Borommatrailokkanat

Borommatrailokkanat was a major monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He ruled from 1448 until 1488. He is often called the King of White Elephants. This title came because he was the first Thai king to possess a white elephant. In Buddhist belief, a white elephant is a glorious and happy sign. He is remembered as one of Thailand's greatest monarchs. His reign brought massive changes to how the kingdom was governed.

His early life was tied to the Kingdom of Sukhothai. He was born in 1431 to King Borommarachathirat II. At that time, Sukhothai was increasingly tied to Ayutthaya. When the king of Sukhothai died in 1438, Ayutthaya took control of the territory. The king then installed the seven-year-old Prince Ramesuan as the viceroy of Sukhothai. A viceroy, or uparaja, is a deputy king. When Ramesuan was fifteen, he moved to Phitsanulok to rule the northern cities. This helped the ruling family maintain control over those regions. When his father died in 1448, Ramesuan became King Borommatrailokkanat. This created a personal union between Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.

Borommatrailokkanat introduced major reforms to the Thai bureaucracy. This is the system used to manage a government. He separated civil officials from military officials. He gave them specific ranks to create a hierarchy of nobility. These nobles were known as life-nobles. He also created two traditional ministries. One was the Kalahom, which was the predecessor to the ministry of defence. The other was the Mahatthai, which became the precursor to the ministry of interior. These offices were meant to serve as Greater Officers of State for the north and south.

In 1454, the king codified noble titles through a system called sakdina. This was a feudal rank system. Every subject was given a numerical ranking. This rank corresponded to the amount of rai, or land, they were entitled to. He also established a mandala tributary system in 1468. This system ranked different cities and recognized him as their overlord. He organized cities into levels. For example, Phitsanulok was one of the eight great first-rank cities. Governors of first-class towns were called chao phraya. Other classes included phraya, phra, luang, khun, and muen.

To help with the succession of the throne, the king adopted the position of Uparaja. This title means "Deputy-King" or "underking." It was usually held by a senior son or a brother. Because the dynasty was polygamous, deciding who would rule next was very difficult. He appointed his eldest son as the Uparaja of Ayutthaya. While he lived in Phitsanulok for twenty-five years, he also appointed a younger son as the Uparaja of Phitsanulok. This was done to keep the northern areas under control.

His reign included significant wars with the Lan Na Kingdom to the north. A relative named Yutthitthira had once been the king's childhood friend. However, Yutthitthira later claimed to be the rightful king of Sukhothai. He sought support from the powerful ruler Tilokkarat of Lan Na. In 1456, Lan Na armies invaded to capture Sukhothai and move toward Ayutthaya. Borommatrailokkanat led his armies to defeat them. Because the wars were so serious, he moved his capital from Ayutthaya to Phitsanulok. In 1463, Lan Na invaded again. The king sent his son, Prince Intharacha, to fight. Although the battles were difficult, Borommatrailokkanat finally expelled Lan Na from Ayutthaya territories in 1474.

Beyond war, the king was a deeply religious leader. In 1461, he became the first Thai king to be ordained as a Buddhist monk. He did this at Wat Chulamani in Phitsanulok with more than 2,000 followers. He also spent time building and restoring religious sites. He ordered the construction of a cetiya and other buildings at Wat Ratchaburana. His political changes were very lasting. The bureaucracy he built lasted well into the 20th century. His legacy remains in places like the Fort Borommatrailokkanat military base in Phitsanulok.