Ekathat

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Ekathat (in Thai : สมเด็จ พระเจ้า เอก ทัศน์ , also Suriyamarin or Borommaracha V .; Thai สมเด็จ พระที่นั่ง สุริยา ศ น์ อัม ริน ท ร์ Somdet Phra Thi Nang Suriyat Amarin ; †  1767 ) was the last ruler of the kingdom from 1758 until its fall in 1767 Ayutthaya .

biography

Ekathat was the firstborn son of King Borommakot . However, his father considered him “dull and stupid” and feared that “misfortune and ruin” would come upon the kingdom if he became king. In his place, Ekathat's second-born brother, Uthumphon , became Crown Prince. Ekathat had to go to the monastery as a monk. According to another report, the reason for Ekathat's "deportation" to the monastery was his leprosy . Uthumphon ascended the throne after the death of his father. However, three of his half-brothers (sons Borommakot and his concubines), who according to contemporary reports were more capable than Ekathat and the favorites of the old king, did not recognize him and rebelled. Ekathat returned from the monastery to the palace and also claimed the throne. He had the three rebellious princes arrested, tortured and executed. Finally Uthumphon abdicated on June 1st and handed over the rule to him. Instead, he went to the monastery and is therefore called Khun Luang Ha Wat ("Lord who finds refuge in the monastery").

Ekathat now ruled as King Borommaracha, but is called “King of the Suriyamarin Palace” or simply Suriyamarin after his residence to distinguish it from previous rulers of the same name. In 1759 the Burmese began again with strong attacks to the east: Mergui , Tavoy and Tenasserim fell to Burma. They began a siege off Ayutthaya, which threw the king into great confusion. He asked his brother to give up monastic life and instead to take over the reign and in particular to organize the defense. The Burmese King Alaungpaya was seriously injured by his own cannon a short time later, whereupon the siege army withdrew. Alaungpaya passed away on the way back. Uthumphon took care of the fortification of Ayutthaya for two years before he retired to the monastery and Ekathat took over the reign again.

In 1765, the Burmese began a major attack on Siam to finally eliminate the danger. King Hsinbyushin (also called Mongra) sent two armies to pinch the kingdom of Ayutthaya from the north and the south. At Thonburi they got stuck at first, so that a first siege of Ayutthaya had to be broken off. Ekathat still had some time.

In February 1766, the Burmese finally appeared off Ayutthaya and began the annual siege. While the besiegers did not lose patience, Ekathat offered to submit to Ayutthaya. But the Burmese wanted total annihilation. On April 7, 1767, Ayutthaya fell and Ekathat disappeared into the darkness of history. Some sources speak of an escape (similar to the outbreak of General Taksin ), according to others he was killed in the course of the fighting.

The more than four hundred year history of Ayutthaya came to a dramatic end. Siam fell into a brief period of chaos, rebellion and regional conflict. The general Taksin , who was not related to Ekathat and did not belong to the nobility of Ayutthaya at all, but was the son of a Chinese immigrant, united Siam with a strong army and was crowned the new king.

literature

  • David K. Wyatt: Thailand A Short History . Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 1984, ISBN 974-7047-44-6 .
  • David K. Wyatt (Ed.); Richard D. Cushman: The Royal Chronicles Of Ayutthaya . The Siam Society , Bangkok 2000, ISBN 974-8298-48-5 .
  • BJ Terwiel: Thailand's Political History. From the Fall of Ayutthaya to Recent Times. River Books, Bangkok 2005, ISBN 974-9863-08-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. Bhawan Ruangsilp: Dutch East India Company Merchants at the Court of Ayutthaya. Dutch Perceptions of the Thai Kingdom, c. 1604-1765. Brill, Leiden 2007, p. 203.
  2. ^ David K. Wyatt: Thailand. A short history. 2nd Edition. Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 2003, p. 115.