First Anglo-Burmese War begins and the British take Rangoon
- When
- 1824
- Where
- Arakan; Ramu, Bengal (near Cox's Bazar); Yangon
- Episodes
- 3
The First Anglo-Burmese War began in March 1824 following border clashes in Arakan. In May, British forces under Archibald Campbell captured Rangoon, taking the city by surprise. This initial phase established a foothold in Lower Burma, setting the stage for subsequent campaigns against the Konbaung dynasty.
Episodes
- Outbreak of Hostilities
The war formally began on 5 March 1824 following border clashes in Arakan, marking the start of the conflict.
- Capture of Rangoon
British forces took Rangoon by surprise on 11 May 1824, establishing a foothold in Lower Burma.
- Battle of Ramu
Burmese forces defeated British troops at Ramu in Bengal on 17 May 1824, an early engagement in the opening campaign.
Background and detail
Background. Tensions escalated due to Burmese expansion into Manipur and Assam, creating pressure on British Bengal. A specific incident in September 1823 involving Shalpuri Island served as a casus belli. Formal hostilities commenced in March 1824 after border clashes in Arakan, marking the start of the conflict between the British Empire and the Konbaung dynasty.
Outbreak of Hostilities. The war formally broke out on 5 March 1824 following border clashes in Arakan. Prior to this, Burmese forces had engaged British units in Cachar and Jaintia. These early skirmishes and the subsequent formal declaration of war set the stage for the British military response in the south.
Capture of Rangoon. In May 1824, a British naval force entered the harbour of Yangon, taking the Burmese by surprise. The city was taken with little resistance. This event established a British foothold in Lower Burma, allowing for subsequent fortification and defense against Burmese counter-attacks.
People involved
- Archibald Campbell · British army officer commanding forces
- Bagyidaw · King of the Konbaung dynasty
Sources
- First Anglo-Burmese War Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-27
- Battle of Yangon (1824) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-27
- Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-24
- Bagyidaw Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-09
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.