Naresuan

Phitsanulok was the birthplace of one of the greatest heroes in Thai history - King Naresuan who was born in 1555. His father, King Mahathammaracha was a descendant of the Phra Ruang dynasty of Sukhothai, and his mother was Queen Phra Wisut Kasattri of the Suwannaphum dynasty of Ayutthaya.

At the age of nine, he had been taken as hostage to Burma for 6 years. King Naresuan was a great warrior king. He liberated Ayutthaya from Burma while he was the Crown Prince. He led the soldiers into battles to defend the country against Burmese invasions many times. He is also widely known among the Thais nowadays for his heroic efforts. He led the assault of a Burmese camp by climbing the wooden stockade with the blunt side of a saber in his mouth. He had a duel on elephants with the Burmese Crown Prince and slew him. He took the offensive against Burma and also dealt with the Cambodians who made a series of raids. King Naresuan extended Ayutthaya's territory to include Lanna, Lanchang, Cambodia and some parts of Burma. He enforced strict discipline on his soldiers and the people. During his reign, Ayutthaya was a very secure and powerful state.



Apart from being a great warrior, King Naresuan also played a significant role in foreign relations and trade. Realizing the importance of foreign trade, he sent envoys to China and Spain, and cultivated friendly relations with the Europeans. Ayutthaya concluded a treaty of friendship and commerce with Spain, which was the second treaty that Siam made with a European Power. (The first European power with which Siam had a treaty was Portugal.) Under this treaty, Spaniards had the right to reside, to trade and to practice their religion in Siam. At the end of his reign, he exposed Ayutthaya to another western nation - the Dutch.




King Naresuan deserved the honor of being "the Great". He not only restored the national independence but also made Siam such a powerful country that no enemy threatened the walls of Ayutthaya again for a period of one hundred seventy three years.

Three of King Naresuan's weapons and belongings have constituted a part of the Royal Regalia down to the present. The first is the musket with which he shot the Burmese leader in one of the battles to defend Ayutthaya against Burma. Second is the saber that he carried in his mouth during his assault on the Burmese camp at Ayutthaya. The last is the leather hat with a brim cut-off in the shape of a crescent moon, which he was wearing when he engaged in a duel on elephants with the Crown Prince of Burma.

Hanthawady

Bago is situated about 50 miles north of Yangon. It was the capital city of the Hanthawady Kingdom for many centuries under the Mon and Myanmar monarchs. Bago (or) Ogsa city was a renowned cultural region in lower Myanmar.

If one talks about Bago (or) Ogsa City, he can not leave the King who possessed white elephants, King Bayintnaung who powerful and a great monarch in the Southeast Asian regions.King Bayintnaung who established the 2nd Myanmar Empire was the most popular one among successive Myanmar Kings. After two years he reigned Myanmar in 1553, he built Kambowzathadi Palace which was the heart of Myanmar. After excavating and rebuilding the ancient Kambowzathadi Palace which was existed about 437 years ago, it is grandly emerged as you can see. So, let’s study the significant palace.

In the contemporary European Chronicles written by Italian merchant Caesar Fredaricke and the British merchant Ralph Fitch, stated that the Hanthawadi City was a glorious and magnificent capital. It was a great city built on plain and flat site. The royal palace was at the centre of the new city. The Chamber of the Royal Palace was in grandeur and richly gilded. Some apartments of the palace were roofed with gold plates depicting the magnificence and beauty of the royal palace.

The Hanthawady City was a great commercial centre in the 16th century A.D. King Bayintnaung was more powerful than his predecessors as he could unity the entire Myanmar and its neighbours. He founded the second Myanmar Empire and his military prowess was remarkable among the Southeast Asian leaders. King Bayintnaung reigned the Hanthawady City for thirty years, his demise came in 1581.

The Kambowzathadi Palace remained in ruins for four hundred years. The excavation of Kambowzathadi Palace commenced in 1990 April 25th. This palace site is 67.295 acres wide. Firstly, we excavated mound No (1). It is the site of the main shrine hall. When we excavated the palace site, we discovered about two thousand damaged Buddha images.

Mound No (2) is the site of royal chamber of princess. Her name is Razadatukalya, who was the eldest daughter of King Bayintnaung. Mound No (3) and (4) are the sites of apartments of Chief-queens. We assume mound No (5) as the site of a corridor connecting to mound No (4), the site of chief queen’s chamber and the mound No (6) is the site of the royal bed Chamber called Bee throne hall. This is a Bamayarthanapalin hall, Bee throne hall, which was the King’s living Chamber and bed room as well guarded by his most trusted persons. Apart from very important cases, such as military affairs, coming to here was strictly prohibited to everyone including his queens and female attendants. When we excavated mound No (6) we discovered 64 large teak pillars.

The most important findings at the site of the great audience hall site are 167 teak posts of which 135 were inscribed in Mon and Myanmar languages bearing the names of towns, regions and the royal ministers who brought the large teak posts for the construction of the great audience hall. This is the largest building of the Palace and used as a State Audience Hall. Among the 8 thrones, Thiharthana throne (or) the Lion throne is set inside the building.

The Thihathana throne is made of Yamanay (gmeline abornea) wood. At the top and bottom of two pilasters attached to the upper part of the throne on each side, the figures of 4 celestial beings can be seen. At the top centre piece there is the figures of the Thagyamin (King of the Celestial beings) on whose forehead a legend admonishing the King to rule the Kingdom with justice, is written. That very fact shows that the Thihathana throne is virtually the symbol of national sovereignty.

In the middle of left pilaster there is a figure of a peacock representing the sun and in the middle of the night pilaster is the figure of a rabbit, the sign of the moon. They are depicting that Myanmar monarchs are the descendants of the Sun and the Moon. (Ulestial beings). King Bayintnaung not only built a strong, united and enlarged 2nd Myanmar Empire, but also ruled his Kingdom with justice and the subjects enjoyed peace and prosperity. He encouraged agriculture, trade and commence. Ministers and heroes of various nationalities served under him and they were promoted to high positions. Hteravada Buddhism flourished under his patronage as he made every effort to promote it. Therefore, his people adored and severed him willingly. In that way, king Bayintnaung realized his vision of establishing a strong, peaceful and developed second Myanmar Union.

By observing features of the grand palace, you will notice the amazing architectural designs, that reflect the high traditional cultural and prosperity of that period. The Grand Kambowzathadi Golden Palace represents that Myanmar was independent and sovereign nation standing tall with glory with its more monarchs, religion and culture heritage.

King Naresuan

1.Pegu's Hostage
The Pegu forces of King Bayinnaung overrun Phitsanulok, ruled by King Thamaracha, who had hoped for help of forces from Ayutthaya, but King Chakrapadi needed the troops to protect his own city. Bayinnaung demands that Prince Naresuan, the young son of Thamaracha, be given to him as a hostage to ensure Phitsanulok's loyalty. Bayinnaung then takes Naresuan on his military campaign to Ayutthaya, schooling the boy in the ways of war. Ayutthaya falls and becomes a vassal state of Pegu, with Thamaracha installed as its leader.

In Pegu, Naresuan is treated as a son of Bayinnaung and afforded all the comforts and respect due to a prince. He rides his horse into "Siamese town" near the palace, home to Siamese refugees of the war, and rescues another boy who is being chased by a mob because he stole some food. The unkempt street urchin does not know his name so Naresuan names him Bunting. Naresuan is then ordained as a novice monk in the Buddhist temple, and Bunting is made a temple boy. The two friends then befriend a temple girl, Manechan. The three children engage in various sorts of mischief, including taking part in cockfighting, despite the orders of the head monk, Khanchong. Under Khanchong's tutelage, Naresuan learns more about martial arts and methods of war.

Bayinnaung, meanwhile, is continuing his campaign to consolidate control of Siam. Naresuan's older sister, Princess Supankulayanee is brought to Pegu to also serve as a consort to the king. With his sister now held hostage, the young Naresuan decides it is time for him to return to Ayutthaya. Already showing superior fighting skills, he attracts a band of loyal follows and makes his escape to Ayutthaya.


2.Reclaiming Sovereignty
Many years have passed since Naresuan went to Ayutthaya. Now the ruler of Phitsanulok, Prince Naresuan, now a grown man, has attracted more followers to his army. His aide-de-camp is his boyhood friend, Bunting, now christened Lord Rachamanu. Naresuan's fighters include an African warrior and a Japanese samurai. Word is received in Ayutthaya that King Bayinnaung has died. Ayutthaya King Thamaracha believes it is important that he go and pay respects, but his son Naresuan, having been raised in Pegu and who regards Bayinnaung as a second father, convinces Thamaracha to let him go.

In Pegu, representatives of nearly all the kingdoms in the realm gather to pay respects to the departed Bayinnaung and also swear loyalty to the new king, Nonthabureng. Naresuan and Bunting are reunited with their childhood friend Manechan, who is now a lady in waiting to Princess Supankulayanee, Naresuan's sister. Naresuan and Manechan share an immediate romantic connection.

One of the Pegu vassal states, Khang, did not send a representative, so Nonthabureng orders three armies to attack the kingdom. Naresuan take his army into the fight. The first two armies fail in their attack of the impenetrable fortress of Khang, which is defended by fierce archers commanded by Princess Lurkin, daughter of the Khang king. Naresuan, held in reserve, finds a way to penetrate the city's rear entrance and storms the city. Bunting trades blows with Lurkin and is enchanted by the fierce beauty. He chases her down and persists with his romantic overtures until she surrenders to him.

Naresuan now must look for a way to return to Siam. Nonthabureng's son, Prince Upparaja, is jealous of Naresuan's military prowess and surmises that Naresuan is going to betray Pegu. He plots various attacks against Naresuan, including sending a band of headhunters to attack Naresuan.

At a river crossing back into Siam, Naresuan finds his forces under attack. With his army across, Naresuan is given a long rifle by his tutor, the monk Khanchong. Naresuan takes aim at the Pegu commander across the mile-wide river and fires, killing the man and firing the first shot in a declaration of independence for Siam.