King Narai the Great (Thai: สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, RTGS: Somdet Phra Narai Maharat, pronounced [sǒm.dèt pʰráʔ nāː.rāːj mā.hǎː.râːt] ), or Ramathibodi III (Thai: รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ ), was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Prasat Thong dynasty. He was the king of Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous king of the Prasat Thong dynasty.
His reign was the most prosperous during the Ayutthaya period and saw the great commercial and diplomatic activities with foreign nations including the Middle East and the West. During the later years of his reign, Narai gave his favorite – the Greek adventurer Constantine Phaulkon – so much power that Phaulkon technically became the chancellor of the state. Through the arrangements of Phaulkon, the Siamese kingdom came into close diplomatic relations with the court of Louis XIV and French soldiers and missionaries filled the Siamese aristocracy and defense. The dominance of French officials led to frictions between them and the native mandarins and led to the turbulent revolution of 1688 towards the end of his reign.
Narai's reign was also known for the 1662–1664 invasion of Burma, the destruction of the briefly independent port city of the Sultanate of Singgora (1605–1680), and the conflict he had with the English East India Company.
The presence of numerous foreigners from the French Jesuits to the Persian delegates has left historians with rich sources of material on the city of Ayutthaya and its conflicts and courtly life in the seventeenth century that otherwise would not have survived the complete destruction of the capital in 1767.
Prince Narai was born on 16 February 1632 to King Prasat Thong and his consort, Princess Sirithida (Thai: ศิริธิดา), who was a daughter of Songtham. Prasat Thong had just usurped the throne from the ruling Ayutthaya dynasty in 1629 and founded a dynasty of his own. Narai had an siblings younger sister Princess Si Suphan (or Princess Ratcha Kanlayani), elder half-brother Prince Chai, and an uncle Prince Si Suthammaracha.
The Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya: Royal Recension Version recorded that "In that year , the princess consort gave birth to a son. When the royal family glanced at the infant, they saw the baby had four arms before having two arms as normal. Upon learning this, the king thought it was a miracle. He therefore named his son Narai." The name Narai is from Sanskrit Narayana, a name of Hindu god Vishnu who has four arms.
After Prasat Thong’s death in 1656, Prince Chai succeeded him as King Sanphet VI. However, it was a Thai tradition to give brothers a higher priority over sons in succession. Prince Sudharmmaraja plotted with his nephew, Prince Narai, to bring Sanpet VI down. After nine months of ascension, Sanpet VI was executed following a coup. Narai and his uncle marched into the palace, and Si Suthammaracha crowned himself king. Si Suthammaracha appointed Narai as the Uparaja, or Viceroy of the Front Palace. However, Narai was also an ambitious prince and had requested Dutch support against his uncle. Si Suthammaracha's rule was weak and he fell under the control of Chao Phraya Chakri, an ambitious mandarin who also wanted the throne.
In 1656, Narai and his uncle finally alienated each other. Si Suthammaracha lusted after Narai's sister, Princess Ratcha Kanlayani. He ordered his soldiers to surround her residence and entered the house. The princess hid in a book chest and it was smuggled into the Front Palace, where she reunited with her brother.
Enraged at his uncle's behavior, Narai decided to take action. He drew his support from the Persian and Japanese mercenaries that had been persecuted during his father's reign. He was also supported by the Dutch East India Company, as well as his brothers and the Okya Sukhothai, a powerful nobleman. On the Day of Ashura, the Persians, Japanese and Dutch stormed the palace. The prince engaged in single combat with his uncle, until the king fled to the Rear Palace. Si Suthammaracha was captured and was executed at Wat Khok Phraya on 26 October 1656.
Domestic policies in King Narai's reign were greatly affected by the interference of foreign powers most notably the Chinese to the north, the Dutch to the South, and the English who were making their first forays into India to the west. Policies revolved around either directly countering the influence, or creating a delicate balance of power between the different parties.
In 1660, the Chinese invaded the Burmese capital at Ava to capture Zhu Youlang, the last Southern Ming emperor. Sensing a possible weakening of Burmese influence in the northern vassal states, King Narai began the Burmese–Siamese War of 1662–64 to bring Chiang Mai under the direct control of Ayutthaya. Although the expedition was successful in taking control of Lampang and other smaller cities, a second expedition had to be conducted to bring Chiang Mai under control in 1662. After stopping a Burmese army incursion in 1663 at Sai Yok, Narai led an army of 60,000 in an invasion of Burma, capturing Martaban, Syriam, Rangoon, Hongsawadi, and then in 1664 laid siege to Pagan. After "causing many casualties in dead and wounded and capturing many prisoners of war", the Siamese retreated.
Narai also handed over control of Mergui to French officer Chevalier de Beauregard and his small French garrison. At the same time, he also granted a concession of the strategic port of Bangkok to Beauregard, with the view of countering Dutch influence.
King Narai also built a new palace at present-day Lopburi ("Louvo" in the French accounts) utilising the expertise of Jesuit architects and engineers. European influences are clearly evident in the architectural style, especially the use of wide windows. The move to Lopburi was arguably prompted by the Dutch naval blockade of Ayutthaya in 1664 to enforce a fur monopoly.
Although Catholic missions had been present in Ayutthaya as early as 1567 under Portuguese Dominicans, King Narai's reign saw the first concerted attempt to convert the monarch to Catholicism under the auspices of French Jesuits who were given permission to settle in Ayutthaya in 1662. The conversion attempt ultimately failed and arguably backfired but Catholics were to remain in Siam up to the present day.
The most remarkable aspect of King Narai's reign were the diplomatic missions that he sent and received during his reign. Missions were sent as far afield as France, England, and the Vatican, although at least two missions were lost at sea. Ties with states closer to Ayutthaya were not neglected as missions were also sent to Persia, Golconda (India), China, as well as other neighbouring states.
Undoubtedly, the most celebrated of these missions were those to Europe, in particular France. In 1673, a French ecclesiastical mission arrived at the Siamese court with letters from Pope Clement IX and King Louis XIV of France. King Narai reciprocated by sending a mission to France in 1680 led by Phya Pipatkosa. Although the mission was lost at sea near Madagascar, the French would respond positively by sending a commercial mission to Ayutthaya headed by Monsignor Pallu in 1682.
Most controversially, King Narai allowed the rise of Constantine Phaulkon, a Greek adventurer who first arrived in Ayutthaya in 1675, formerly worked for the English East India Company. Phaulkon was introduced into the court by minister of foreign affairs and trade Kosa Lek in 1681 as a quick-witted interpreter and quickly gained the royal favor. In 1682 he served as the interpreter during the royal audience with François Pallu, who arrived with letters from Louis XIV. Within a few years, Phaulkon had managed to ingratiate himself with the king and became Narai's closest counselor. Phaulkon suggested a plan for the reconstruction of the fort of Mergui in polygonal European style, which was strongly opposed by Kosa Lek. Kosa Lek was later accused of receiving bribes from peasants who did not want to be drafted into the Mergui construction. He was flogged to death under royal orders.