Some Annotations to The Chiang Mai Chronicle: The Era of Burmese Rule in Lan Na

Abstract

The account of the era of Burmese rule in Lan Na in The Chiang Mai Chronicle includes many flaws and fictions, especially during the Nyaungyan period. As the original text is primarily a duplicate of another chronicle from Chiang Sæn, its 19th century author inserted or fabricated some episodes in order to shift the center of its narrative from Chiang Sæn to Chiang Mai, thereby distorting some historical facts. As a result, The Chiang Mai Chronicle’s account of this era needs to be read with the utmost caution, and scholars should always compare its narrative with other sources from Lan Na and Burma.