History of Martaban

From 1369 onwards, the Hanthawaddy kings ruled the kingdom from Bago (Pegu). From 1363 to 1388, Mottama was under the rule of a rebel chief but in 1388/1389, King Razadarit reconquered the city. Though it was no longer the capital, the city remained an important trading port from the 14th century to the early 16th century. In May 1541, King Tabinshwehti of Taungoo captured the fortified city, and utterly destroyed it, forever relegating it back to a backwater.

Mottama was captured by the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-1826, but returned to Burmese administration after the war. It became the border town however as the entire Tenasserim coast from Mawlamyaing down became British territory. The town became part of British Lower Burma after the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852