King Naresuan : The Great King of Ayutthaya

King Naresuan was born in 1555 in Phitsanulok (at this time he was formerly known as Phra Naret). His father, King Mahathammaracha was a descendant of the Phra Ruang dynasty of Sukhothai, and his mother was Queen Phra Wisut Kasattri of the Suwannaphum dynasty of Ayutthaya.

 

At the age of nine, he had been taken as a hostage to Burma for six years. For his release, Prince Naresuan's younger sister was sent to Burma as an exchange captive. On his return to Ayutthaya, his father gave him the principality to govern. Here, he developed his military expertise. When his father died in 1590, he was made King of Ayutthaya at the age of thirty- five.

During his reign, many armies, both Burmese and Cambodian, attacked the city of Ayutthaya. As a great warrior king, he liberated Ayutthaya from Burma and led the soldiers into battles to defend the country against Burmese invasions several times. With courage, he declared the independence of Ayutthaya at Muang Kraeng in May, 1584.

In his most famous combat, King Naresuan had a duel on elephants with the Burmese Crown Prince at Nong Sa Rai near Suphanburi Province in January, 1593. Naresuan won and killed the Burmese Crown Prince in combat.

The Burmese armies included a Japanese volunteer corp. composed of 500 Samurai warriors led by Yamada Nagamasa.

King Naresuan succeeded in his offensive against both Burmese and Cambodians who made a series of raids. During his reign, King Naresuan restored national independence and extended Ayutthaya's territory to include Lanna, Lanchang, Cambodia and some parts of Burma. He also made Ayutthaya and the Kingdom of Siam such a powerful country that no enemy threatened the walls of Ayutthaya again for a period of one hundred seventy three years.

 

We found two versions regarding the causes of his death, natural or combat originating:
- King Naresuan died of smallpox in 1605 at Muang Hang at the age of fifty while leading his army against the Burmese.

- In the course of the Burmese Civil war (in 1605), Naresuan mounted an offensive on Burmese territory against the Pegu Kingdom in enemy’s territory while campaigning against Ava who had annexed two of Ayutthaya's Shan Protectorates, occupying the capital city until Burmese rebels regrouped and defeated the Siamese forces. Naresuan, during a siege, climbed down a Burmese stockade. Halfway down on the Burmese side of the barrier, he was stabbed and fell to the ground. Later Naresuan died of his wounds.

 

King Naresuan is known as "the Great". He is also widely known among the Thais nowadays for his heroic efforts. King Naresuan was brilliant in military affairs, politics, government and international affairs. Through his personal strength the Ayuttaya Kingdom regained its sovereignty and freedom. He protected his realm and people, plus spread the might of his country whilst being highly respected by its neighboring states.