Rama I
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| Phutthayotfa Chulalok พุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลก | |
|---|---|
| King Rama I | |
Ayutthaya, Ayutthaya Kingdom | |
| Died | 7 September 1809 (aged 72) Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam |
| Burial | |
| Spouse |
|
| Issue | 21 sons and 21 daughters with various consorts, including: |
| House | Chakri dynasty |
| Father | Thongdi (later Somdet Phra Pathom Borom Maha Chanok) |
| Mother | Daoreung (Yok; later Phra Akkhara Chaya) |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
| Seal | .svg) |
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharat (
Rama I, whose given name was Thongduang, was born from a
Rama I's reign marked a revival of Siamese culture and state organization following the collapse of the Siamese kingdom in 1767, whose capital was then situated at Ayutthaya. He established a new purified Buddhist sect which allied and tied together Buddhism and the monarchy. Rama I consolidated and expanded on Taksin's military campaigns throughout Mainland Southeast Asia, whose mandala in 1809 stretched as far North and South as the Shan States and the Northern Malay Peninsula and as far East as the Annamite Range, respectively. His reign also marked the beginning of a new "Golden Age of Culture", which continued in the footsteps of the blossoming of the arts during the Late Ayutthaya Period.[1][2]
Name
Like other high-ranking figures of old Siam, Rama I's name changed several times during his lifetime, depending on his respective position, and even posthumously. His name at birth was Thongduang (also spelled Thong Duang ทองด้วง), family names had not yet been introduced in Siam at that time.
When Thongduang served as deputy governor of
When he ascended to the throne in 1782, he took the name Ramathibodi, just like the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. His full title was much longer (Phra Borommarachathirat Ramathibodi Sisin Borommaha Chakkraphat Rachathibodin etc.), intended to demonstrate his universal claim to power like of earlier Siamese kings.
After his death, the people referred to him simply as Phaendin Ton ("the first reign"), to his son as Phaendin Klang ("the middle reign"). Continuing this system consequently, his grandson Rama III would have been "the last reign". To avoid this inauspicious title, he ended this practice by donating two Buddha statues that were placed to the sides of the
His descendant
Early life
An Ayuttayan aristocrat
| Monarchs of the Chakri dynasty | |
|---|---|
 | Phutthayotfa Chulalok (King Rama I) |
 | Phutthaloetla Naphalai (King Rama II) |
 | Nangklao (King Rama III) |
.jpg){kind=small} | Mongkut (King Rama IV) |
 | Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) |
 | Vajiravudh (King Rama VI) |
 | Prajadhipok (King Rama VII) |
 | Ananda Mahidol (King Rama VIII) |
 | Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) |
 | Vajiralongkorn (King Rama X) |
Thongduang was born in 1737 in the reign of King
Thongduang at a young age entered the Royal Palace as one of the royal pages of King
Service under Taksin
On the eve of the fall of Ayutthaya, Phraya Wachiraprakan (later King Taksin) had foreseen that the fall of the city was certain. Wachiraprakan decided to break the siege of the city of Ayutthaya by the Burmese army and establish a new base outside. Phraya Ratchaburi also joined this venture. In 1767, Ayutthaya under King Ekkathat fell to Burmese invaders, the city was completely destroyed; burned and looted. Local warlords rose up to establish their supremacy in the absence of a central authority.
Despite the fall of Ayutthaya, Taksin and his men in the same year managed to capture
Military leader
Swiftly Taksin made a strategic plan and under it recaptured Ayutthaya in one year. In 1768 Taksin crowned himself and founded the
After the campaign to subdue the lord of Fang in 1769, Thongduang was raised to Phraya Yommarat and in the next year became Chao Phraya Chakri – the Samuhanayok (chief minister of the northern provinces). Chakri commanded the Siamese troops in the wars against Burma and went on to subjugate
Ascension as King
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In 1781, he went on the campaigns against Cambodia, only to return prematurely due to the instability of Thonburi. The rebellion of Phraya Sun had broken out and the rebels deposed King Taksin. Some sources report that Taksin was consigned to a monastery. After arriving in Thonburi in 1782, Chao Phraya defeated the Phraya Sun with his forces. Later sources widely reported that the general eventually executed the ousted Taksin, contradicting to some earlier sources. He then seized power and made himself King, establishing the Chakri dynasty, which continues to rule Thailand to this day.
General Maha Kasatsuek crowned himself on 6 April 1782. Soon after, he decided to move the capital of Siam to the east bank of the Chao Phraya river for several reasons, including its better strategic location and a desire to promote his legitimacy by starting from a clean slate. He decided to name his new capital "Rattanakosin" ("Keeping place of the Emerald Buddha"). Rama I also raised various members of his family to royalty. He appointed his brother Surasi (Anuchit Raja) or Maha Sura Singhanat as the "Front Palace" (conventional title of the viceroy and heir presumptive) and his nephew Thong-In or Anurak Devesh as the "Rear Palace".
The King had 42 children. Ten of these were born to Queen Amarinda, the others by various concubines. The Queen's children included Prince Isarasundhorn, later King
Foreign policy and war
Vietnam and Cambodia
In 1784–1785, the last of the
In Cambodia, King Reamraja (Ang Non II) was deposed in 1779 and the throne was given to the young prince Ang Eng. However, the pro-Vietnamese policies of certain Cambodian aristocrats under Ang Eng alarmed Rama I. As a result, Rama I had Ang Eng captured and deported to Bangkok, where Rama adopted him as his son, the purpose of which was to impose pro-Siamese sentiments on him. Rama I also imposed Chao Phraya Abhaya Bhubet as the Regent of Cambodia.
Nguyễn Ánh secretly left for Vietnam in 1787, leaving Rama I a note. Nguyen managed to recapture
In 1794, upon Ang Eng's majority, Rama I reinstalled him as the Neareay Reachea III. The area around
Wars with Burma
Soon King Bodawpaya of Burma started to pursue his ambitious campaigns to expand his dominions over Siam. The Burmese–Siamese War (1785–1786), also known in Siam as the "Nine Armies War" because the Burmese came in nine armies, broke out. The Burmese soldiers poured into Lanna and Northern Siam. Siamese forces, commanded by Kawila, Prince of Lampang, put up a brave fight and delayed the Burmese advance, all the while waiting for reinforcements from Bangkok. When Phitsanulok was captured, Anurak Devesh the Rear Palace, and Rama I himself led Siamese forces to the north. The Siamese relieved Lampang from the Burmese siege.
In the south, Bodawpaya was waiting at
The Burmese proceeded to capture Songkhla. Upon hearing the news, the governors of Phatthalung fled. However, a monk named Phra Maha encouraged the citizens of the area to take up arms against the Burmese; his campaign was also successful. Phra Maha was later raised to the nobility by Rama I.
As his armies were destroyed, Bodawpaya retreated. The next year, he attacked again, this time constituting his troops as a single army. With this force Bodawpaya passed through the Chedi Sam Ong pass and settled in Tha Din Daeng. The Front Palace marched the Siamese forces to face Bodawpaya. The fighting was very short and Bodawpaya was quickly defeated. This short war was called the Tha Din Daeng campaign.
Death and legacy
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King Rama I died on 7 September 1809 after a short but acute illness;
Siam during the reign of Rama I reached a new height of power not seen since the sixteenth century. Militarily Siam was able to successfully repel Burmese invasions and exerted control over Laos and Cambodia and Vietnam. Culturally Rama I also encouraged cultural works to rehabilitate people after the successive series of wars and built many temples and monuments during his reign. His policies laid the foundation for Siam to expand within the next decades.
In memoriam
- "Chakri Memorial Day", a public holiday, is celebrated on 6 April, observed to commemorate the founder of the Chakri dynasty.
- A statue of Rama I in front of the Memorial Bridge(Phra Phutthayotfa Memorial Bridge).
- The 500 baht banknote, Series 16, issued in 2014, depicts images of the King Rama I monument, Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn (Wat Pho), and Phra Sumen Fort on its back side.[15]
See also
References
- ISBN 978-0-300-08475-7.
- ISBN 978-1-107-19076-4.
- ^ Klaus Wenk (1968). The restoration of Thailand under Rama I, 1782–1809. The University of Arizona Press. p. 3.
- ^ Sulak Sivaraksa (1985). Siamese Resurgence: A Thai Buddhist Voice on Asia and a World of Change. Asian Cultural Forum on Development. p. 175.
- ISBN 0-521-81615-7.
- ^ "The following article was written by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Thailand in 1855 in response to the British Governor to Hongkong. And another related article from The Nation newspaper on 13 December 1999". mrc-usa.org. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Britannica encyclopedia". Britannica.com. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
- ^ Down Sampeng Lane: The Story of Bangkok's China Town Archived 8 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Thailand, doing business in". Referenceforbusiness.com. 23 February 1991. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
- ISBN 0-87073-916-6.
- ISBN 0-7425-3083-3.
- ISBN 0-521-35505-2.
- ^ Čhunlačhakkraphong (1960). Lords of Life: The Paternal Monarchy of Bangkok, 1782–1932. Taplinger. p. 114.
- ISBN 974957544X.
- ^ "500 Baht Series 16". Bank of Thailand.