King U-thong[2][a][3] (Thai: พระเจ้าอู่ทอง; pronounced[ʔùː.tʰɔ̄ːŋ]) or KingRamathibodi I (Thai: สมเด็จพระรามาธิบดีที่ ๑; Rāmādhipatī; pronunciationⓘ, 1314–1369) was the first king of the kingdom Ayutthaya (now part of Thailand),[4]: 222 reigning from 1351[1] to 1369.
Origins and Reign
He was known as Prince U Thong (meaning "Golden Cradle") before he ascended to the throne in 1350. There are many theories about Uthong's background, including possibly being a descendant of Mangrai.[5]: 27 [6] According to a better-known source, a seventeenth-century account by Dutchman Jeremias van Vliet, a Renowned Legend stated that Ramatibodi was an ethnic Chinese, having sailed down from China. After succeeding in trade, he became influential enough to rule the city of Phetchaburi, (or Vajrapur in sanskrit ) a coastal town of the Gulf of Thailand, before travelling up to Ayutthaya.[7][8]
Ramathibodi I established four Great Officers of State. These were the Ministry of the Interior (Wieng), the Ministry of the Treasury (Klang), the Ministry for the King's Household (Wang), and the Ministry of Agriculture (Na). He also codified the T'ai laws. Finally, he formed an alliance with the Ming dynasty.[5]: 28
In 1352 he laid siege to Yasodharapura. He was successful the following year and placed one of his sons on the throne. However, they were only able to keep the throne until 1357, when the Khmers were able to regain it.[9]: 236
Conflict of two dynasties
King Ramathibodi's death sparked a conflict over succession. Initially, his son King Ramesuan became ruler of Ayutthaya, but his son later abdicated in favor of Ramathibodi's brother-in-law and the ruler of Suvarnabhumi, King Borommarachathirat I.[5]: 29 In 1388 Ramesuan took revenge by taking Ayutthaya back from Borommarachathirat I's son, Thonglan. and followed by Borommarachathirat I's nephew Intharacha took Ayutthaya back for Suphannaphum dynasty in 1408. From then on Uthong dynasty was then purged and became a mere noble family of Ayutthaya until the 16th century.
Notes
^In fact, "U-thong" is the name of a mythological king that has many kings, with no actual existence in history. However, the story of the legendary king U-thong is related to the creation of Ayutthaya.
^Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN978-0-8248-0368-1.
