De Brito declared independence from his nominal Rakhine masters in 1603, defeated the invading Rakhine navy in 1604 and 1605, and successfully established Portuguese rule over Syriam or Sirião -as it was called back then- under the Portuguese viceroy of Goa.

In 1613, Burmese king Anaukpetlun recaptured the city, and executed Brito by impalement, a punishment reserved for defilers of Buddhist temples.

In the 1740s, Thanlyin was made the base of the French East India Company for their help in the Mon's reestablishment of Hanthawaddy Kingdom.

The arrangement lasted until 1756 when King Alaungpaya of Konbaung dynasty captured the city.

From then on, the importance has shifted to Yangon across the river, which Alaungpaya founded just a year earlier.

[4] River ferries to the Irrawaddy delta over the Twante Canal are available from Yangon's passenger ports.