The Rise of Ayudhya
• King Uthong(1314-1369) Ramathibodi I
Founded Ayudhya in 1351
• Decline of two existing states: Sukhothai
and Angkor.
• Politics of succession=New pattern of the
struggle for power, institutionalized, family
claim. 2 families, Uthong and Suphanburi
monopolized from 1351-1569.1
The Rule of law
• Thammasat law from Hindu’s
Dhammasastra
• Law on Evidence, Offenses against gov’t
and people, Receiving Plaints,
Abduction,Robbery, Husband&Wife, Slave
• Supreme, unchangeable
• King’s laws, palatine law, kings can revised,
modified,i.e. execution of royalty
• Court system--within each department, based on
personal relation, open for abuses
Politics of succession
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Uthong family1:Uthong(r 1350-69)
2:Ramesuan, son,69-70
5:Ramesuan,2nd, 88-95
6:Ramracha, son, 13951409
• Suphanburi family• 3:Boromracha I, in-law, r
1370-88
• 4:Thonglan,son,r 88-88
• 7: Intharacha, nephew of
3, r. 1409-24
• 8: Boromracha II, son of
7, r 1424-48
• 9: Trailok, son of 8,48-88
Sakdina[feudal] system
• Sakdina= field power
– from two laws; law of the Civil Hierarchy, law
of the Military and Provincial Hierarchies,
issued by K.Trailok
– Two chief ministries; Kalahom(military) and
Mahatthai (civilian)
• Under Mahatthai were 4 ministries: capital,
palace, agriculture, and treasury.
Sakdina and ranking
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King--unlimited rai(2.5 rai=1 acre)
Uparat--100,000
Chief minister--10,000
Minor department head--400
Sakdina 400 and up began the bureaucratic
nobility or the ‘khunnang’: below is commoner
• petty officials=50-400
• craftsmen=50; peasant freemen=25
• slaves and beggars=5
Famous Kings of Ayudhya
• Ayudhya history divided into 2 periods: 1351-1569;
1570-1767.
• 1st half, Uthong, Trailok(1448-63),politico-religious
integration of Ayudhya and Sukhothai; Ordain.
Naresuan(r.1590-1605) War with Burma, fell in 1569
• Declared independence in 1590
• 2nd half: uneven institutional development
exacerbated by increasing relations with Western
European powers. Portugese, Dutch, French, English
• Narai (r 1656-88) sent missions to France 1680s.
• Succession came from strong nobles. Song Tham
1611; Prasat Thong 1656; Phretracha 1688.
Ayudhya: Sources of strength and
instability
• Growing differences between Siam and its
northern neighbors.
• Rebellion led by Thammathian, a retainer of
Narai’s brother in 1690. Bun Khwang, a
holy man rebel in 1698-70.
• China trade—strength of the king over
noble
The Burmese and Thai war
• 1760 Burma attack the Thai kingdom, from
north to southwest.
• Unsuccessful expedition, ended.
• 1764 started again. From north to central.
• Ayudhya fell in 1760, unable to mount
manpower to resistance the attack.
weaknesses
• Every royal succession in the two centuries
from 16th to 18th turned into a political
crisis.
• Became dangerous as stakes grew higher.
• Cut into noble’s interest and power.
• Led to the general crisis from royal and
noble powers