Songtham

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His Majesty King Droṇdharm (full Thai title: สมเด็จพระเจ้าทรงธรรม; RTGS: Somdet Phra Chao Songtham) was the 27th monarch of Ayuthia and the fifth monarch to come from the House of Sukhōday, reigning from 1611 to 1628.

[edit] Royal History

King Droṇdharm is named in the Royal Secretary's Edition of the Royal Chronicles of Ayuthia as His Majesty King Pạromarājā I (สมเด็จพระบรมราชาที่ ๑; Somdet Phra Borommaracha thi Nueng); he had previously been a priest, identified in the Royal Chronicles of Ayuthia as the monk Śrīsin (พระศรีสิน; Phra Sisin), serving at the Raghaṇ Monastery and had ascended the order as Bimoldharm-Ananŧaҏrījā (พระพิมลธรรมอนันตปรีชา; Phra Phimontham-Anantapricha).

Later, Chamuen Śrīsạrrakṣ assented to the execution of King Śrīsēāvabhagy and then invited Bimoldharm-Ananŧaҏrījā to leave the priesthood and take up the royal throne in 1612 (some sources say 1620; the Karmakār Jaṃra Ҏravaŧiśāsŧr (กรรมการชำระประวัติศาสตร์; Kammakan Chamra Prawattisat), a council of Thai historians, claim it was actually 1610).

Bimoldharm-Ananŧaҏrījā was crowned the reigning monarch of Ayuthia as King Droṇdharm (พระเจ้าทรงธรรม; Phra Chao Songtham) or Bracēā Droṇdharm an Mahāҏrasrēiṭh (พระเจ้าทรงธรรมอันมหาประเสริฐ; Phra Chao Songtham an Maha Prasoet) and dubbed Śrīsạrrakṣ the Uparaja. However, Śrīsạrrakṣ died after holding the throne for only three days. His Majesty King Droṇdharm had three sons, these being Jēṣṭhā, Śrīśilҏ and Ādiŧyavoṇś, although historians such as Jeremias Van Vliet claim he had nine sons and eight daughters.

His Majesty King Droṇdharm reigned for seventeen years before passing away on December 12, 1628, as recorded by Dutch sources.

[edit] Royal Charges

One important event credited to King Droṇdharm is that he ordered the Moṇgolpạbiŧr holy site (วิหารพระมงคลบพิตร; Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit), which was west of the Ayuthian Grand Palace, be moved to the south. Other important events during his reign are the destruction of Tenasserim, wars with Burma and Cambodia, increased trade with Japan, Brānpuñ's discovery of the Buddha's Footprint at Sarapurī, the work Kābymahājāŧi credited to Droṇdharm, and the channeling of the Kaitēīy Temple Canal (คลองวัดไก่เตี้ย; Khlong Wat Kai Tia) in Sāmgōk (บ้านสามโคก; Ban Sam Khok).

source: Thai Wikipedia

[edit] Also

His reign is linked to the rise of the Japanese adventurer Yamada Nagamasa who helped him in his military campaigns with a small army of Japanese soldiers.

Songtham supported trade and sent four embassies (about 20 people each) to the Japanese Shogun in 1621, 1623, 1626, 1629.

The royal tradition, worship Buddha's footprint in Wat Phra Phutthabat began in his reign.

Preceded by Sanpet IV (Sri Saowaphak)

Kings of Ayutthaya 1611-1628

Succeeded by Jēṣṭhādhirāj