Ayutthaya is an ancient city of the second royal dynasty of Thailand, the Ayutthaya Kingdom(1351-1767). Up until its fall, following the Burmese (present-day Myanmar) invasion, the Ayutthaya Kingdom was the most prosperous kingdom of the Indochinese Peninsula, and as such, it was heavily influenced by the powerful Buddhist state of the Khmer Empire with a pronounced Hindu undertone. Capitalizing on its strategic position alongside the surrounding Chao Phraya, Pa Sak, and Lopburi rivers, it engaged in active commerce with England, France, the Netherlands, Japan, China, and other countries around the globe while serving as a hub for international marine trade, connecting Europe with Southeast Asia. The vibrant trade activity resulted in not only economic prosperity, but also the expansion of its influence reaching as far as present-day Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. The kingdom’s cultural sector also flourished, including religious ceremonial traditions, royal customs, performance arts, and much more. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is often referred to as the golden age of Thailand, while also functioning as a model for the founding of the kingdom of Bangkok.
In contrast with its glorious days of yore, the Historic City of Ayutthaya is home to a number of utterly destroyed temples and ancient ruins dating back to the invasion of the neighboring country of Myanmar. Located at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula, Thailand borders five other countries, while the northwest region shares an expansive, intimate border with Myanmar, connecting as many as 10 provinces between the two countries which have witnessed numerous conflicts over the ages. According to Prince Damrong, Thailand’s father of early historian, the two countries engaged in a total of 22 wars solely within the period of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, with Thailand suffering two crushing invasions in the Burmese-Siamese Wars of 1569 and 1767. The scars of the resulting defeats remain in the collective consciousness of the Thai people to this very day.
However, this page in history also saw the birth of two national heroes that enabled Thailand to withstand numerous onslaughts from foreign nations. The first hero is the royal queen, Suriyothai; praised as a national heroine for having sacrificed herself on the field of battle, dressed in a male soldier’s uniform, in order to protect the 18th king of Ayutthaya and her husband, Maha Chakkraphat, in 1548. The second hero, making his appearance in the Burmese-Siamese War, led the country to victory in 1584, earning Thailand its independence from Myanmar following the 15-year occupation since its defeat in 1569. The hero’s name was Naresuan, one of Thailand’s greatest kings, nicknamed the “maharaja,” or great ruler. As the 21st ruler of the kingdom, he both rebuilt Ayutthaya and expanded its borders, ushering in the kingdom’s golden age. In honor of these legendary figures, the ruins of Ayutthaya feature the Queen Suriyothai Memorial, Statue of King Naresuan, and a number of other commemorative monuments.
The legends of Queen Suriyothai and King Naresuan are alive and well within the ruins of the Historic City of Ayutthaya, which symbolize the paradox of war that left the country in ruins, yet gave birth to the greatest of national heroes.
Written by Professor Mi-ji Lee (Busan University of Foreign Studies)
KOREA FOUNDATION
