Chairacha

Chairacha (full name: Somdet Phra Chairachathirat, Thai: สมเด็จ พระ ไชย ราชาธิราช; * 1498/99, † 1546/47 ) was the 14th king of the Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya. He reigned from 1533/34 bis 1546/47 (CS 896-908 ).

Life

Borommarachas son, Prince Ratsada had, as the 13th king of Ayutthaya held the throne five months before the half-brother of his father, Chairacha, had him murdered and himself ascended the throne early in 1534. Although he was a usurper, you Chairacha had but as a good and wise king remembered.

During his reign King Chairacha had an approximately two-mile channel in today's Bangkok dig, which shortened the travel time of ships from the Gulf of Thailand through to the capital Ayutthaya considerably. The channel is now the Chao Phraya, the former course of the river is now called Khlong Bangkok Noi.

The chronicler Jeremias Van Vliet, merchant of the Dutch East India Company (VOC ), who lived from 1633 to 1642 in Ayutthaya, describes the king as follows:

" The king was merciful, wise and pious. He often went to war with Cambodia and was victorious. He reigned soft but firm. He appreciated good case law: before he condemned malefactors, he let her case thoroughly investigate. He built and restored many temples, among others, he had the great and fabulous Wat Chi Chiang Sai build. "

Successor

Chairacha died 1546/1547 on the way back from an unsuccessful campaign in Lan Na, leading to protracted and bitter disputes about the succession led. Chairacha left two sons, both of his queen Thao Si Sudachan. The elder, Prince Yot Fa, was crowned with his mother as regent to the king at the age of eleven years. Khun Worawongsa, the lover of Sudachan or even this, let the following year poison Prince Yot Fa to put himself on the throne. After six months, however, he was assassinated by the leading nobles of the empire. His successor was the half-brother Chairachas, Prince Thianracha. He was crowned in July 1548 than Maha Chakkraphat the 17th king of Ayutthaya.