Burma and a History of Massacres

As the bloodshed continues in Burma, I am minded by a section in 'Pirate King - Coxinga and the Fall of the Ming Dynasty', by Jonathan Clements. In it, he recounts the end of the Ming dynasty as told by "eunuch servant" Yang Deze. This was not in China, but in Burma.

Having spent almost 15 years on the run from the Mongolian Manchus, the last of the Ming had fled westwards, and by June 1659 had reached Sagaing in Burma. When King Bintale was murdered by his brother Pye Min, the Ming were doomed. In the following massacre of the Ming, Duke Mu and several thousand supporters were killed. With a late change of plan, the Emperor, his mother, wife, concubine, son, and Yang Deze were spared. However, these survivors were soon handed over to the Manchus who swiftly executed the Emperor and his young son. The wife committed suicide before she could be prevented.

As a footnote, Yang survived the massacre and wote an eyewitness account of the last days of the Ming Dynasty.