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Naresuan
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Naresuan (1555, April 25 - 1605 also sometimes called Naret or the Black Prince or Sanpet II, ) was King of Siam (today Thailand) from 1590 until his death in 1605. During his reign, Siam reached its greatest territorial extent.
suan was born in the city of Phitsanulok on April 25, 1555. He was the son of King Maha Thammaracha, who became King Sanphet I of Ayutthaya in 1569 and Visutkasattri, his wife.
Crown Prince Naresuan was seven years of age, he was taken captive by the Burmese to ensure the fidelity of his father, who was already a prominent prince, as the Ayutthaya Kingdom was under Burmese occupation.
During his stay in Burma, Crown Prince Naresuan was highly trained by the Burmese King Bayinnaung (Thai language: Burinnaung or Burengnong) in martial arts, literature and military strategies, and was reared as one of the princes in the Burmese Palace.
After spending nine years of his youth at Pegu under the protection of the Burmese king, Naresuan was eventually exchanged with his sister Princess Suphan Thewi when he was 16 years old.
Crown Prince Naresuan's return to Thailand, he became the Governor of Phitsanulok around 1571, a position easily attained, as his father had already ascended the Siamese throne.
In 1584, three years after Burmese King Bayinnaung's death in 1581, Ayutthaya's tributary relation with Burma was unilaterally cancelled, which was inevitably followed by a vigorous Burmese attack on the kingdom.
Crown Prince Naresuan fought back against the Burmese army, and in 1586 he occupied Lanna, a buffer state between the two kingdoms.
590, King Sanphet I died, and Crown Prince Naresuan officially became the leader of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.
In 1591 the Burmese started another attack, which was cancelled when the Burmese Crown Prince Minchit Sra was killed by King Naresuan in personal combat on the backs of war elephants in Nong Sarai (Suphanburi).
This was on Monday, the 2nd waning day of the 2nd month of the Buddhist calendar Chulasakarat Era year 954.
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Naresuan (1555, April 25 - 1605 also sometimes called Naret or the Black Prince or Sanpet II, ) was King of Siam (today Thailand) from 1590 until his death in 1605. During his reign, Siam reached its greatest territorial extent.
Birth
Naresuan was born in the city of Phitsanulok on April 25, 1555. He was the son of King Maha Thammaracha, who became King Sanphet I of Ayutthaya in 1569 and Visutkasattri, his wife.
Early Life in Burma
When Crown Prince Naresuan was seven years of age, he was taken captive by the Burmese to ensure the fidelity of his father, who was already a prominent prince, as the Ayutthaya Kingdom was under Burmese occupation.
During his stay in Burma, Crown Prince Naresuan was highly trained by the Burmese King Bayinnaung (Thai language: Burinnaung or Burengnong) in martial arts, literature and military strategies, and was reared as one of the princes in the Burmese Palace.
After spending nine years of his youth at Pegu under the protection of the Burmese king, Naresuan was eventually exchanged with his sister Princess Suphan Thewi when he was 16 years old.
Return to Phitsanulok
Upon Crown Prince Naresuan's return to Thailand, he became the Governor of Phitsanulok around 1571, a position easily attained, as his father had already ascended the Siamese throne.
In 1584, three years after Burmese King Bayinnaung's death in 1581, Ayutthaya's tributary relation with Burma was unilaterally cancelled, which was inevitably followed by a vigorous Burmese attack on the kingdom.
Crown Prince Naresuan fought back against the Burmese army, and in 1586 he occupied Lanna, a buffer state between the two kingdoms.
Reign as King of Ayutthaya
In 1590, King Sanphet I died, and Crown Prince Naresuan officially became the leader of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.
In 1591 the Burmese started another attack, which was cancelled when the Burmese Crown Prince Minchit Sra was killed by King Naresuan in personal combat on the backs of war elephants in Nong Sarai (Suphanburi).
This was on Monday, the 2nd waning day of the 2nd month of the Buddhist calendar Chulasakarat Era year 954. Calculated to correspond to Monday, January 18, AD 1593 of the Gregorian calendar, this date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces day.
Following this victory, Naresuan attacked Tenasserim, as well as Cambodia.
Death
According to Prince Damrong's Our Wars with the Burmese, King Naresuan died in 1605 during another battle with the Burmese, speared by Burmese soldiers as he attempted to climb over a garrison's wall in Tambon Thung Kaew, Mueang Hang.
However, recent studies of Burmese records by historians of Silpakorn University showed that he actually returned to Wiang Haeng, where he died of disease, probably smallpox.
His brother King Ekathotsarot became his successor as king.
According to the Shan, King Naresuan helped them win independence for the Shan State in 1600 with his ally, the Prince of Hsenwi. Both had been hostages at the Burmese court, and King Naresuan died while rushing to the aid of a friend of his youth, they say.
Many Shan believe King Naresuan was cremated and his ashes interred in a stupa in Mongton, in the southern part of the Shan State.
Legacy
- Royal Thai Armed Forces Day, January 18, commemorates victory.
- HTMS Naresuan, Royal Thai Navy frigate.
- Naresuan University in Phitsanulok is named after the king and features a large statue of the king.
- One of the two largest dams in Phitsanulok Province is named the Naresuan Dam. It controls water flow of the Nan River north of the city of Phitsanulok.
- King Naresuan is a 2007 film series based on the king's life.
- Khan Kluay is a 2006 animated Thai film based on the life of the king's war elephant.
- King Naresuan has been incorrectly attributed to winning his freedom through kickboxing matches with Burmese fighters, a feat actually accredited to Nai Khanom Tom.
External links
- Jon Fernquest, Mae Fa Luang University, SOAS bulletin, Spring 2005
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