Since prehistory Burma has been a nation inhabited by a stunningly diverse range of ethnic groups. Each group has its own political and social history. At different times different groups dominated regions of the country. It was not until 1587 that what might be considered a national government existed in Burma. This was to be the first of two ethnically Burman monarchies that claimed control of the entire nation. The first of these was the Restored Toungoo dynasty. This was followed in 1752 by the Konbaung dynasty, which retained control until the early nineteenth century.