Talk:Bagyidaw

Second largest?
Isn't Hsinbyushin's empire larger? Soewinhan (talk) 16:38, 7 December 2010 (UTC)
 * No. The Burmese never had full control of southern Siam even after the 1767 sack of Ayutthaya. The reason is that most of the Burmese troops had to rush back right after the sack, to defend against another Manchu invasion. In fact, the 1767 sack happened in the nick of time. If it didn't happen then, it wouldn't have happened. The Burmese troops had laid siege to Ayutthaya since Jan 1766 but couldn't break through. Hsinbyushin, a very stubborn man, allowed the siege to continue even though the Chinese again invaded in 1766 for the second time. Only when he found out in early 1767 that a major Manchu-led invasion was coming, did he finally recall the troops. If the Burmese didn't break through in April 1767, Ayutthaya would have survived the siege. But right after, most Burmese left.
 * Hsinbyushin's stubbornness--to keep the bulk of the Burmese army in Siam while the home kingdom was being invaded by the largest army in the world--almost cost the kingdom its independence. As you know, the Manchu troops came perilously close to capturing Ava in the 3rd invasion. Hsinbyushin learned the lesson. The Burmese were far better prepared when the 4th invasion came in 1769. But the absence of Burmese armies in Siam also meant the Siamese were able to regain their lost territories. Siam had regained all of its territories by 1770.
 * So, no, Hsinbyushin's empire wasn't larger than Bodawpaya's. Hybernator (talk) 01:08, 9 December 2010 (UTC)