Narai

King Narai the Great was a powerful monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

He served as the 27th king of this kingdom from 1656 to 1688. Narai was the fourth and final ruler of the Prasat Thong dynasty. His reign is remembered as a period of great prosperity and international activity. During his time on the throne, Ayutthaya engaged in intense commercial and diplomatic exchanges. These connections reached as far as the Middle East and Western Europe. His era helped shape the history of Southeast Asia through complex global relations.

Narai's life began with a legendary event in 1632. He was born to King Prasat Thong and Princess Sirithida. According to the Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya, the infant appeared to have four arms. This was seen as a miracle by the royal family. Because of this, they named him Narai, which comes from the Sanskrit name Narayana. This is a name for the Hindu god Vishnu, who is often shown with four arms.

This divine connection likely helped establish his status within the dynasty.

Securing the throne required a violent struggle for power. After King Prasat Thong died in 1656, Prince Chai became King Sanphet VI. However, Thai tradition often gave brothers priority over sons in succession. Prince Narai worked with his uncle, Si Suthammaracha, to remove Sanphet VI. Following a coup, the uncle crowned himself king and appointed Narai as the Uparaja. This title meant he was the Viceroy of the Front Palace. Tensions grew when the uncle mistreated Narai's sister, Princess Ratcha Kanlayani. Narai responded by gathering Persian, Japanese, and Dutch support to reclaim power.

On the Day of Ashura, Narai's forces stormed the palace. His uncle was captured and executed on 26 October 1656.

As king, Narai managed a delicate balance of power between foreign nations. He faced influence from the Chinese to the north and the Dutch to the south. He also dealt with the English moving into India to the west. To secure his borders, Narai led a massive invasion of Burma from 1662 to 1664. He commanded an army of 60,000 soldiers during this conflict. His forces captured several cities, including Martaban, Rangoon, and Hongsawadi. The campaign eventually led to a siege at Pagan before the Siamese forces retreated.

Narai also expanded his kingdom's reach through architecture and strategic ports. He built a new palace at Lopburi, also known as Louvo. He used the skills of French Jesuit architects and engineers for this project. This influence is visible in the wide windows used in the buildings.

To counter Dutch influence, he granted the port of Bangkok to a French officer named Chevalier de Beauregard. He also gave control of Mergui to the French. These moves were intended to create a balance of power among European merchants.

Diplomacy was the most remarkable part of Narai's reign. He sent and received many official missions to distant lands. Some missions traveled to the Vatican, England, and France.

In 1673, a French mission arrived with letters from King Louis XIV. Narai responded in 1680 by sending a mission to France. Although one mission was lost at sea near Madagascar, ties remained strong. In 1686, a famous embassy led by Kosa Pan visited the French court.

These interactions provided historians with rich records of seventeenth-century court life.

However, the rise of Constantine Phaulkon created deep political tension. Phaulkon was a Greek adventurer who became Narai's closest counselor. He helped facilitate growing French influence in the Siamese court. This included allowing French troops to be stationed in Siamese forts.

Many native Siamese officials, known as mandarins, resented this foreign dominance. They grew suspicious of Phaulkon's power and his influence over the king. This friction eventually led to a turbulent revolution in 1688. This uprising occurred toward the very end of Narai's life and changed the course of the kingdom.