Front Palace

Uparat (also Uparaja, Uparaj, Ouparath written; Thai: มหา อุปราช RTGS: Maha Uparat ) was the position of a " Second King" or " viceroy " in the Buddhist dynasties of Laos, Siam, Burma and Cambodia, as well as some tributary principalities.

Siam (Thailand)

In Siam the Uparat was usually the king's brother. He was the heir to the throne after the death of the king. If the Uparat died sometime before the king, his position was mostly not filled until a new king and thus a new Uparat was used.

Each of the first five kings of the still reigning Chakri Dynasty had appointed a Uparat: Phra Phutthayotfa Chulaloke ( Rama I ) his brother, Phra Phutthaloetla ( Rama II ), also his brother, Phra Nang Klao (Rama III. ) Appointed his uncle, the brother of King Phutthaloetla ( Rama II ), Mongkut (Rama IV ) in turn appointed his brother, the Regent of the minor King Chulalomgkorn ( Rama V ) appointed the eldest son of the previous Uparat successor. With the exception of Pra Phutthaloetla ( Rama II ) Uparat all died before their kings, only Itsarasunthon ( Phra Phutthaloetla - Rama II ) became the new king, after he had previously been Uparat.

The relationship between the king and his Uparat was rare harmony, since the Uparat often tended to bolster his forces to eventually replace the king before his death. The last of these struggles was the so-called " incident of Front Palace " in 1874. A fire in the Grand Palace was the Uparat Bovorn Vichaicharn attributed to the British Consulate subsequently asked for protection. The crisis began during the fast-paced reforms of the young King Chulalongkorn ( Rama V ). This meant that the reforms for some time, " put on ice " were. When the Uparat died in 1885, the entire Uparat system was abolished by the king, he appointed his son as his successor.

The Uparat resided in his own palace, the Middle Palace ( Thai: Wang Na - วังหน้า ):

• In the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was the Front Palace, Chandra Kasem Palace, in the northeast corner of the island. It was built in 1577, King Mongkut restored it in and converted to his summer palace. Today it houses the " Chantharakasem National Museum ".
• In the Rattanakosin period of the Front Palace was located north of the Grand Palace. Today is on this terrain the National Museum Bangkok.

Burma

The "Great Viceroy ", full title of Maha Uparaja Anaudrapa Ainshe Min, interpreted by Europeans wrong as crown prince, was the highest rank among the Min- nyi Min -tha, the prince of royal blood.

This position was not reserved for the firstborn, yet she was automatically connected to the succession of a king, which often ended up in power struggles.

Laos

In the Lao Lan Xang kingdom of the title Upayuvaraja was common. For some rulers, whose real name is not known, the title is set, see

• Upayuvaraja I.