Alaungpaya

Alaungpaya, a village headman from Moksobo, led a rebellion against the declining Toungoo dynasty after the fall of Ava to the Mon. He proclaimed himself king and founded the Konbaung dynasty, which would rule Burma until 1885.

Alaungpaya's forces recaptured Ava from the Mon kingdom of Pegu, restoring Burmese control over Upper Burma. This victory consolidated his power base and allowed him to launch further campaigns to reunify the country.

Alaungpaya's armies captured the Mon capital of Pegu (Bago), ending the Restored Hanthawaddy kingdom. This conquest unified all of Burma under Konbaung rule and led to the suppression of Mon identity and culture.

Alaungpaya led an invasion of Siam (Ayutthaya kingdom) with a large army. The campaign initially succeeded in capturing several towns, but the Burmese forces were forced to retreat after Alaungpaya was mortally wounded by a cannon explosion during the siege of Ayutthaya.