Alaungpaya vs Faisal I of Iraq

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.

Faisal, as a key leader of the Arab Revolt, commanded Arab forces alongside British officer T.E. Lawrence. The revolt aimed to overthrow Ottoman rule in the Arab provinces. It succeeded in capturing Damascus in 1918, contributing to the Allied victory in World War I.

In March 1920, Faisal was proclaimed King of Syria by the Syrian National Congress. However, the French Mandate authorities rejected this and invaded Syria in July 1920, defeating Faisal's forces at the Battle of Maysalun and forcing him into exile.

After the Cairo Conference of 1921, the British installed Faisal as King of Iraq under a mandate. He was crowned on August 23, 1921. His reign focused on building a modern state, integrating diverse ethnic and religious groups, and managing British influence.

Faisal signed the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1930, which granted Iraq independence while maintaining British military bases and influence. The treaty paved the way for Iraq's admission to the League of Nations in 1932 as a sovereign state.