Borommaracha II

This article is about King Chao Sam Phraya . For the national museum of the same name, see Chao Sam Phraya National Museum .

Borommaracha II. ( Thai สมเด็จ พระบรม ราชาธิราช ที่ 2 - Somdet Phra Borommarachathirat Thi 2 ; other name Chao Sam Phraya , Thai: เจ้า สามพระยา , * 1389 ; †  1448 in Chiang Mai) was from 1424 ( CS 786) to 1448 (CS 810) King of the Thai Empire of Ayutthaya . Other sources put his reign between 1418 (CS 780) and 1434 (CS 796).

Life

After the death of his father Intharatcha I in 1424, his two eldest sons Chao Ai Phraya and Chao Yi Phraya fought for the throne. In a duel from the back of an elephant, which took place at the Sapahan Pha Than ( Than Forest Bridge ), both princes killed each other with war scythes . Prince Sam Phraya (for example: Third Prince ) was appointed king by the ministers of state. At his coronation he took the title "Borommaracha II". As a first official act, he had his two brothers buried. He later had Wat Ratchaburana built at the place of the cremation .

In the years 1431-1432 Borommaracha II sent an army to Angkor . He was able to take the city and for a short time left his son as vassal ruler at the court there. The troops plundered the capital of the once powerful Khmer Empire and brought, among other things, the royal regalia of Angkor to Ayutthaya.

Borommaracha later turned his attention to the north, where he began a nearly 100-year war against Lan Na in 1442 , which was continued by his son Ramesuan ( Borommatrailokanat ) . Borommaracha was killed in a campaign against Chiang Mai in 1448.

The chronicler Jeremias Van Vliet , VOC merchant who lived in Ayutthaya from 1633 to 1642, describes the king as follows:

“He succeeded his father to the throne at the age of 35. He was a warrior by nature; he was also wise, eloquent, circumspect, and gracious. He worried about his soldiers and his subjects. He was generous, building new temples and restoring dilapidated ones. He supported the monks and the poor. He was the kindest king who ever ruled Siam. His subjects were wealthy and successful "

- van Vliet

literature

• Richard D. Cushman (David K. Wyatt Ed.): The Royal Chronicles Of Ayutthaya . The Siam Society, Bangkok 2000, ISBN 974-8298-48-5
• David K.Wyatt, Chris Baker, Dhiravat na Pombejra, Alfon van der Kraan: Van Vliet's Siam . Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 2005, ISBN 974-9575-81-4

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The so-called “Royal Autograph” chronicle , edited by King Mongkut (Rama IV) , later revised by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and published in 1912.
2. ↑ Chei Ay & Chedi Yi , ayutthaya-history.com
3. ↑ David K.Wyatt: Van Vliet's Siam , p 206