For the ruling Konbaung dynasty, the oil industry was a major source of revenue even in the eighteenth century, which was one reason why British envoys took a special interest in it. But oil became especially important after the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852–53, when the British seized a large part of the kingdom, depriving the then ruler, King Mindon, of his southern revenues. This greatly increased the king’s dependence on oil, and in 1854 he did what the rulers of many modern petro-states would do in the century to come: he asserted direct control over the oil fields of Yenangyaung,
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