ボードーパヤー王の對外政策について : ビルマ・コンバウン朝の王權をめぐる一考察

Abstract

It can be said that in the early Konbaung dynasty, through repeated foreign invasions by successive rulers, the territory of the Burmese realm was greatly expanded. Most of the previous research on this topic has attributed these wars to the ambition and bellicose character of the kings. However, the question has never been resolved of why these kings were engaged in unrelenting foreign wars that might have threatened the existence of the state itself. This essay attempts to posit one answer to this question by reexamining the foreign policy of King Bodawpaya. A perusal of the chronicles and royal orders reveals that Bodawpaya's foreign wars were based on an idea of foreign relations that meant to establish an ideal world where he would be "The King of Kings." For Bodawpaya, who came to the throne in a manner close to usurpation, in addition to strengthening royal power and internal control, the promotion of himself as the ruler of "the world", whose absolute existence transcended Burma itself, was a necessary and indispensable policy. This assertion of the legitimacy of royal power can also be seen in Bodawpaya's religious policies. This group of policies, that were meant to exalt the authority of the king, could also only be carried out by effecting internal control based on expanded financial and human resources. In this way, the policies of the ahmudan lists and the sit-tan reports that were introduced at the beginning of the reign were perhaps highly significant. That is to say, the consolidation of the internal control apparatus and the conduct of foreign wars were policies that were closely connected to each other, and which, by being carried out at about the same time, could mutually reinforce each other.