The Arakanese Navy: Piracy and Power in Burma

We trace the rise of Mrauk U as a maritime power that defied both the Konbaung court and the British East India Company. While earlier episodes covered the land-based military campaigns of Bodawpaya, this episode focuses on the unique naval strategy of King Min Bin, who utilized Portuguese mercenaries and shipbuilding techniques to create a fleet that dominated the Bay of Bengal. We explore how piracy became a legitimate tool of statecraft for the Rakhine kingdom, allowing them to extract tribute from coastal towns far beyond their borders. The conversation examines the complex relationship between the Arakanese kings and European adventurers like João da Cruz, detailing specific raids on Chittagong and the strategic importance of controlling river mouths. We also look at the eventual collapse of this naval empire when internal succession crises allowed the Konbaung dynasty to finally bring the coast under direct control, ending an era where the sea was the true highway of Burmese power. #MraukU #ArakanHistory #MinBin #BurmeseNavy #PortugueseMercenaries #BayOfBengal #RakhineState #KonbaungDynasty #JoaoDaCruz #ChittagongRaids #SoutheastAsiaHistory #MaritimePiracy #ColonialBurma #ShipbuildingHistory #Bodawpaya #RoyalTribute #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo