Pagan Kingdom

Pagan Kingdom was an empire in Burma (Southeast Asia) that lasted from 849 to 1297 CE, about 448 years. Its people spoke Tibeto-Burman languages (Tibetan, Burmese, Newar, Pyu, Tangut).

Anawrahta united the Irrawaddy valley from 1044 and made Theravada Buddhism the state religion. Its kings built over 10,000 temples at Pagan before Mongol invasions in the 1280s broke the kingdom.

See Pagan Kingdom on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

849 to 1297 CE

Duration

448 years

Type

Empire

Region

Burma, Southeast Asia

Language family

Tibeto-Burman

Capital

Pagan (Bagan)

Came from

• Pyu city-states c. 200 BCE to 1050 CE
• Thaton Kingdom c. 850 to 1057 CE

Became

• Myinsaing, Pinya and Sagaing 1297 to 1364 CE
• Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1287 to 1539 CE

Events in Southeast Asia during its time

• 938 Battle of Bach Dang
• 1025 Chola raid on Srivijaya
• 1113 Construction of Angkor Wat begins
• 1287 Mongols invade Pagan
• 1288 Dai Viet defeats the Mongols
• 1293 Mongol expedition to Java

Neighbours in Southeast Asia

• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE
• Khmer Empire 802 to 1431 CE
• Majapahit Empire c. 1293 to 1527 CE
• Champa c. 192 to 1832 CE
• Pyu city-states c. 200 BCE to 1050 CE
• Dvaravati c. 550 to 1050 CE
• Lan Na 1292 to 1775 CE
• Third Chinese domination (Sui and Tang) 602 to 938 CE
• Medang Kingdom (Mataram) c. 732 to 1016 CE
• Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1287 to 1539 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE, North and West Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE, North and West Africa
• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Tiwanaku c. 400 to 1000 CE, South America
• Abbasid Caliphate 750 to 1258 CE, Middle East

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