Lecture No. 11: Buddhism in Nyaung Yan Period [contd.]

Lecture No. XI Buddhism in Nyaung Yan Period [contd.]

1.    He married his son Simon de Britto to the princess daughter of the Lord of Martaban so that one day he would establish a Portuguese dynasty at the capital Hamsavadi.

2.    He even turned to several acts of sacrilege and blasphemy on Buddhism by looting and destroying Buddhist temples monasteries and pagodas and slandering Buddhist teachings. Treasures – gold and jewels were looted from the shrines. Bells were melted down to make cannon ball. The biggest bronze bell of the time on the platform of Shwedagon Pagoda donated by King Dhammazedi was brought down by de Britto and his men and put it on a ferry ship to take it to Thanhlyin. Unable to bear the load the ship slide and the bell went down to the bottom of the Dawbon creek where it still lies in its watery grave.

3.    de Britto even went further to overthrow MyanmarKing and take his throne by force. He made a secret alliance with one of the uncles of Inwa King Maha Dhammayaza or commonly known as "Anauk-pet-lun". This uncle was Nat Shin Naung the viceroy of Taungoo, Nat Shin Naung haboured a grudge against his nephew king. De Britto approached Nat Shin Naung and the two agreed to revolt against the Inwa king and to divide the kingdom between them if the succeeded. Nat Shin Naung invited de Britto to take Taungoo first.

4.    When the news of de Britto's activities were reported to the Rakhine and Inwa Kings the two entered into a military alliance to fight their common enemy de Britto and to stamp out the Portuguese strongholds from Myanmar soil.

5.    While the Inwa King marched on to Thanhlyin by land and water, the Rakhine King did the same from his kingdom. The two laid sieges to de Britto'sstronghold. But strong fortresses, navy army and artillery enabled Portuguese soldiers under de Britto's command to hold out the besiegers. Within his fortified seaport town with enough food, de Britto was quite secured. Besides he received support from the Pope at Rome and Alfonso Albuquerque the Portuguese viceroy at Goa, who had sent out an armada to help de Britto.

6.    After long months of besiege the combined forces of Inwa and Rakhine became almost exhausted. But they adopted a new tactics. From their camp sites to the walls of Thanhlyintunnels were dug secretly. Through these tunnels Inwa and Rakhine soldiers secretly went into the fortified town at night and got hold of Portuguese guard sentries and patrols. At many places underneath the fortified walls fires were burn causing walls collapse due to heat. In that way beseigers gained entry into Thanhlyin which fell into the hand of Inwa and Rakine. The entire Portuguese community and their followers were captured including the leader de Britto and his abettor Nat Shin Naung who the Portuguese claimed, became a Christian convert with a Christian name "Johan".