Rama I - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok the Great

King Rama I

King of Siam

Reign 6 April 1782 7 September 1809

Coronation 6 April 1782

Predecessor Taksin of Thonburi

Successor Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II)

Vice King Maha Sura Singhanat

Isarasundhorn (Rama II)

Spouse Queen Amarindra

Issue 42 sons and daughters with various

consorts

House Chakri Dynasty

Father Thongdi (later Somdet Phra Prathom Borom

Maha Rajchanok)

Mother Daoreung

Born 20 March 1737

Ayutthaya, Kingdom of Ayutthaya

(Siam)

Died 7 September 1809 (aged 72)

Grand Palace, Bangkok, Kingdom of

Rama IFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Thai:

), born Thongduang (Thai: ) and also known asRama I (20 March 1737 7 September 1809), was thefounder and the first monarch of the reigning House ofChakri of Siam (now Thailand). His full title in Thai is PhraBat Somdet Phra Paramoruracha Mahachakkriborommanat

Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Thai:

). Heascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion whichhad deposed King Taksin of Thonburi. He was alsocelebrated as the founder of Rattanakosin (now Bangkok) asthe new capital of the reunited kingdom.

Rama I was born from a Mon family where his father servedin the royal court in the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, and hadserved King Taksin in wars against the Burmese Konbaungdynasty and helped him in the reunification of Siam. Duringthis time he emerged as Siam's most powerful military leader.Thongduang was the first Somdet Chao Phraya, the highestrank the nobility could attain, equaled to that of royalty. In1782, he took control of Siam and crowned himself as themonarch. The most famous event in his reign was theBurmese-Siamese War of 1785, which was the last majorBurmese assault on Siam.

Contents

1 Name2 Early life

2.1 An Ayuttayan aristocrat2.2 Service under Taksin2.3 Military leader

3 Ascension as King4 Foreign Policy and War

4.1 Vietnam and Cambodia4.2 Wars with Burma

5 Economics, Culture and Religion6 Death and legacy7 In Memoriam8 References9 See also

Rama I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_I

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Siam

Religion Buddhism

Name

Like other high-ranking figures of old Siam, Rama I's namechanged several times during his lifetime, depending on hisrespective position, and even posthumously the way he was referred to change. His name at birth wasThongduang (also spelled Thong Duang ), family names had not yet been introduced in Siam at thattime.

When Thongduang served as deputy governor of Ratchaburi Province during the rule of King Ekkathat ofAyutthaya, he bore the title of Luang Yokkrabat. After the demise of Ayutthaya, the new king Taksin to whomhe served as an important military commander, awarded him successively the titles of Phra Ratcharin Chao

Krom Phra Tamruat (head of the police department), Phraya Aphaironnarit,[1] Phraya Yommarat, PhrayaChakri and Chaophraya Chakri (minister of the northern provinces). Finally Taksin created him the title ofSomdet Chaophraya Maha Kasatsuek, a noble title as high as no Siamese official had born before him, makinghim quasi-royalty.

When he ascended to the throne in 1782, he took the name Ramathibodi, just like the founder of the AyutthayaKingdom. His full title was much longer (Phra Borommarachathirat Ramathibodi Sisin BorommahaChakkraphat Rachathibodin etc.), intended to demonstrate his universal claim to power like of earlier Siamesekings.

After his death, the people referred to him simply as Phaendin Ton ("the first reign"), to his son as PhaendinKlang ("the middle reign"). Continuing this system consequently, his grandson Rama III would have been "thelast reign". To avoid this inauspicious title, he ended this practice by donating two Buddha statues that wereplaced to the sides of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaeo and dedicated one each to his father andgrandfather. He demanded to refer to his two predecessors using the names of these Buddha statues. The onededicated to the first Chakri king was named Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok ("the Buddha on top of the sky and

the crown of the worlds"). This is how this king is still referred to in Thai history books.[2]

His descendant Vajiravudh (Rama VI) who had studied in England, realised that most Siamese kings' nameswere difficult to reproduce and remember for Westerners. He therefore disposed to use for all kings of theChakri dynasty the name Rama together with the respective ordinal number. So this king is Rama I in Westernliterature. In 1982, 200 years after his accession, the Thai cabinet decided to award him the epithet Maharat("The Great").

Titles and styles

1737-1758: Nai Thongduang ()

1758-1768: Luang Yokkrabat of Ratchaburi Province ()

1768: Phra Ratcharin ()

1768-1769: Phraya Aphairanarit (

1769-1770: Phraya Yommarat ()

1770-1778: Chao Phraya Chakri ()

1778-1782: Somdet Chao Praya Maha Kasatsuek etc. (

)1782-1809: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Borommarachathirat Ramathibodi Sisin Borommaha Chakkraphat

Rachathibodin etc. (


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)

Posthumously renamed by King Rama III as: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (

)Posthumously renamed by King Mongkut as: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Paramoruracha

Mahachakkriborommanat Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (

)Posthumously renamed by King Vajiravudh (for use by Westerners) as: Rama IPosthumously renamed by the Thai cabinet in 1982 as: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok

Maharat ()

Early life

An Ayuttayan aristocrat

Thongduang was born in 1737 in the reign of King Boromakot of Ayutthaya. His father was Thongdi, a Monnoble serving the royal court (posthumously raised to Somdet Phra Prathom Borommahachonnok "the grandprimordial father") who was Phra Akson Sunthonsat (Royal Secretary of northern Siam, Keeper of the RoyalSeal). Phra Akson Sunthonsat was also a descendant of Kosa Pan, the leader of King Narai's embassy to the

French court.[3][4] His mother, Daoreung (original name Yok), was part-Chinese.[5][6][7] Thongduang had sixother siblings.

Thongduang at a young age entered the Royal Palace as one of the royal pages of King Uthumphon, where hemet his childhood friend Taksin. In 1757, aged 21, he became a monk temporarily, in accordance with Siamesecustom. In 1760, he married Nak, daughter of a town patron in Samut Sakorn. He was later appointed the LuangYokkrabat (deputy governor) of Ratchaburi Province by King Ekkathat in 1758.

Service under Taksin

On the eve of the fall of Ayutthaya, Phraya Wachiraprakan (later King Taksin) had foreseen that the fall of thecity was certain. Wachiraprakan decided to break the siege of the city of Ayutthaya by the Burmese army andestablish a new base outside. Phraya Ratchaburi also joined this venture. In 1767, Ayutthaya under KingEkkathat fell to Burmese invaders, the city was completely destroyed; burned and looted. Local warlords roseup to establish their supremacy in the absence of a central authority.

Despite the fall of Ayutthaya, Taksin and his men in the same year managed to capture Chantaburi and Trat.

During this time Phraya Ratchaburi became one of Taksin's six ministers[8] and together with Phraya Pichaithey were regarded by Taksin as his two most valuable generals.

Military leader

Swiftly Taksin made a strategic plan and under it recaptured Ayutthaya in one year. In 1768 Taksin crownedhimself and founded the Kingdom of Thonburi on the west bank of the mouth of the Chao Phraya river, usingThonburi as a new capital. Under the new Thonburi regime, Thongduang was appointed head of the royal policedepartment, bearing the title Phra Ratcharin. After subjugating the warlord of Phimai with his brother Bunma(at that time called Phra Mahamontri, the future Maha Sura Singhanat), he was raised to Phraya Aphairanarit.


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Mural of the epic Ramakien, written by

the King, the Thai version of the

Ramayana, on the walls of the Temple

of the Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace,

Bangkok.

After the campaign to subdue the lord of Fang in 1769, Thongduang was raised to Phraya Yommarat and in thenext year became Chao Phraya Chakri the Samuhanayok (chief minister of the northern provinces). Chakricommanded the Siamese troops in the wars against Burma and went on to subjugate Cambodia. His brotherBunma (who by that time held the title of Phraya Anuchit Raja), accompanied him in various campaigns.Chakri and his brother were sent to the north to Lan Na in 1774 to free the kingdom from Burmese rule with thehelp of Kawila, a prince from Lampang. In 1776, he conquered Khmer Pa Dong (around modern Surin). He wasassigned the task of conquering Lao kingdoms in 1778 and all the three kingdoms (Vientiane, Luang Prabang,Champasak) fell to the Siamese in the same year. He was eventually raised to Somdet Chao Phraya MahaKasatsuek, the first official to ever hold this rank.

Ascension as King

In 1781, he went on the campaigns against Cambodia, only to returnprematurely due to the instability of Thonburi. The rebellion of PhrayaSan had broken out and the rebels deposed King Taksin. Some sourcesreport that Taksin was consigned to a monastery. After arriving inThonburi in 1782, Chao Phraya defeated the Phraya San with hisforces. Later sources widely reported that the general eventuallyexecuted the ousted Taksin, contradicting to some earlier sources. Hethen seized power and made himself King, establishing the ChakriDynasty, which continues to rule Thailand to this day.

General Maha Kasatsuek crowned himself on 6 April 1782. Soon after,he decided to move the capital of Siam to the east bank of the ChaoPhraya river for several reasons, including its better strategic locationand a desire to promote his legitimacy by starting from a clean slate.He decided to name his new capital "Rattanakosin" ("Keeping place ofthe Emerald Buddha"). Rama I also raised various members of hisfamily to royalty. He appointed his brother Surasi (Anuchit Raja) orMaha Sura Singhanat as the "Front Palace" (conventional title of the

viceroy and heir apparent) and his nephew Thong-In or Anurak Devesh as the "Rear Palace".

The King had 42 children. Ten of these were born to Queen Amarinda, the others by various concubines. TheQueen's children included Prince Isarasundhorn, later King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II) (whom the Kingappointed as Front Palace after the death of Maha Sura Singhanat in 1803), Prince Maha Senanurak and PrinceMaha Sakdi Polsep.

Foreign Policy and War

Vietnam and Cambodia

In 1784-1785, the last of the Nguyn Lords, Nguyn nh, convinced Rama I to give him forces to attackVietnam, which was then under the control of the Ty Sn brothers. However, the joint Nguyn-Siam fleet wasdestroyed in the Battle of Rach GamXoai Mut in the Mekong Delta region. Nguyn's appeal for Siameseassistance enabled the Siamese to exert considerable political influence over Nguyn's court. Mac Tu Sinh, theson of Mc Thin T and his Siamese wife, was raised among the Siamese, and held office as the governor ofH Tin until his death in 1787. Ngo Ma, a general of Siamese descent, was appointed as its acting governor in

Mac's place.[9] Nguyn nh also took refuge in Siam at the King's court waiting for the opportunities to defeat


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Statue of Rama I at the Phra Phutthayotfa

Memorial Bridge, Bangkok (1932)

Ty Sn. These episodes demonstrated Rama I's willingness to extend Siamese power beyond his Kingdom.

In Cambodia, King Reamraja of Cambodia was deposed in 1779 and the throne was given to his son, the youngAng Eng. However, the pro-Vietnamese policies of certain Cambodian aristocrats under Ang Eng alarmedRama I. As a result, Rama I had Ang Eng captured and deported to Bangkok, where he became Rama's adoptedson to implant pro-Siamese sentiments on him. Rama I also imposed Chao Phraya Abhaya Bhubet as the Regentof Cambodia.

Nguyn nh secretly left for Vietnam in 1787, leaving Rama I a note. Nguyen managed to recapture Saigon by

1788 and later ascended as Emperor Gia Long in 1802.[10] (Thai; Phrachao Vietnam Ya Long)

In 1794, upon Ang Eng's majority, Rama I reinstalled him as theNarairaja III of Cambodia. The area around Siemreap andBattambang was annexed by Siam, and were governed by AbhayaBhubet. However, Rama I allowed these territories to be ruled inaccordance with Cambodian traditions.

Wars with Burma

Soon King Bodawpaya of Burma started to pursue his ambitiouscampaigns to expand his dominions over Siam. The Burmese-Siamese War (17851786), also known in Siam as the "NineArmies War" because the Burmese came in nine armies, broke out.The Burmese soldiers poured into Lanna and Northern Siam.Siamese forces, commanded by Kawila, Prince of Lampang, put upa brave fight and delayed the Burmese advance, all the whilewaiting for reinforcements from Bangkok. When Phitsanulok wascaptured, Anurak Devesh the Rear Palace, and Rama I himself led Siamese forces to the north. The Siameserelieved Lampang from the Burmese siege.

In the south, Bodawpaya was waiting at Chedi Sam Ong ready to attack. The Front Palace was ordered to leadhis troops to the south and counter-attack the Burmese coming to Ranong through Nakhon Si Thammarat. Hebrought the Burmese to battle near Kanchanaburi. The Burmese also attacked Thalang (Phuket), where thegovernor had just died. Chan, his wife, and her sister Mook gathered the local people and successfully defendedThalang against the Burmese. Today, Chan and Mook are revered as heroines because of their opposition to theBurmese invasions. In their own lifetimes, Rama I bestowed on them the titles Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao SriSunthon.

The Burmese proceeded to capture Songkhla. Upon hearing the news, the governors of Phatthalung fled.However, a monk named Phra Maha encouraged the citizens of the area to take up arms against the Burmese,his campaign was also successful. Phra Maha was later raised to the nobility by Rama I.

As his armies were destroyed, Bodawpaya retreated. The next year, he attacked again, this time constituting histroops as a single army. With this force Bodawpaya passed through the Chedi Sam Ong pass and settled in ThaDin Daeng. The Front Palace marched the Siamese forces to face Bodawpaya. The fighting was very short andBodawpaya was quickly defeated. This short war was called the Tha Din Daeng campaign.

Economics, Culture and Religion

Chinese immigration increased during Rama I's reign, who maintained Taksin's policy of allowing Chinese


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Monarchs ofthe Chakri Dynasty

Yotfachulalok

(Rama I)

Loetlanaphalai

(Rama II)

Nangklao

(Rama III)

Mongkut

(Rama IV)

Chulalongkorn

(Rama V)

Vajiravudh

(Rama VI)

Prajadhipok

(Rama VII)

Ananda Mahidol

(Rama VIII)

Bhumibol Adulyadej

(Rama IX)

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of

the king's many construction projects.

immigration to sustain the country's economy. The Chinese were found mainly inthe trading and mercantile sector, and by the time his son and grandson came to thethrone, European explorers noted that Bangkok was filled with Chinese junks of all

sizes.[11]

Rama I moved the capital fromThonburi, which was founded by hispredecessor Taksin, and built the newcapital Bangkok. During the first fewyears prior to the founding of thecurrent capital, he saw the constructionof the palaces and the Chapel Royal.The Chapel Royal or Wat Phra Kaew ofwhich the Emerald Buddha is enshrinedis located within his Royal Palace or theGrand Palace. With the completion ofthe new capital, Rama I held an official

ceremony naming the new capital.[12]

In 1804, Rama I began the compilation of the Three Seals Law, consisting of oldAyutthayan laws collected and organized. (From left to right the seals are: 1. TheRoyal Lion of the Minister of the Interior; 2. The Trunked Lion of the Minister of

Defence; and 3. The Crystal Lotus of the Minister of the Port.[13]:p.9/30) He alsoinitiated a reform of government and the style of Kingship.

Rama I was also noted for instituting major reforms in Buddhism as well asrestoring moral discipline among the monks in the country, which had graduallyeroded with the fall of Ayutthaya. Monks had already dabbled in superstitions when he first came to power, andRama I implemented a law which required a monk who wished to travel to another principality for furthereducation to present a certificate bearing his personal particulars, which would prove a monk own's legitimacythat he had been properly ordained. The King also repeatedly emphasised in state ceremonies to place devotionto the Buddha, and not over guardian spirits and past rulers, of which vestiges of ancient Animist worship had a

persisted among the Thais prior to his rule.[14]

The King also appointed the first Supreme Patriarch of Thai Buddhism, whose responsibilities included the dutyof ensuring that Rama I's laws are maintained which was to ensure law and order within the Buddhist

Sangha.[15] Rama I's passion for literature, which was also connected with his concern for Buddhist order

within the country. He was noted for advocating Thai translation of important Pali works.[16] and Buddhist textslost in the chaos after the sacking of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, some were salvaged under the directionof Rama I. He also wrote a Thai version of the Ramayana epos called Ramakian.

Rama I also, renewed the relationship with the Vatican and the Jesuits. Missionaries who were expelled duringthe Taksin's reign, were invited back to Siam. Catholic missionaries's activities then continued in Siam.Reportedly the numbers of local Catholics increased steadily to thousands as their churches were protected,

gaining freedom to propagate their belief again.[17]

Death and legacy

King Rama I died on 7 September 1809 after a short but acute illness,[18] he was succeeded by his son Prince


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Wikimedia Commons has

media related to Rama I.

Isarasundhorn as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai or Rama II.

Siam during the reign of Rama I reached a new height of power not seen since the sixteenth century. MilitarilySiam was able to successfully repel Burmese invasions and exerted control over Laos and Cambodia andVietnam. Culturally Rama I also encouraged cultural works to rehabilitate people after the successive series ofwars and built many temples and monuments during his reign. His policies laid the foundation for Siam toexpand within the next decades.

In Memoriam

6 April is Chakri Memorial Day, a holiday to commemorate the founder of the Chakri Dynasty.

References

Klaus Wenk (1968). The restoration of Thailand under Rama I,1782-1809. The University of Arizona Press. p. 3.

1.

Sulak Sivaraksa (1985). Siamese Resurgence: A Thai Buddhist Voice onAsia and a World of Change. Asian Cultural Forum on Development.p. 175.

2.

Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit (2005). A History of Thailand. Cambridge University Press. pp. 32 and 288.ISBN 0-521-81615-7.

3.

The following article was written by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Thailand in 1855 in response to the BritishGovernor to Hongkong. And another related article from (http://www.mrc-usa.org/thai-king-letter.htm) The Nationnewspaper on 13 December 1999.

4.

Britannica encyclopedia (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9062561/Rama-I)5. Down Sampeng Lane: The Story of Bangkok's China Town (http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20060622_04/)6. Thailand, doing business in (http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Str-The/Thailand-Doing-Business-in.html)

7.

Clark D. Neher. Modern Thai Politics: From Village to Nation. Transaction Publishers. p. 50. ISBN 0-87073-916-6.8. Nola Cooke, Tana Li (2004). Water Frontier: Commerce and the Chinese in the Lower Mekong Region, 1750-1880.Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0-7425-3083-3.

9.

Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 584.ISBN 0-521-35505-2.

10.

Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit (2005). A History of Thailand (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521816157).Cambridge University Press. pp. 323. ISBN 0-521-81615-7.

11.

Urban Council. Sculptures from Thailand: 16.10.82--12.12.82, Hong Kong Museum. University of California. p. 33.12. Dhani Nivat, Prince (1955). "The Reconstruction of Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty" (http://www.siamese-heritage.org/jsspdf/1951/JSS_043_1c_PrinceDhaniNivat_ReconstructionOfRamaI.pdf) (PDF). Journal of the Siam Society (SiamSociety Heritage Trust) 43 (1). Retrieved January 17, 2013. "First page of the Law Code of 1805"

13.

Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 2212.ISBN 0-521-35505-2.

14.


15.


16.

http://www.sspxasia.com/Newsletters/2002/Oct-Dec/Catholic_Church_in_Thailand.htm17. hunlahakkraphong (1960). Lords of Life: The Paternal Monarchy of Bangkok, 1782-1932. Taplinger. p. 114.18.


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Rama IChakri Dynasty

Born: 20 March 1737 Died: 7 September 1809

Regnal titles

Preceded byTaksin

(of Thonburi)

King of Siam17821809

Succeeded byBuddha Loetla

Nabhalai

See also

List of people with the most children

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Thai people of Chinese descent Thai monarchs Buddhist monarchs Regicides

People from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

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