Ekkathat (Thai: เอกทัศ, Ekadaśa, pronounced [ʔèːk.kā.tʰát]) or Borommoracha III (Thai: บรมราชาที่ 3) or King of Suriyamarin Throne Hall (Thai: สมเด็จพระที่นั่งสุริยาศน์อมรินทร์) was the 6th monarch of the Ban Phlu Luang dynasty, the 33rd and the last monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, ruling from 1758 to 7 April 1767, prior to the fall of Ayutthaya. Moreover, he was called by the people in his time as "King Khiruean" (Thai: ขุนหลวงขี้เรื้อน), which meant "the king with skin disease", due to his chloasma.[2]: 299
| Ekkathat เอกทัศ | |
|---|---|
| King of Ayutthaya | |
.jpg) | |
| King of Siam | |
| Reign | 1758 – 1759/1760[1] 1762[1] – 7 April 1767 |
| Predecessor | Uthumphon |
| Successor | Taksin (as King of Thonburi) |
| Born | 1718 Ayutthaya Kingdom |
| Died | 17 April 1767 (aged 48–49) Ban Chik Woods, Ayutthaya |
| Spouse | Wimonphat |
| House | Ban Phlu Luang dynasty |
| Father | Borommakot |
| Mother | Phiphitmontri |
Early Life
editEkkathat was born in 1709 during the reign of his uncle King Thaisa. Ekkathat's father Prince Phon of the Front Palace was the younger brother and Wangna[3] or heir presumptive to King Thaisa. Ekkathat's mother was Princess Consort Phlap, one of two main consorts of Prince Phon and a daughter of Chaophraya Bamroe Phuthorn (Thai: เจ้าพระยาบำเรอภูธร), a prominent nobleman in the reign of King Phetracha. Ekkathat had one younger brother Uthumphon and five sisters who shared the same mother. Ekkathat also had a half-older brother Prince Thammathibet who was born to another main consort of Prince Phon.
In 1732, King Thaisa became ill. Prince Phon, younger brother of King Thaisa and Ekkathat's father, mobilized his forces[3] in preparation for the upcoming succession conflict but was caught. Prince Phon then ordained to become a monk, along with his sons[3] including the young Ekkathat, to avoid royal punishments from his elder brother the king. On his deathbed in 1733, King Thaisa chose to give the throne to his own two sons instead of his younger brother Prince Phon, who had been the heir presumptive. The civil war then ensued in Ayutthaya between Prince Phon and his nephews who were sons of Thaisa.[4]: 110 [3] The result was that Prince Phon prevailed and the two sons of Thaisa, Ekkathat's cousins, were executed. Prince Phon ascended the throne in 1733 as King Borommakot.[3] Princess Consort Phlap, Ekkathat's mother, became Queen Kromma Luang Phiphitmontri (Thai: กรมหลวงพิพิธมนตรี).
Due to the frequent Ayutthayan succession conflicts, King Borommakot devised a method to regulate and control manpower allocation among the royal princes to prevent future princely struggles through the creation of Kroms or princely regiments.[3] Upon his enthronement in 1733, King Borommakot appointed his sons the royal princes to the Krom titles, assigning them with manpower to command. In 1733, at the age of twenty-four, Prince Ekkathat was made Kromma Khun Anurak Montri (Thai: กรมขุนอนุรักษ์มนตรี) with a manpower regiment under his command. Siamese Phrai commoners who were conscripted into the princely regiments were called Phrai Som (Thai: ไพร่สม), in contrast to those who directly served the king known as Phrai Luang (Thai: ไพร่หลวง).[5]
Three sons of Borommakot; Thammathibet, Ekkathat and Uthumphon, who were born to two main queens of Borommakot, were given the superior rank of Kromma Khun, meaning that they could appoint their servants to the rank of Khun. Five other sons of Borommokot, who were born to his secondary consorts, were given the inferior rank of Kromma Muen,[3]: 200 meaning that they could appoint their own servants only to the rank of Muen. Appointing servants to high dignity in princely households was a way to demonstrate princely ranks and honors. Ekkathat took two sisters Lady Pheng and Lady Maen as his consorts. Consort Pheng bore him a daughter Princess Praphal Suriyawong and a son Prince Praphaikuman. Consort Maen bore him a daughter Princess Rucchathewi and Prince Suthat.
Princely political conflicts
editIn 1741, Prince Thammathibet, eldest son of Borommakot and half-brother of Ekkathat, was made Uparat[3]: 200 or vice-king or Wangna Prince of the Front Palace and heir presumptive to their father Borommakot. Death of Chaophraya Chamnan Borirak the Siamese chief minister in 1753 put the Ayutthayan royal court into princely political conflicts. The princes coalesced into two factions;[3] Princes Thammathibet, Ekkathat and Uthumphon in one faction against another faction composing of Borommakot's secondary sons Prince Kromma Muen Chitsunthorn, Prince Kromma Muen Sunthornthep and Prince Kromma Muen Sepphakdi[3] – known collectively as Chao Sam Krom (Thai: เจ้าสามกรม) or the Three Princes. In 1756, the Three Princes appointed some of their servants to the rank of Khun, surpassing the limit of their princely rank of Kromma Muen. Prince Thammathibet of Front Palace, the heir presumptive, took this violation of princely ranks seriously and took matters into his own hands by sending his own forces to arrest Prince Sunthornthep, one of the Three Princes.[3] Prince Sunthornthep fled to tell King Borommakot, their father, about the incident. Borommakot summonned Thammathibet for explanation but Thammathibet visited his father with a sword in his hand.[3] Enraged, Borommakot imprisoned Thammathibet. It was also revealed that Thammathibet had been in secret romantic relationships with two of Borommakot's consorts and had been planning a sedition.[3] Thammathibet, the Prince of Front Palace and heir, was whipped with rattan cane strokes and died from injuries in April 1756.
With the death of Prince Thammathibet in 1756, the position and office of the Front Palace became vacant. Prince Ekkathat or Prince Anurak Montri was technically next in line to the position of royal heir as he was the eldest surviving son of Borommakot born to principal queens. However, Borommakot chose to pass over Ekkathat in favor of Uthumphon, Ekkathat's younger brother, citing that Ekkathat would be sure to bring disaster to the kingdom[3] given his supposed incompetency. Borommakot viewed Uthumphon in better light. Prince Kromma Muen Thepphiphit, another secondary son of Borommakot, along with the high-ranking ministers of Chatusadom, proposed to King Borommakot to make Uthumphon the new Uparat or heir. Uthumphon, who was known for his pursuit of Buddhist Theravadin religion, initially refused to accept the position. Borommakot, however, was insistent. Uthumphon finally consented to his father's wish and was appointed as the new Wangna or vice-king of the Front Palace in 1757. Borommakot speculated that Ekkathat would raise his claims in the future so he forced Ekkathat to shave his head to become a Buddhist monk and to go out to stay at Wat Lamut temple (about nine kilometers to the northeast of Ayutthaya in modern Nakhon Luang district) to keep Ekkathat out of powers and politics.
Reign
editEkkathat, Prince Anurakmontri, was a son of Borommakot. His elder brother, Prince Thammathibet, was made the Front Palace in 1732. However, Thammathibet had an affair with two of his father's wives. Ekkathat, upon knowing this, told Boromakot about the lovers. Thammathibet was thus beaten to death in 1746. Ekkathat, who was then next in the succession line, were expected to be the Front Palace. However, Borommakot halted the appointment because of Ekkathat's incompetence.[2]: 296–297
One year before his death, Borommakot decided to skip Ekkathat, forcing him into the priesthood, and appointed Ekkathat's younger brother, Uthumphon, as the Front Palace. In May 1758, Borommakot died. Uthumphon was then crowned. However, two months after that, Ekkathat returned and claimed for the throne. Ekkathat settled himself in the Suriyat Amarin Palace—therefore came his name Somdet Phra Thi Nang Suriyat Amarin (Literally: the King of Suriyat Amarin Palace). Uthumphon arrested and executed his half-brothers Krom Mun Chit Sunthon, Krom Mun Sunthon Thep and Krom Mun Sep Phakdi. Uthumphon then willingly abdicated, entered the priesthood, and Ekkathat was crowned (August 1758).[2]: 297–300
According to an account of Siamese captive after the fall of Ayutthaya, the early years of Ekathat witnessed the revival attempt. The king followed the tradition by donating money to temples. Building of new temples occurred. The trade with foreigners was supported. The western coast ports such as Mergui and Tenasserim were active. However, according to the Burmese and English accounts, when the Mons took refuge in the kingdom, after the Burmese conquest, Ayutthaya became the next target of the Burmese.
However, the king "was incompetent and only interested in the different pleasures of the flesh."[6]: 68
Burmese Invasion and Ayutthaya's Downfall
editIn 1759, Alaungpaya ordered his second son, Hsinbyushin, to attack Tenasserim and Mergui, telling Siam their friendship with Burma was ended since Siam refused to deliver a rebel Mon nobleman who had fled in a French vessel to Mergui. Meeting little resistance, the Burmese continued their advance by attacking other Siamese provincial towns. After capturing Phetchaburi, Alaungpaya decided to advance to Ayutthaya in 1760.[2]: 300–304
The Siamese capital was in confusion and an uproar after the Burmese had taken Ratchaburi. Ekkathat was forced to invite his abdicated brother, Uthumphon, to leave the priesthood and resume the sovereignty. Ekkathat became Somdet Phrachao Luang, "king who had abdicated his throne". Uthumphon then prepared the capital for a siege.[2]: 307
However, Alaungpaya was wounded during the siege, and died during the Burmese retreat.[2]: 310
This postponed the death of Ayutthaya for another 7 years.
Siam under Ekkathat was in turmoil. Ayutthaya lost its control over network cities and Ekkathat was said to be indulged by the luxury of the court and concubines. The peasants went on the rebellion. In 1766, the Burmese armies again invaded Siam—through Mergui under Mahanoratha and Lanna under Neimyo Thihapate after subjugating Lanna and Laotian kingdoms. The Burmese captured various peripheral cities to cut down any supports given to Ayutthaya. A Dutch source said the court faced bankruptcy. The capital totally lost contact with its satellite. Ayutthaya was then helpless.
Local accounts told that Ekkathat desperately tried to counter the Burmese. He ordered his remaining armies and fleets to counter the Burmese at Ratchaburi and Thon Buri, but the Burmese crushed them all. The two Burmese armies joined at Ayutthaya and laid the siege on the city. A foreign account claimed that Ekathat and his family secretly fled from the capital. The nobles then agreed to surrender. On April 7, 1767, Ayutthaya fell. The Burmese looted and burnt the city to the ground.
Death
editSiamese chronicles said Ekkathat died upon having been in starvation for more than ten days while concealing himself at Ban Chik Woods (Thai: ป่าบ้านจิก), adjacent to Wat Sangkhawat (Thai: วัดสังฆาวาส).,[2]: 356 where his dead body was discovered by a monk. Another possibility was that he was captured and taken to the Burmese encampment at Pho Sam Ton (Thai: ทุ่งโพธิ์สามต้น), where he died shortly thereafter.[7][8] He was buried at a mound named "Khok Phra Men" (Thai: โคกพระเมรุ), in front of a revered Siamese temple called "Phra Wihan Phra Mongkhonlabophit" (Thai: พระวิหารพระมงคลบพิตร).
The Burmese occupation did not last long. By the end of 1767, the remaining Burmese troops in Siam had been recalled to defend their homeland against the Chinese invasions (1765–1769), leaving Siam in a power vacuum. Taksin (governor of Tak) founded the Kingdom of Thonburi in 1768, and emerged as the primary contender by 1769.
Issue
edit| # | Consort and Concubines | Children |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Maengmao, Princess Wimonphat | Princess Siri Chanthrathewi (or Princess Noi) |
| 2. | Royal Concubine Pheng | Prince Praphai Kuman Princess Praphan Suriyawong |
| 3. | Royal Concubine Maen | Prince Suthat Kumara Princess Rutchathewi |
| Unknown mother | Prince Set Princess Dok Maduea |
Ancestry
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References
edit- ^ a b Wood, W. A. R. (1924). A History of Siam. T. Fisher Unwin. pp. 241–242.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rajanubhab, D., 2001, Our Wars With the Burmese, Bangkok: White Lotus Co. Ltd., ISBN 9747534584
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Ruangsilp, Bhawan (2007). Dutch East India Company Merchants at the Court of Ayutthaya: Dutch Perceptions of the Thai Kingdom, C.1604-1765. Brill.
- ^ Wyatt, David K. (2003). Thailand: A Short History (2nd ed.). Silkworm Books.
- ^ Baker, Chris; Phongpaichit, Pasuk (2017). A History of Ayutthaya: Siam in the Early Modern World. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Chakrabongse, C., 1960, Lords of Life, London: Alvin Redman Limited
- ^ "History of Ayutthaya – Temples & Ruins – Wat Sangkhawat". www.ayutthaya-history.com.
- ^ "History of Ayutthaya – Geo Info – Areas – Thung Pho Sam Ton". www.ayutthaya-history.com.