Capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom

Timeline

1. 1238–1260Sukhothai · ThailandPho Khun Bang Klang broke away from Khmer rule at Angkor and established the Sukhothai Kingdom in the Yun River basin, building a fortified city and early Buddhist temples, laying the foundation of the capital's dual religious-administrative structure.
2. c. 1261–1270Sukhothai · ThailandThe kingdom's power expanded southward and into the Malay Peninsula; the capital continued to add temples and hydraulic works, and core complexes such as Wat Mahathat grew in scale, laying the urban foundation for the golden age of Ram Khamhaeng's era.
3. 1279–1298Sukhothai · ThailandKing Ram Khamhaeng promoted Buddhist governance, created the Thai alphabet, and expanded the realm; the capital's Buddhist temples and walking Buddha statuary reached their peak, forming a distinctive Sukhothai paradigm of Buddhist sculpture and urban planning.
4. c. 1378–1438Sukhothai · ThailandAs the kingdom's power waned, the capital's political function gradually shifted south to Ayutthaya; in 1438 it was formally incorporated into the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and the site was preserved as an important archaeological heritage of Southeast Asia.