Title King Mindon’s Reforms and Achievements All Authors Mi Mi Hlaing Publication Type Local publication Publisher (Journal name, Proceedings on the conference on 92 anniversary of University of Mandalay, issue no., page no August , 2019 etc.) During the Second Anglo-Myanmar War, Prince Mindon revolted against his reingning brother King Pagan. When he ascended the throne, King Mindon realized that the urgent reformation was necessary to maintain his throne and independence of his kingdom. This paper primarily deals with the reformations of King Mindon in administration, religion and foreign relations. In Abstract administration matters, discussion is made on the transformation from old to new administration system. In religious matters, discussion is made on the king’s efforts for purifications of Buddhist religion and appointment of Thathanabaing primate. This paper also examines the King Mindon’s attempts to facilitate the foreign relations and perpetuation of the independence of kingdom. administration, religion, foreign relations, reforms Keywords Citation Issue Date 2019 KING MINDON’S REFORMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Mi Mi Hlaing ABSTRACT During the Second Anglo-Myanmar War, Prince Mindon revolted against his reingning brother King Pagan. When he ascended the throne, King Mindon realized that the urgent reformation was necessary to maintain his throne and independence of his kingdom. This paper primarily deals with the reformations of King Mindon in administration, religion and foreign relations. In administration matters, discussion is made on the transformation from old to new administration system. In religious matters, discussion is made on the king’s efforts for purifications of Buddhist religion and appointment of Thathanabaing primate. This paper also examines the King Mindon’s attempts to facilitate the foreign relations and perpetuation of the independence of kingdom. Keywords: administration, religion, foreign relations, reforms Introduction Of the eleven kings of the Konbaung dynasty, the longest reigning monarchs who devoted themselves in the development of kingdom were King Badon (1782-1819) and King Mindon (1853-1878). King Mindon ascended the throne of Amarapura on 17 February 1853 assuming the title of “Thiri Thudhamma Tiloka Pavara Maha Dhammarajadiraja”.1 He and his younger brother Prince Kanaung were sons of King Tharawadi by Taungsaungdaw Miphaya- Queen of Southern Chamber. When King Tharawadi fell sick, Prince Pagan took respobility of the administration by taking help from Prince Mindon.2When Prince Mindon became king on 27 February 1847, Prince Mindon and Prince Mekkhaya; the senior princes of the court, were allowed to handle the affairs of the state through Hluttaw.3This experience helped King Mindon to motivate himself for reformation of the kingdom after his successful rebellion. Discussions During the reign of King Pagan the Second Anglo-Myanmar War broke in 1852.4 While the Myanmar troops were facing with the powerful enemy to defend *Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Mandalay 1 U Maung Maung Tin, Konbaung-set Maha Yazawindawgyi (The Great chronicle of the Konbaung Dynasty), Vol,III,4th Published, Yangon, Yar-pyi Book House,2004.p.11(Henceforth: Maung Maung Tin,2004) 2 Taik Soe, Mindon Min (King Mindon), Yangon, Yar-pyi Book House,1998,p.9 (Henceforth: Taik Soe,1998) 3 Maung Maung Tin,2004,56-7 4 Dr,Toe Hla, Alaungmintayagyi Ei Konbaung Shwepyi (Konbaung Dynasty of King Alaungmintaya) 2nd Published, Yangon, Sarpay Loka Book House, 2002,p.115 (Henceforth: Toe Hla,2002) national prestige, Prince Mindon and his brother Prince Kanaung staged a coup against King Pagan. Prince Mindon completed the rebellion by taking Shwebo as his stronghold. He reigned in Shwebo for nine months. On 20 November 1853, he moved back to Amarapura.5 Before he ascended to the throne, King Mindon, on 5 January 1853, sent Maha Minkhaung Thihathu, Kalawun - Officer in charge of foreigners, to the British troops encamping at Pyay. Kalawun was accompanies by Minhla Thiri Minhtin, Amaukwun –Commandant of Royal Artillery. Myanmar delegation informed the British that Myanmar forces would not precede the war and offered terms of peace and friendship.6 King Mindon gave priority to practice appeasement policy in dealing with the British. After his accession to the throne, he one-sidely stopped the war. He also understood that it is needed to overhaul the traditional administration.7 King Mindon wanted to achieve centralization of power to strong the kingdom and then he carried out administration reforms. After the Second Anglo-Myanmar War, the territories located to the south of Myei-dè. The kingdom of Myanmar became a land-locked state. The loss of Lower Myanmar brought about the ruin of economy because the king had no more access to obtain rice, salt fishery products as well as lost the sources of revenues. The military disaster diminished the national prestige. This situation became the motivation for reformation. 8 In other words, the loss of revenue from seaborne trade, ports and human resources devastated the economy and closed the outlet to dealing with the outside world. Indeed, King Mindon carried out his task of new state in vague way. The transformed the four sectors; namely, administration, economy, social and religious sectors which were important facades of society and kingdom.9 The basic achievement of King Mindon for the kingdom was administration. In King Pagan’ time, the administration was in state of chaos. The king entrusted administrative matters to his favourite officials. The bribery and corruption were usual practices among the court officials. King Mindon knew that the fief granting system10 5 U Taikkha Dhamma Linkara & Dr Than Tun , Myanmar Rakswè Thamaing ( History of Myanmar Chronology), 3rd published, Yangon, Seik-ku Cho Cho Book House, 2012,p.295- 6(Henceforth: U Taikkha, 2012) 6 Maung Maung Tin,2004,105 7 Toe Hla, 2002,115 8 Toe Hla, 2002, 65-6 9 Dr Toe Hla, Ko-hti Ko-nan Ko-kya-ngan Hnint (A Study on the Palace as the center of Power and Sovereignty), Yangon, Lin Yadana Book House, 2005, p.141 (Henceforth: Toe Hla.2005) 10 U Thein Hlaing, Myanmar-English Dictionary of Ancient Myanmar Historical Terms, Yangon, Department of Historical Research and National Library, 2016,p.8 to the court official was the source of corruption. When the fief holding court officials submitted the prescribed portion of revenue to the king, they embezzled money for themselves.11 In some case, they imposed extra taxes in their jurisdiction. The king, therefore, expected to practice the salary system by which he enabled to control his court officials and to produce more revenue for royal treasury. The basic salary of a minister in King Mindon reign was 1000 kyats. The minister received the salary in two installments in a month. The royal order, issued to promote Kinwun Mingyi Thado Minhla Sithu to Wungyi status, dated 16 January 1857, mentions that Kinwun Mingyi received 12,000 kyats as a annual salary. 12 Laung-shei Myosa Wungyi , Yenangyaung Myosa Wungyi, Khanpat Myosa Wungyi and Legaing Myosa Wungyi received 1000 kyats each as monthly income. 13 Atwin-wun- the privy counselor received 660 kyats and Wundauk 500 kyats per monthly even though their rank was supposed to be higher than that of Wundauk. The salary system benefitted the king to squeeze more revenue and to diminish the power of court officials. The court officials naturally disliked the salary system because the fief-granting system created the big fortune for them. However, the king continued his plan by setting aside the wishes of court officials.14 Pakhan Mingyi, ex-royal tutor of the king, received 1000 kyat. He given 500 kyats to his wife and divided the remnant among his retainers. 15 It is interesting note that Myin-zu (Cavalry Group), The-nat-su (Musketeers) and others did not receive their salary through the twelve months of 1871.16 Sometimes, the salary was issued once in two months or six months. The irregular payment of salary was partly due to the lack of running of royal mint in full capacity. The first step of the king to overhaul traditional administration was the abolishment of fief-granting system which the imposition of revenue increased to some extent.17Other reformation of King Mindon was the introduction of thathameda 11 U Tin, Myanmar Min Ok Chokpon Sadan (Administration under Myanmar Kings). Vol.III, Yangon, Pa Ho Press, 1970,p.51-4 ( Henceforth: U Tin,a 1970) 12 Dr Than Tun , Royal Order of Burma,part IX,(AD 1853-1885),Kyoto,Center for Southeast Asian Studies.Kyoto University,1989,87 (Henceforth:Than Tun,1989) 13 Sir.George Scott,Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States,Volume I, Rangoon ,Government Printing,1901,483(Henceforth:GUBSS,1901) 14 Ma Kyan, Thamaing Sharpontaw Khayee hniht Achar Sartanmya ( Searching the Myanmar History and Others), Yangon, Myanmar Yadana Sarpay,2002, p.46 (Henceforth: Ma Kyan, 2002) 15 Hmawbi Saya Thein, Myanmar Wungyi Matgyi –mya Ahtokpati (Biography of Myanmar Ministers) Yangon, Aye Aye Published House, 1967, p.29-33 16 Taw Sein Ko, Hluttaw Hmattam, (Records of Hluttaw), Yangon. Hanthawadi Publishing House, 1970, p.258 17 Toe Hla, 2005, 142 tax. It was theoretically an income to replace all other existing customary taxes and fees. On May 14, 1857 athi-commoner people of Innwa were instructed not to pay other customary taxes, but to pay thathameda tax or one-tenth of their income.18 In 1861 King Mindon appointed four akhun-wuns -revenue officers to impose thathameda tax after excluding religious bondsmen such as monastery slaves, pagoda slaves, and glebe lands. These akhun-wuns were Maha Mingaung Thihathu who had to take charge in the southern regions, Maha Thiri Thikhaya who was assigned to collect tax in the western part and Thittawun- forest officer Maha Minkyaw Sithu who was responsible to the northern part. The king justify himself that the imposition of thathameda tax was the privilege of the righteous kings like Mahathamada.19On 22 May 1868, ministers of Hluttaw issued the rules in imposition of tax.