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History
/ Sukhothai
Statue in Buriram
1238
- Taking advantage of the weakening of the Khmer empire, two
local Thai princes, Khun Bang Klang and Khun Pa Muang,
both of them actually officials of the Khmer occupation government
in Sayam (later, and until the present, Sukhothai)
start a rebellion against the Khmers. Khan Lampong, a
Cambodian General, tries to subdue the Thais but is defeated.
Sukhothai thereby becomes a truly independent state. Khun
Bang Klang is crowned King of Sukhothai under the title
Sri Inthrathit. Khun Pa Muang is only given a major government
post, far inferior to the reward of Khun Bang Klang. The reason
for this is his marriage with a Khmer princess - a matter
that casts doubt on his trustworthiness in the Thais'
eyes. The Principality or Kingdom of Sukhothai grows rapidly
in the following years - as a result of military conquest as
well as rather diplomatic annexations of other Thai principalities
formerly ruled by Khmers. These diplomatic annexations become
possible because according to today's knowledge, Sukhothai is
an attractive state to join. It is much more liberal
than most states of the time, knowing no slavery nor excessive
taxation by the monarchy. Being a new kingdom, the rulers
have not progressed on the typical path of becoming distant
from their subjects. Kings are not considered god-kings
as it had been under Khmer rule.
1254
- Kublai Khan, Mongolian ruler in central China conquers
the Nanchao Kingdom, several hundred kilometers to the
north in today's southern China. Great waves of Thai migrants
flood Sukhothai from Yunnan enhancing Sukhothai's population
and power base.
1262
- Prince Mengrai of Nanchao, after having escaped
the wrath of Kublai Khan, establishes the Lannatai Kingdom
with himself as king. To serve as his capital, he founds the
town of Chiang Rai. In the following years, he integrates
several neighboring Thai principalities into his kingdom.
Although relations with Sukhothai are cordial for the
first decades and in spite of the fact that many former Nanchao
subjects become citizens of Sukhothai, the two kingdoms
do not unite. Lannatai will later first become an ally of the
Burmese against the Thai Kingdom of Ayutthaya
(Siam) and then be a Burmese vassal or integrated into Burma
for several centuries. It is noticeable in present-day Thailand
that, except in Chiang Mai and the utmost north of today's Thailand,
Thais have much less sentiments about the kingdom of
Lannatai than about Sukhothai, even though the independent
history of Lannatai is considerably longer than that of
Sukhothai (a mere 140 years).
1279
- Ramkhamhaeng, the third of three sons of Sri Inthrathit
becomes king of Sukhothai. He is however preceded on the throne
by his elder brother Ban Muang (not to be confused with Prince
Pa Muang who had joined Sri Inthrathit in overthrowing
the Khmer rule). But there are no records on when Sri Inthrathit
died or for how long Ban Muang ruled. As there are no
records it was most probably an exceptionally peaceful
time. This changes when Ramkhamhaeng ascends to the throne.
In the following years Ramkhamhaeng's armies conquer an area
encompassing most of what is now Thailand plus the eastern
part of what is today Burma plus almost the whole of
the Malayan Peninsula. Ethnically speaking, he ruled
not only over Thais but also over Burmese, Mons
and Shans in the west, Malays in the south and
Khmers and Laotians (ethnically closely related
to the Thais) in the east. As the relations between King
Mengrai of Lannatai and King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai
have remained cordial, Ramkhamhaeng does not touch his northern
neighbor. Impressing as they may be, Ramkhamhaeng's military
exploits are by far not his only achievement. He also creates
the Thai alphabet that is basically still in use, codifies
the law and conducts a reform of Buddhism practiced
in his realm by establishing stricter rules for the behavior
of monks. The Thai alphabet invented by him draws on
Sanskrit and Pali (both languages of Indian origin) as well
as the written languages of the Burmese and the Khmers,
both of which are also Sanskrit and Pali based. But not only
are the letters of neighboring languages used to provide for
a written Thai language. Terms from Pali, Sanskrit
and the immediate neighboring languages are also integrated
into Thai (which otherwise is quite different from Burmese and
the Khmer language). The development of the Thai language in
southeast Asia, in spite of it's origin in China, explains
why a large number of Royal titles or religious designations
are quite similar to those of the Khmer or Burmese (the Thais
adopted Buddhism only in southeast Asia, not during
their history in what is now south China where Buddhism arrived
only at a time when the Thai majority had already migrated to
southeast Asia).
1282
- How Chow Chi, a Chinese Mandarin comes to Sukhothai and
negotiates a treaty of amity between China and Sukhothai.
1283
- King Mengrai of Lannatai conquers the Mon Kingdom of Haripungaya
(present-day Lamphun), making it a long lasting part of his
realm. Later kingdoms of the Mons will all be located
at the western side of the mountain range that today separates
the territories of Burma and Thailand.
1300
- Death of Ramkhamhaeng; the throne is ascended by his son,
Loetai. Sukhothai begins its decline. In the following
years, most of the non-Thai principalities ruled by King
Ramkhamhaeng and many of the Thai principalities as well
become rather independent from Sukhothai.
1338
- The major Thai principality of Phayao east of Chiang
Mai is annexed to the Lannatai Kingdom.
1330-1350
- The principality of Utong (near today's town of Suphanburi,
close to Ayutthaya, becomes a regional power, largely due to
the military skills of its leading general. A personal
name of this general is not known. (It must be noted here that
in Thai or Siamese tradition, personal names have much
less bearing than in the western culture. Typically, a man changed
his name when he assumed additional power, either by being promoted
or by usurping it. Many of the names under which important
Thai or Siamese personalities are known in history are anyhow
rather titles than names. One important example
of later times is the designations Chao Phaya. Chao Phaya,
aside from being the name of the main Thai river, is a Thai
title, designating the highest government officials; typically
the leading general of a principality was named Chao
Phaya - as for example several hundred years later Chao Phaya
Chakri, the founder of the current Thai dynasty who had
first been the leading general of King Taksin of Thonburi).
The leading general of Utong (who didn't bear the title
Chao Phaya during his life-time but would later be designated
as such) gains for his principality several adjourning areas
which have so far been ruled by the king of Sukhothai.
He is the initiator of the Ayutthaya period of Thai history.
1347
- Prince Lutai (Tammaraja I) , a son of King Loetai, becomes
King of Sukhothai. It is not known how long Sukhothai
was ruled by King Loetai. The accepted theory is that after
King Loetai died, there was heavy competition for the
throne; most probably a king with the name Nguanamthom
ruled for a period of time between the reigns of Loetai and
Lutai Tammaraja I. King Lutai concentrates rather on religious
than political matters, a fact further contributing to
the loss of political power of Sukhothai. Tammaraja,
a name he acquires posthumously, is a religious rather
than political title.
1370
- King Lutai dies and is succeeded by his son Prince Sai
who becomes King Tammaraja II.
1371
- King Boromaraja I of Ayutthaya invades Sukhothai territory,
capturing several towns.
1375
- Phitsanulok, the substitute capital of Sukhothai, is taken
by Boromaraja's forces and prisoners are turned into
slaves.
1378
- King Tammaraja II is forced to become a vassal of the
King of Ayutthaya. This marks the end of the independent
Thai Kingdom of Sukhothai after 140 years of existence.
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