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Rama I
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
King of Siam
Reign
Contents
Successor
Vice King
1 Name
2 Early life
2.1 An Ayuttayan aristocrat
2.2 Service under Taksin
2.3 Military leader
3 Ascension as King
4 Foreign Policy and War
4.1 Vietnam and Cambodia
4.2 Wars with Burma
5 Economics, Culture and Religion
6 Death and legacy
7 In Memoriam
8 References
9 See also
Spouse
Queen Amarindra
Issue
House
Chakri Dynasty
Father
Mother
Daoreung
Born
20 March 1737
Ayutthaya, Kingdom of Ayutthaya
(Siam)
Died
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Name
Siam
Religion
Buddhism
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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 I
Posthumously 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 Mon
noble serving the royal court (posthumously raised to Somdet Phra Prathom Borommahachonnok "the grand
primordial father") who was Phra Akson Sunthonsat (Royal Secretary of northern Siam, Keeper of the Royal
Seal). 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 six
other siblings.
Thongduang at a young age entered the Royal Palace as one of the royal pages of King Uthumphon, where he
met his childhood friend Taksin. In 1757, aged 21, he became a monk temporarily, in accordance with Siamese
custom. In 1760, he married Nak, daughter of a town patron in Samut Sakorn. He was later appointed the Luang
Yokkrabat (deputy governor) of Ratchaburi Province by King Ekkathat in 1758.
Military leader
Swiftly Taksin made a strategic plan and under it recaptured Ayutthaya in one year. In 1768 Taksin crowned
himself and founded the Kingdom of Thonburi on the west bank of the mouth of the Chao Phraya river, using
Thonburi as a new capital. Under the new Thonburi regime, Thongduang was appointed head of the royal police
department, 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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After the campaign to subdue the lord of Fang in 1769, Thongduang was raised to Phraya Yommarat and in the
next year became Chao Phraya Chakri the Samuhanayok (chief minister of the northern provinces). Chakri
commanded the Siamese troops in the wars against Burma and went on to subjugate Cambodia. His brother
Bunma (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 the
help of Kawila, a prince from Lampang. In 1776, he conquered Khmer Pa Dong (around modern Surin). He was
assigned 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 Maha
Kasatsuek, the first official to ever hold this rank.
Ascension as King
In 1781, he went on the campaigns against Cambodia, only to return
prematurely due to the instability of Thonburi. The rebellion of Phraya
San had broken out and the rebels deposed King Taksin. Some sources
report that Taksin was consigned to a monastery. After arriving in
Thonburi in 1782, Chao Phraya defeated the Phraya San with his
forces. Later sources widely reported that the general eventually
executed the ousted Taksin, contradicting to some earlier sources. He
then seized power and made himself King, establishing the Chakri
Dynasty, 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 Chao
Mural of the epic Ramakien, written by
Phraya river for several reasons, including its better strategic location
the King, the Thai version of the
and a desire to promote his legitimacy by starting from a clean slate.
Ramayana, on the walls of the Temple
He decided to name his new capital "Rattanakosin" ("Keeping place of
of the Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace,
the Emerald Buddha"). Rama I also raised various members of his
Bangkok.
family to royalty. He appointed his brother Surasi (Anuchit Raja) or
Maha 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. The
Queen's children included Prince Isarasundhorn, later King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II) (whom the King
appointed as Front Palace after the death of Maha Sura Singhanat in 1803), Prince Maha Senanurak and Prince
Maha Sakdi Polsep.
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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 young
Ang Eng. However, the pro-Vietnamese policies of certain Cambodian aristocrats under Ang Eng alarmed
Rama I. As a result, Rama I had Ang Eng captured and deported to Bangkok, where he became Rama's adopted
son to implant pro-Siamese sentiments on him. Rama I also imposed Chao Phraya Abhaya Bhubet as the Regent
of 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 the
Narairaja III of Cambodia. The area around Siemreap and
Battambang was annexed by Siam, and were governed by Abhaya
Bhubet. However, Rama I allowed these territories to be ruled in
accordance with Cambodian traditions.
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immigration to sustain the country's economy. The Chinese were found mainly in
the trading and mercantile sector, and by the time his son and grandson came to the
throne, European explorers noted that Bangkok was filled with Chinese junks of all
sizes.[11]
Monarchs of
the Chakri Dynasty
Yotfachulalok
(Rama I)
Loetlanaphalai
(Rama II)
Nangklao
(Rama III)
Mongkut
(Rama IV)
Chulalongkorn
(Rama V)
Vajiravudh
(Rama VI)
Prajadhipok
In 1804, Rama I began the compilation of the Three Seals Law, consisting of old
Ayutthayan laws collected and organized. (From left to right the seals are: 1. The
Royal 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 also
initiated a reform of government and the style of Kingship.
(Rama VII)
Ananda Mahidol
(Rama VIII)
Bhumibol Adulyadej
(Rama IX)
Rama I was also noted for instituting major reforms in Buddhism as well as
restoring moral discipline among the monks in the country, which had gradually
eroded with the fall of Ayutthaya. Monks had already dabbled in superstitions when he first came to power, and
Rama I implemented a law which required a monk who wished to travel to another principality for further
education to present a certificate bearing his personal particulars, which would prove a monk own's legitimacy
that he had been properly ordained. The King also repeatedly emphasised in state ceremonies to place devotion
to 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 duty
of 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 texts
lost in the chaos after the sacking of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, some were salvaged under the direction
of 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 during
the 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]
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In Memoriam
6 April is Chakri Memorial Day, a holiday to commemorate the founder of the Chakri Dynasty.
References
1. Klaus Wenk (1968). The restoration of Thailand under Rama I,
Wikimedia Commons has
1782-1809. The University of Arizona Press. p. 3.
media related to Rama I.
2. Sulak Sivaraksa (1985). Siamese Resurgence: A Thai Buddhist Voice on
Asia and a World of Change. Asian Cultural Forum on Development.
p. 175.
3. Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit (2005). A History of Thailand. Cambridge University Press. pp. 32 and 288.
ISBN 0-521-81615-7.
4. The following article was written by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Thailand in 1855 in response to the British
Governor to Hongkong. And another related article from (http://www.mrc-usa.org/thai-king-letter.htm) The Nation
newspaper on 13 December 1999.
5. Britannica encyclopedia (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9062561/Rama-I)
6. Down Sampeng Lane: The Story of Bangkok's China Town (http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20060622_04/)
7. Thailand, doing business in (http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Str-The/Thailand-Doing-Businessin.html)
8. Clark D. Neher. Modern Thai Politics: From Village to Nation. Transaction Publishers. p. 50. ISBN 0-87073-916-6.
9. 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.
10. Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 584.
ISBN 0-521-35505-2.
11. 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.
12. Urban Council. Sculptures from Thailand: 16.10.82--12.12.82, Hong Kong Museum. University of California. p. 33.
13. 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 (Siam
Society Heritage Trust) 43 (1). Retrieved January 17, 2013. "First page of the Law Code of 1805"
14. Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 2212.
ISBN 0-521-35505-2.
15. Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 222.
ISBN 0-521-35505-2.
16. Nicholas Tarling (1999). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 221.
ISBN 0-521-35505-2.
17. http://www.sspxasia.com/Newsletters/2002/Oct-Dec/Catholic_Church_in_Thailand.htm
18. hunlahakkraphong (1960). Lords of Life: The Paternal Monarchy of Bangkok, 1782-1932. Taplinger. p. 114.
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Rama I
Chakri Dynasty
Born: 20 March 1737
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Taksin
(of Thonburi)
King of Siam
17821809
Succeeded by
Buddha Loetla
Nabhalai
See also
List of people with the most children
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rama_I&oldid=667924067"
Categories: 1737 births 1809 deaths 1782 crimes Chakri Dynasty Thai people of Mon descent
Thai people of Chinese descent Thai monarchs Buddhist monarchs Regicides
People from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
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