bandula in the Battle of Yangon in December 1824, the British turned their sights on Arakan. On 1 February 1825, an invasion force of 11,000 soldiers supported by gunboats and armed cruisers along
5329-500: Was signed by General Campbell from the British side and Governor of Legaing Maha Min Hla Kyaw Htin from the Burmese side on 24 February 1826. The Burmese paid 250,000 pounds sterling in gold and silver bullion as the first installment of the indemnity, and also released British prisoners of war. The war was thus brought to an end, and the British army moved south. The British army remained in the territories surrendered to it under
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