Borommatrailokkanat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Borommatrailokkanatบรมไตรโลกนาถ |
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| King of Ayutthaya | |||||
Statue of King Borommatrailokkanat at the Old Ayothaya townhall (ศาลากลางจังหวัดพระนครศรีอยุธยาหลังเก่า)
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| King of Siam | |||||
| Reign | 1448–1488 | ||||
| Predecessor | Borommarachathirat II | ||||
| Successor | Borommaracha III | ||||
| Born | 1431 Ayutthaya Kingdom |
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| Died | 1488 (aged 56–57) Ayutthaya Kingdom |
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| Issue | Borommaracha III Ramathibodi II Intharacha |
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| House | Suphannaphum Dynasty | ||||
| Father | Borommarachathirat II | ||||
King Borommatrailokkanat (pronounced Bor-rom-ma-try-lok-ka-nat), also known as Trailok, was a powerful king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He ruled from 1448 to 1488. He was famous for owning a rare white elephant. In ancient times, white elephants were seen as a very lucky sign.
King Borommatrailokkanat made many big changes to how the government worked. He also led successful wars against the Lan Na kingdom. Many people remember him as one of Thailand's greatest kings.
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Becoming King of Ayutthaya
Prince Ramesuan was born in 1431. His father was King Borommarachathirat II of Ayutthaya. At this time, the Sukhothai Kingdom was already under Ayutthaya's control.
When the King of Sukhothai died in 1438, King Borommarachathirat II took over Sukhothai completely. He made his son, Prince Ramesuan, the new ruler of Sukhothai. Prince Ramesuan was only seven years old then.
When he turned 15, Prince Ramesuan moved to Phitsanulok. This city had become the capital of the Sukhothai area. He helped Ayutthaya gain more control over these northern lands. In 1448, his father died. Prince Ramesuan then became King Borommatrailokkanat of Ayutthaya. This meant he ruled both Ayutthaya and Sukhothai at the same time.
Important Changes and Reforms
King Borommatrailokkanat made many big changes to the government. These changes lasted for a very long time, even into the 1900s.
How the Government Worked
He divided government workers into two main groups: civil (non-military) and military. He gave them special titles and ranks. This created a clear system for nobles. He also created different levels for cities: Inner Cities, Outer Cities, and Tributaries.
The King stopped the old tradition of letting royal princes govern cities. This was because princes often fought over who would be the next king. In 1458, he also created new laws for Ayutthaya.
He set up the two main government departments we know today. These were the Kalahom (like a Ministry of Defence) and the Mahatthai (like a Ministry of Interior). They helped manage both military and civil matters in different parts of the kingdom.
Land and Rank System
In 1454, King Borommatrailokkanat created a system called sakdina. This system gave everyone a number. This number showed how much land they were allowed to own. It also showed their rank in society.
Royal Family Roles
The King also created the role of Uparaja. This means "Deputy-King" or "viceroy." This person was usually the king's oldest son or brother. The idea was to make it clearer who would become king next. However, this often led to conflicts between the king and the Uparaja.
King Borommatrailokkanat made his oldest son the Uparaja of Ayutthaya. He himself lived in Phitsanulok for 25 years. This helped him keep control over the northern areas, especially near Chiang Mai. Later, a younger son was made Uparaja of Phitsanulok, but he was less powerful than the Uparaja of Ayutthaya.
City Relationships
In 1468, King Borommatrailokkanat set up a system for cities that paid tribute to him. He ranked these cities based on their importance. Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sri Thamarat were among the eight most important cities. Smaller towns like Sing, In, and Phrom were ranked lower. The governors of these cities also had different ranks, from chao phraya for the highest to muen for the lowest.
Wars with Lan Na
King Borommatrailokkanat had many wars with the Lan Na kingdom. A relative of his, Yutthitthira, was a prince from Sukhothai. He had been promised the title of Uparaja by the King. But after the King's reforms, Yutthitthira only became the Governor of Phichit. Yutthitthira felt cheated and claimed he should be the rightful king of Sukhothai.
Yutthitthira asked for help from Tilokkarat, the powerful ruler of Lan Na. In 1456, Yutthitthira and the Lan Na armies attacked Sukhothai. They then marched towards Ayutthaya. But King Borommatrailokkanat fought back and defeated them.
Tilokkarat and Yutthitthira tried to invade Ayutthaya again, but they failed. King Borommatrailokkanat used this chance to take back Sukhothai. He realized how serious these wars were. So, he moved his capital from Ayutthaya to Phitsanulok. This made it easier to manage the northern wars.
In 1461, King Borommatrailokkanat became a Buddhist monk. He was the first Thai king to do this. He was ordained at Wat Chulamani, Phitsanulok. More than 2,000 people followed him.
In 1463, Lan Na attacked again. The King sent his son, Prince Intharacha, to fight them. Prince Intharacha defeated Yutthitthira. However, he was killed in battles against Nagara, Tilokkarat’s uncle. Lan Na then faced its own problems with internal conflicts. In 1474, King Borommatrailokkanat finally pushed Lan Na out of Ayutthaya's lands. The next year, Tilokkarat asked for peace.
While in Phitsanulok, King Borommatrailokkanat also built new temples. He also repaired older ones. For example, he ordered the building of a cetiya (a Buddhist monument) at Wat Ratchaburana, Phitsanulok.
His Legacy
In 1485, King Borommatrailokkanat made his son, Prince Chaiyachettha (who later became Ramathibodi II), the Uparaja and King of Sukhothai. After this, the title "King of Sukhothai" became a special title for the Crown Prince of Ayutthaya.
When King Borommatrailokkanat died in 1488, his two sons inherited the two kingdoms. This separated the union of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai once again. Today, a Royal Thai Army base in Phitsanulok Province is named Fort Borommatrailokkanat in his honor.
