Chetthathirat

Chetthathirat (Chettha or Jetta, full title in Thai สมเด็จ พระ เชษฐา ธิ ราช - Somdet Phra Chetthathirat ; * around 1613 in Ayutthaya ; † 1629 ibid) was king of the kingdom of Ayutthaya for eight months between December 13, 1628 and July / August 1629 .

Lineage and Life

Chetthathirat came from the House of Sukhothai, was the eldest son of King Songtham and the older brother of the future King Athittayawong . In his childhood he was called Phra Chetthakuman ( พระ เชษฐา กุมาร ), literally: "Chettha the child", or simply Chettha.

After King Song Tham's death, disputes over the orphaned throne of Ayutthaya broke out between Prince Chettha and Song Tham's younger brother, Prince Phra Sri Sin ( พระ ศรี ศิลป์ ). Chettha's two supporters, Sri Worawong and Senaphimuk, were influential enough to arrest Sri Sin and have him executed. They then reported their deed to Prince Chettha, who was then put on the throne as the new King Chetthathirat Borommarachathirat II ( สมเด็จ พระบรม ราชาธิราช ที่ ๒ ; Somdet Phra Borommarachathirat thi 2). At that time he was 15 years old. Sri Worawong was appointed Minister of War ( Kalahom ) as a reward for his help and was given the title Chao Phraya Suriyawong ( เจ้าพระยา กลาโหม สุริย วงศ์ ) after he had murdered the old Kalahom. He made his younger brother the new Phya Sri Worawong.

During the first months of his reign, Chetthathirat became suspicious of Suriyawong and suspected him of attempting to usurp the throne. The king also had to watch how the Kalahom had his deceased mother buried with the rites of a royal burial. Thereupon he uttered the wildest threats against the Kalahom and planned to evacuate Suriyawong, which was discovered by the latter. As a result, Suriyawong and his partisans attacked the palace and King Chetthathirat fled instead of facing the attack. Suriyawong assigned two men to persecute them, Phraya Decho ( เดโช ) and Phraya Thai Nam ( ท้ายน้ำ ). They were able to catch the king, who had initially fled to a temple, in the forests of Mok Noi ( ป่าโมก น้อย - Pa Mok Noi) and killed him on the spot.

Chetthathirat succeeded his brother Athittayawong on the throne for a short time before the War Minister Suriyawong finally seized the throne as Prasat Thong .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ WAR Wood : A History of Siam. From the earliest Times to the Year AD 1781 . With a supplement dealing with more recent events. Unwin, London 1926, pp. 172-188.

literature

• David K. Wyatt : Thailand: a short history . Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 1984, ISBN 974-7047-44-6
• Richard D. Cushman (David K. Wyatt Ed.): The Royal Chronicles Of Ayutthaya . The Siam Society, Bangkok 2000, ISBN 974-8298-48-5