Ayutthaya Politics in the Reign of King Maha Chakrabhat

Abstract

Internal Politic Issues in the Reign of King Maha Chakrabhat AD 1548 - 1569 is demonstrated a historical event in the reign of King Maha Chakrabhat. There are factors that affected the political stability of Ayutthaya and King Maha Chakrabhat’s royal authority before the first fall of Ayutthaya in 1569.

This study revealed that there are two main factors that affect the political stability of Ayutthaya and King Maha Chakrabhat. The first internal factor includes the disapproval of king by royal nobilities. The king cannot stabilize the political power which caused a several rebellions challenge his authority; he must perform a royal ceremony to potentiate his prestige e.g., coronation ceremony (Intrapisek). Moreover, these ceremonies are not resolved those problems. The conflict between his son-in-law and the northern province (Phitsanulok) strike human resources and political sponsor leading to external factors. In particular, the invasion of neighboring state form Hanthawaddy since the reign of King Tabinshwehti to King Bayinnaung in which King Maha Chakkraphat attempted to stabilized the authority by establishing a peace treaty with Lang Xang come up against Hanthawaddy. In contrast, this cooperation caused destabilizing Hanthawaddy power to overcome Ayutthaya. This caused Burmese–Siamese War in 1568 and King Maha Chakrabhat passed away during the war is remained. The record of Ming Zu Lu revealed that Ayutthaya’s tribute delivery is decreasingly depleted in this period according to internal problems or being colonized by Hanthawaddy. These events are relevant entirely in the Siamese and Burmese chronicle.