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King Narai

Type Figure Region Siam Time 1633–1688 Also known as Rama Thibodi III

Narai (1633–1688), last monarch of the Prasat Thong line of Ayutthaya, who consolidated royal power after ascending in 1656, pursued open diplomacy a…

Timeline

  1. 1656–1661Ayutthaya · Ayutthaya ProvinceIn 1656 Narai overthrew his uncle Si Suthammaraja and took the throne, gradually weakening native nobles and relying on Persian and Japanese mercenaries and Dutch East India Company support to balance court factions, laying the domestic foundation for later foreign expansion.
  2. 1662–1664Burmese-Siamese northern border · Northern ThailandFrom 1662 to 1664 Narai launched large-scale military operations against Burma, successively capturing Lamphun, Chiang Mai, and other places, penetrating deep into Pegu and Rangoon, and withdrawing after besieging Pagan in 1664. The war aimed to weaken Toungoo control over northern vassal states and expand Siamese influence north of the Chao Phraya basin.
  3. 1664–1670Lopburi · Lopburi ProvinceIn 1664 the Dutch East India Company blockaded Ayutthaya on grounds of trade monopoly; Narai strengthened coastal defenses and moved to Lopburi, building a European-style palace there in 1666. French Jesuits were granted residence in 1662, paving the way for later Franco-Siamese diplomacy and missionary activity; during this period Narai maintained a delicate balance among Dutch, French, and English powers.

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