Brief History of Ayutthaya

Jose Santen, a Dutch trader who came to trade in Ayutthaya (Portugal was the first European nation that came to Ayutthaya, during the reign of King Ramathibodi II, in 2034-2072 B.E) had written to describe the prosperity and beauty of Ayutthaya as below;

"Pra Nakorn Sri Ayutthaya is the capital city in which the king lives, and so do the nobles, officials, and all administrators. วัดพนัญเชิง The capital city is situated on a small island in Chao Praya River. Its surrounding area is a flat field. The stone wall was constructed to surround the city with 2 Dutch miles circumference. So it is a very big capital city. Its vicinity consists of many immediate Buddhist monasteries. The population is dense in the capital. There are long, wide and straight aligned roads. There are canals that are converted from Chao Praya River to the capital. So it is very convenient for transportation. Besides the roads and canals, there are also small ditches and alleyways. So, in the rainy season, people can easily travel to houses. The houses are built in Indian styles but roofed with tiles. Ayutthaya is therefore a luxurious city packed with over 300 Buddhist monasteries exquisitely built. There many are pagodas, topes, molded figures, and statues that are coated with gold brightening the whole area. The capital city situates on the riverbank and the city plan was orderly planned, so it is a very beautiful city. Its location is good, its population is dense, and it is a good trading area both domestic and foreign trade. As far as I am aware, there has not been any king in this region has ever reigned the beautiful and prosperous city as Ayutthaya. The city is on a very good location, regarding the militarily strategies, so it is very difficult for the enemy to impregnate because the surrounding area will be flooded for 6 months annually in the rainy season. The enemy cannot stay for a long time, so they will eventually retreat."

watmahatat
Mahathad Temple

King Ramathibodi I or King Uthong established Ayutthaya as a capital on 3rd April 1893 B.E. King Uthong was in Chiang Rai Dynasty. He reigned Ayutthaya until 1912 B.E. After the king's death, his son, Prince Ramesuan, who was reigning Lop Buri, had succeeded the throne during 1912-1913 B.E. But Prince Khun Luang Pa ngua wished to claim the throne, Prince Ramesuan therefore gave up the throne and returned to reign Lop Buri.

Khun Luang Pa ngua reigned Ayutthaya in the name of King Borom Rajatiraj I. He was the first person of Suwannabhuma dynasty and reigned the kingdom from 1913 B.E. to 1931 B.E., the year he passed away. His son, Prince Thong Lun, then came to the throne at the age of 15 years old. He reigned Ayutthaya for only 7 days before he was assassinated by Prince Ramesuan who returned to the city.

King Ramesuan reigned Ayutthaya from 1931 to 1938 B.E. and he was the leader who took the troop to impregnate the kingdom of Cambodia.

King Ram Rajathiraj, a son of king Ramesuan, came to the throne after his father from 1938 B.E. until 1952 B.E., the year that there was the first fight to take over the throne. Suphanburi ruler who was the nephew of Khun Luang Pa Ngua assassinated King Rama Rajathiraj then took the throne and named King Nakarindhrajathiraj.

King Nakarindhrajathiraj reigned Ayutthaya from 1952 to 1967 B.E. He had three sons; prince Ai Praya, the eldest son who ruled Suphanburi; prince Yi Praya, the second son who ruled San; and prince Sam Praya, the youngest son who ruled Chai Nat. When King Nakarindhrajathiraj died, the three sons took their troops to Ayutthaya willing to take the throne. The first son and the second son fought each other Pa Tan Bridge and they both got killed on their own elephants' back. The third son who arrived later had conveniently entered Ayutthaya and reigned the kingdom in the name of King Boroma Rajathiraj II.

King Boromarajathiraj II reigned Ayutthaya from 1967 to 1991 B.E. he had a son, prince Ramesuan, who ruled Pitsanulok, the capital of the northern cities. When the king died, the prince came to the throne and named King Boroma Triloknart.

King Boroma Triloknart reigned Ayutthaya from 1991 to 2031 B.E.. Important events in this period was the battle with King Tilokaraj of Chiang Mai. The king established Pitsanulok as a capital and lived there from 2006 B.E. until he died. During his stay in Pitsanulok, he let his eldest son, prince Boromaraja, ruled Ayutthaya as a secondary city. At this period, there was a great improvement in administrative system to be a ministerial system namely; Wiang (the interior affairs), Wang (the military), Klang (the treasury), and Na (the agriculture). Also, the Buddhism was greatly supported and became remarkably properous.

King Boromarajathiraj III reigned from 2031 to 2034 B.E. He reestablished Ayutthaya as a capital after he became king, the successor of his father. He died after he reigned only for 3 years. His younger brother then came to the throne and named King Ramathibodi II.

King Ramathibodi II reigned Ayutthaya from 2034 to 2072 B.E. During this time, an important event was that there was the first contact from Portugal willing to trade. Also, at this period, the treatise of War was written . When the king died, his son was the throne successor and named King Boromaraja Mahanor Budhangura.

King Boromaraja IV (Nor Budhangura) reigned only 5 years (2072 to 2076 B.E) before he died because of smallpox fever. Prince Rutdathirajkumara came to the throne at the age only 5 years old.

Prince Rutdathirajkumara reigned only 5 months before he was assassinated by Prince Chairajathiraj, who later claimed the throne.

King Chairajathiraj reigned from 2077 to 2090 B.E. During this period, the kingdom fought Burma for the first time and the fighting continued to happen for over 300 years. After the king died, Prince Kaew Fah who was the eldest son, aged 11 years old, immediately became the successor.

King Kaew Fah reigned from 2090 to 2091 B.E. under administrative control of Sri Sudachan, the king's mother. An important event during this period was that Sri Sudachan had affair with noble Butri Tepa and promoted him to be noble Wora. She then gave birth to her child. King Kaew Fah was later assassinated. Noble wora, Sri Sudachan, and her child were caught and killed at Sra Bua canal by Noble Pirentaratepa. Prince Tian Raja who was a brother of King Chairajathiraj was then persuaded to give up his monkhood and offered the throne. He became the king named Maha Chakapat. Noble Pirentaratepa, member of Sukhothai dynasty, was also promoted to be a viceroy name king Maha Dhamaraja.

King Maha Chakapat firstly reigned from 2091 to 2106 B.E. and secondly reigned from 2111 to 2112 B.E. He gave his daughter, born from Queen Sri Suriyothai, to be a queen of king Thamaraja who was appointed to reign Pitsanulok. There was another fight with Burma at which queen Suriyothai was killed in the battle, on the back of her elephant, at Pu Kao Tong (golden mountain) field in 2091 B.E. only 6 months after they came to the throne.

suriyothai
pagoda of queen Suriyothai

The Burmese lost King Prae, which caused them change of king. King Bayinnaung then became the King of Burma. There was a heavy battle between Thai and Burmese. King Mahachakapat gave up his throne and went to monkhood. He let prince Mahindhrathiraj to take the throne as his successor.

King Mahindhrathiraj reigned the kingdom from 2106 to 2111 B.E and secondly reigned. In 2112 B.E., King Bayinnaung of Burma lead his army to besiege Ayutthaya. King Mahindhrathiraj then begged his father to return to the throne and to be an army commander in chief. Ayutthaya lost in this battle because of the betrayal, Praya Charkree, was a spy for the Burmese army.Burmese army besieged Ayutthaya for a mounth until nearly the rainy season.Ayutthaya lost on Sunday the eleventh day waning moon in the nineth month,August 2112 B.E., only 20 days before the surrounding area will be flooded.

King Mahadhamarajathiraj reigned from 2112 to 2133 B.E., the period that Ayutthaya was a colony to Burma. The king had a daughter, Princess Supankallayanee, and two sons, Prince Naresuan and Prince Ekatossarot. King of Burma (Hongsawadee) took Princess Supankallayanee and Prince Naresuan to Burma as hostages since Prince Naresuan was 9 years old. Prince Naresuan returned to Ayutthaya when he was 15 years old in order to become the ruler of Pitsanulok. On May 3rd, 2127 B.E., Pince Naresuan declared independence for Ayutthaya in city of Graeng, after 15 years of being colonial kingdom. King Mahadhamaraja passed away in 2133 B.E.