EXERCISE

Short answer questions

Q1. Which country was won by the Burmese in 1784 during the regime of the Burmese king Bodawpaya?

Answer: The country won by the Burmese in 1784 was Arakan.

Q2. From when did the enmity between the Burmese and the British began?

Answer: The enmity between the Burmese and the British began when the Burmese king, Bodawpaya, failed to get back the Arakanese refugees who had taken shelter in British territories.

Q3. Name the king of Cachar who fled to Srihatta, unable to tolerate the Burmese oppression?

Answer: The king of Cachar who fled to Srihatta was Govind Chandra.

Q4. Purnananda Buragohain died after hearing the news of the defeat of the Ahoms in which battle? Answer: Purnananda Buragohain died after hearing the news of the defeat of the Ahoms in the battle of Ghiladhari.

Q5. What is ‘Baishali Hukong’?

Answer: ‘Baishali Hukong’ is the name of a written note on the Burmese military operations in Assam, written by one of the scribes who accompanied the Burmese army during the 1817 invasion.

Q6. What is ‘Baishali Mung-dun-Sun Kham’?

Answer: ‘Baishali Mung-dun-Sun Kham’ is the name of a written note on the Burmese military operations in Assam, written by one of the scribes who accompanied the Burmese army during the 1817 invasion.

Q7. Who was the Prime Minister of Assam when the Burmese army came wtth Badanchandra?

Answer: The Prime Minister of Assam when the Burmese army came with Badanchandra was Purnananda Buragohain.

Q8. What was the strength of the Burmese army which came to Assam with Badanchandra?

Answer: The strength of the Burmese army which came to Assam with Badanchandra was around 8000 men.

Q9. How many additional soldiers did Badanchandra collect on his arrival in Assam?

Answer: Badanchandra collected another 8000 soldiers from a few tributary kings of Burma on his arrival in Assam.

Q10. What was the title given by Chandrakanta Singha to Badanchandra on his appointment as the Prime Minister?

Answer: The title given by Chandrakanta Singha to Badanchandra on his appointment as the Prime Minister was ‘Mantri Barphukan’.

Q11. Mention the years in which the Burmese invasions took place?

Answer: The Burmese invasions took place in the years 1817, 1819, and 1821.

Q12. When was Badanchandra killed or assassinated?

Answer: Badanchandra was assassinated in 1818.

Choose the correct answer

Q1. In 1816/ 1817/ 1819 the Burmese interfered in the internal politics of Assam.

Answer: 1817

Q2. Jagannath Dhekial Phukan/ Badanchandra Barphukan/ Chandrakanta Buragohain was the brother of Ruchinath Buragohain.

Answer: Jagannath Dhekial Phukan

Q3. The murder Badanchandra took place in August, 1816/ 1817/ 1818.

Answer: 1818

Q4. Numali Rajmao was the mother of Chandrakanta Singha/ Purnananda Buragohain/Brajanath Gohain.

Answer: Chandrakanta Singha.

Q5. Yandaboo treaty was concluded on 24 February 1818/1826/ 1828.

Answer: 1826

Long answer questions

Q1. Write in brief about the expansion of the Burmese empire in Manipur and Arakan.

Answer: The Burmese empire had a policy of westward expansion. Under the rule of King Bodawpaya, the Burmese army invaded and occupied Arakan in 1784 A.D. This gave them political control over the entire Bay of Bengal region. After this, they repeatedly attacked Manipur. This aggressive expansionist policy created tension with the English because the Burmese presence in these regions posed a direct threat to the British territories in Bengal.

Q2. Discuss how the despotism of Purnananda Buragohain gave birth to political conspiracies?

Answer: Purnananda Buragohain was a very powerful and efficient Prime Minister. He took on the full responsibility of the Ahom Kingdom during the Moamoriya rebellion and helped restore order. However, his strong and often autocratic way of ruling was not liked by many officials. He was seen as a dictator who made all decisions himself. This led to many political conspiracies being planned against him by unhappy officials. For example, he was the target of a rebellion led by Panimua and a conspiracy hatched by Satram and Badanchandra Barphukan.

Q3. What was the ultimate result of the political conspiracies hatched against Purnanada Buragohain?

Answer: The ultimate result of the political conspiracies against Purnananda Buragohain was the Burmese invasion of Assam. When Badanchandra Barphukan was refused help by the British to overthrow Purnananda, he went to Burma and sought military assistance from the Burmese king. The Burmese king saw this as an opportunity to expand his influence and sent an army to Assam. This led to the Burmese invasions, which completely destroyed the Ahom kingdom.

Q4. Why did the Burmese invade Assam under the leadership of Badanchandra Phukan? Give reasons.

Answer: The Burmese invaded Assam under the leadership of Badanchandra Barphukan for a few key reasons:

1. To Help Badanchandra: Badanchandra, who was in a political rivalry with Purnananda Buragohain, went to the Burmese king to ask for military help to end Purnananda’s tyranny.
2. Aunt’s Request: Badanchandra’s aunt, Rangili Aidew, who was the Assamese queen of the Burmese king, also requested him to help her nephew.
3. Imperialistic Ambition: The Burmese king, Bodawpaya, had a long-term goal of westward expansion. He saw Badanchandra’s request as a great chance to enter Assam and use it as a base against the British.

Q5. Discuss in brief about the Burmese interference in Assam under the leadership of Badanchandra Barphukan.

Answer: In 1817, the Burmese army, led by Badanchandra Barphukan, entered Assam through Patkai with around 8,000 men.

1. Defeat of Ahom Forces: They defeated the Ahom army at Ghiladhari, leading to the death of Purnananda Buragohain. Later, they again defeated the Ahoms at Kathalbari and occupied Jorhat.
2. Rise of Badanchandra: Badanchandra declared himself the new Barphukan and gained immense power in the region.
3. Puppet King: The Burmese reinstated Chandrakanta Singha as the Ahom King, who acted as a puppet under Badanchandra’s control.
4. Aftermath: Although the Burmese left after a short period, this interference weakened the Ahom kingdom and paved the way for future invasions and its eventual downfall.

Q6. Discuss the causes of the Burmese invasion of Assam.

Answer: The Burmese invasions of Assam were caused by several factors:

1. Internal Conflicts in Assam: Rivalries and conspiracies among Ahom officials, especially between Purnananda Buragohain and Badanchandra Barphukan, created political instability, which the Burmese exploited.
2. Badanchandra’s Appeal for Help: Denied assistance by the British, Badanchandra approached the Burmese king for military support to overthrow Purnananda.
3. Burmese Imperialism: Following their expansion into Arakan and Manipur, the Burmese sought to extend their influence westward and saw Assam as the next target.
4. Refugee Issue: The Burmese king was angered by the British refusal to return Arakanese refugees and used the invasion of Assam to pressure them.

Q7. What were the results of the Burmese invasion of Assam?

Answer: The Burmese invasions had severe consequences for Assam:

1. Fall of the Ahom Kingdom: The invasions destroyed the Ahom monarchy, which had ruled for six centuries. The kings became nominal rulers, and the kingdom fell into chaos.
2. Economic Ruin: Villages were abandoned, cultivation declined, and trade and commerce came to a halt. The state suffered widespread poverty and famine.
3. Social Impact: The Burmese army committed violence and torture. Many people were killed, while others fled to neighboring hills and valleys for safety.
4. British Intervention: The invasions triggered the First Anglo-Burmese War. The British expelled the Burmese and eventually took control of Assam.

Q8. Which rebellion is known as the ‘Panimua rebellion’?

Answer: The rebellion organized against Purnananda Buragohain by an individual named Panimua is known as the ‘Panimua rebellion’.

Q9. Mention two results of the military intervention of the Burmese in Assam in 1817.

Answer: Two results of the Burmese military intervention in 1817 were:

1. The death of the powerful Prime Minister, Purnananda Buragohain, which left the Ahom kingdom without a strong leader.
2. Badanchandra Barphukan was made the Prime Minister, and Chandrakanta Singha was re-installed as a puppet king, which marked the beginning of Burmese dominance in Assam’s politics.

Q10. When did the first Anglo-Burmese war take place? Where was this war fought?

Answer: The first Anglo-Burmese war took place from 1824-1826 A.D. The war was fought in four main places: the Brahmaputra Valley (Ahom Kingdom), Cachar, Manipur, and Burma.

Q11. Mention the main provisions of the Yandaboo treaty.

Answer: The main provisions of the Treaty of Yandaboo were:

1. The Burmese king had to pay a large amount of money (Rupees One Crore) to the English as a war penalty.
2. The British would take over Arakan and Tenasserim.
3. The Burmese would not be able to interfere in the affairs of Assam, Cachar, and Jayantia.
4. The Burmese recognized Gambhir Singh as the king of Manipur.
5. A British officer would be stationed at Ava, the Burmese capital.

Q12. Write about the importance of the treaty of Yandaboo.

Answer: The Treaty of Yandaboo was a decisive event for Assam and the North-East:

1. End of Burmese Rule: The treaty officially ended the period of Burmese domination, known as the ‘Maanar Din,’ bringing relief to the people of Assam.
2. Beginning of British Rule: It paved the way for the British East India Company to take control of Assam. While Assam was not directly handed over, the treaty gave the British a justification to establish their authority.
3. Changed Course of History: The treaty marked a turning point in Assam’s history. People, weary of Burmese atrocities, welcomed the British, not realizing that a new, prolonged foreign rule was beginning.

Short Notes

(1) Bodawpaya: He was the Burmese king who had a policy of westward expansion. During his reign, the Burmese captured Arakan in 1784 A.D. and repeatedly attacked Manipur. His imperialistic ambitions and a disagreement with the British over refugees were the main reasons for the Burmese invasion of Assam.

(2) Gambhir Singh: He was a Manipuri prince who fought against the Burmese. With the help of the British, he expelled the Burmese and restored Manipur. He was recognized as the king of Manipur by the British in the Treaty of Yandaboo.

(3) Gobind Chandra: He was the king of Cachar. Unable to fight the Burmese and the Manipuri King Gambhir Singh, he fled to British-ruled Sylhet to seek help. His kingdom was later occupied by the British.

(4) Daman Gogoi: He was a military commander who was sent by Purnananda Buragohain to stop the Burmese army advancing into Assam in 1817. His army was defeated in the Battle of Ghiladhari.

(5) Hau Bora: He was also a military commander sent by Purnananda Buragohain to stop the Burmese invasion in 1817. His army was defeated by the Burmese.

(6) Battle of Ghiladhari: This was the first battle of the 1817 Burmese invasion. The Ahom army, sent by Purnananda Buragohain, was defeated by the Burmese army under Badanchandra Barphukan. The news of this defeat deeply saddened Purnananda, and he died soon after.

(7) Brajanath Singha: He was a grandson of Ahom King Rajeswar Singha. He was proclaimed as the new Ahom King by Ruchinath Buragohain after Chandrakanta Singha was deposed. However, because he had been mutilated, he was considered ineligible, and his son Purandhar was made king instead.

(8) Purandhar Singha: He was the son of Brajanath Singha. He was made the Ahom king by Ruchinath Buragohain after his father was declared ineligible. He was later deposed and fled to British territory.

(9) Ala Mingi: He was a Burmese general who led the second Burmese invasion of Assam in 1819. He came to avenge the murder of Badanchandra and to restore Chandrakanta Singha to the throne. He successfully defeated the Ahom army and reinstated Chandrakanta.

(10) Treaty of Yandaboo: This was a peace treaty signed on February 24, 1826, between the British East India Company and the Burmese king. The treaty officially ended the First Anglo-Burmese War. According to its terms, the Burmese had to withdraw from Assam, which paved the way for British rule in the region.