Phutthaloetla Naphalai[a](bornChim[b];24 February 1767 or 1768[2]– 21 July 1824), also known by hisregnal nameRama II,was the secondKing of Siamfrom theChakri dynasty,ruling from 1809 to 1824. In 1809, Itsarasunthon succeeded his fatherRama I,the founder of the Chakri dynasty, as Loetlanaphalai the King of Siam.His reign was largely peaceful,devoid of major conflicts. His reign was known as the "Golden Age of Rattanakosin Literature" as Loetlanaphalai was patron to a number of poets in his court, and the King himself was a renowned poet and artist. The most notable poet in his employ was the illustriousSunthorn Phu,the author ofPhra Aphai Mani.The rapid growth of the number of his descendants was outstanding: he is believed to have had over 240 grandchildren.
| |
|---|---|
| King Rama II | |
 Portrait at theGrand Palace, Bangkok | |
| King of Siam | |
| Reign | 7 September 1809 –21 July 1824 |
| Coronation | 17 September 1809 |
| Predecessor | Phutthayotfachulalok(Rama I) |
| Successor | Nangklao(Rama III) |
| Viceroy | Maha Senanurak(1809–1817) |
| Viceroy of Siam | |
| Tenure | 1808 – 7 September 1809 |
| Appointer | Phutthayotfachulalok (Rama I) |
| Predecessor | Maha Sura Singhanat |
| Successor | Maha Senanurak |
| Born | Chim (Itsarasunthon) 24 February 1767 Amphawa,Ayutthaya |
| Died | 21 July 1824(aged 57) Bangkok,Siam |
| Spouse |
|
| Issue | 34 sons and 39 daughters,[1]including:
|
| House | Chakri dynasty |
| Father | Phutthayotfachulalok(Rama I) |
| Mother | Amarindra |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
| Seal |  |
Early life
edit
Chim was born in 1767 during theAyutthaya KingdominAmphawa District,Samut Songkram. He was a son of Luang Yokkrabat ofRatchaburiand Nak of Samut Sakorn, as his father and mother were then known. They would later become KingRama Iand QueenAmarindra,respectively.
In 1767, Ayutthaya fell toKonbaung Burmeseinvaders. His father, Phraya Ratchaburi, joinedTaksin's forces to recapture the city. Under King Taksin, Chim's father rose rapidly to high rank as a military leader and was assigned with the campaigns to subjugateLaosandCambodia.In 1782, his father crowned himself King of Siam (later named Rama I) and Chim himself was raised to the title ofPrince Itsarasunthonof Siam.
Itsarasunthon with his concubineRiam(later elevated to Princess Mother Sri Sulalai by her own son), fathered Prince Tub (ทับ– laterRama III) in 1787. Prince Itsarasunthon then had a secret affair with his own cousin, PrincessBunrot.In 1801, Rama I then found out that Princess Bunrod had been pregnant for four months and banished her out of the palace to live with her brother. Itsarasunthon, however begged his father to forgive him and the princess was reinstated and became his consort through the negotiation by concubineKhamwaen.Unfortunately, the baby died just after its birth. With Princess Bunrot, Itsarasunthon also fatheredMongkut(1804) andPinklao(1808). His another concubine namely Prang Yai, gave birth to PrinceNuamin 1808.
He also married his agnatic half sister, PrincessKunthon Thipphayawadi.They had three sons: Prince Abhorn (1816), Prince Klang (1819), and Prince Piu (1822). Later, Prince Klang would be known as Prince Mahamala. He was granted the title ofKrom KhunBumraap Porapuksa, the 4thlevel of Krom ranksbyMongkutthen elevated toKrom PhrayabyChulalongkorn.
Prince Itsarasunthon was appointed to theFront Palaceas Lord of the Front Palace orUparajain 1807 to succeed his uncleMaha Sura Singhanatwho had died in 1803, though he continued to stay at the Thonburi Palace. Among his many other children was PrinceWongsa Dhiraj Snid(born Prince Nuam), who was a royal physician for many years as well as a field commander and diplomat.[3]
Ascension
editAs the eldest surviving legitimate son of Rama I, Prince Itsarasunthon succeeded to the throne when Buddha Yotfa Chulaloke died in 1809. No royal naming system was established at the time Rama II was crowned. He was later named by his son Nangklao asLoetlasulalaibut changed toLoetlanaphalaiby his other son Mongkut and by theRama convention,calledRama II.His consort, Princess Bunrod, was raised to QueenSri Suriyendra.
As soon as Loetlanaphalai ascended the throne, Prince Kshatranichit, the surviving son of Taksin, rebelled aspretenderto the throne. Loetlanaphalai's son, PrinceThap,effectively crushed the rebellion, proving himself to be competent, thus gaining his father's favor. Prince Tub was raised toKromma Muen,given theSanskrit-derived nameChetsadabodin,and madeMinister of Foreign Affairs.[4]
Countering the last major Burmese invasions
editThe Konbaung kingBodawpaya,seeing that Rama I was dead, marched an army intoChumphonand conquered Thalang (Phuket City) in the same year. Loetlanaphalai sent his brotherMaha Senanurakthe Front Palace to recapture Thalang, which had been razed to the ground. This "Thalang campaign"was the last invasion by the Burmese into Thai territory.
In 1820, fearing an imminent attack by the Burmese on Siam, Rama II ordered his staff to collect all information in regards to potential Burmese invading routes into Siam.[5]
Culture and literature
edit
It was said that during Rama II's reign, if one could write a refined piece of poetry, then one would be able to become a royal favorite, as Loetlanaphalai himself was a poet. The reign was a cultural renaissance after the massive wars that plagued the First Reign; particularly in the fields of arts and literature. Poets employed by Rama II includedSunthorn Phuthe drunken writer (Phra Aphai Mani) andNarin Dhibet(Nirat Narin). His sons, Jessadabodindra andParamanuchitchinorot,were encouraged to excel in poetry. Poramanuchit later became aSangharaj(Buddhist hierophant) and was well known for his religious works.
Rama II's reign saw the reconstruction of Thai culture and royal traditions. In 1811, the grandroyal funeralwas held for King Rama I. In the same year, acholera epidemicbroke out in Bangkok. Loetlanaphalai orderedApat Pinator sickness-repelling ceremonies to be performed. He also established the education and the examination system of Buddhism by dividing it into nine levels. In 1817, theVesakfestival was restored.
Foreign relations
edit
| Monarchs of theChakri dynasty | |
|---|---|
 | Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I) |
| Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II) |
 | Nangklao (Rama III) |
 | Mongkut (Rama IV) |
 | Chulalongkorn (Rama V) |
 | Vajiravudh (Rama VI) |
 | Prajadhipok (Rama VII) |
 | Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) |
 | Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) |
 | Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) |
In 1810, the first Rattanakosin-to-China mission was sent to theJiaqing Emperor.
Since theSiamese revolution of 1688,Western presence had been reduced to a small scale as the Thai Kings ceased to encourage foreign influence. This, coupled with theNapoleonic Wars,meant there was little contact between Thailand and foreigners.
However, the wars caused many subsequent changes, which were observed inSoutheast Asia.The British interest inMalayaincreased as their trade withChinaincreased. The Sultan ofKedah,a Siamese vassal, gavePenangoff to the British without consulting Siam in 1786, followed by the British acquisition ofSeberang Perai.Soon the British replaced the Dutch as the dominating naval power south of Siam.
The mission of the Portuguese governor ofMacauin 1818 was the first formal Western contact in Siam since the Ayutthaya times. The British foundedSingaporein 1819 andJaslis,a missionary fromYangon,introduced theprinting pressin the same year. The Portuguese established the first westernconsulatein 1820. The first renewed formal British visit was made byJohn Crawfurdin 1822.
Death and succession
editIn July 1824, he died "very suddenly". It was said to be caused bystrangury,but rumours were not without strong suspicions of his being poisoned.[6]According to the succession rule then theoretically in force,[7]the throne would go to the son of QueenSri Suriyendra,PrinceMongkut;however, his elder half-brotherChetsadabodin succeededthe same day. Though only the son of a concubine, he had served their father in putting down a revolt and then asKromma Tha(Ministry of Trade and Foreign Relations.) The elder brother's experience counted for more than the theoretical claim of the much younger and inexperienced brother, who nevertheless did succeed his elder brother much later, and sired many sons but raised none of their mothers to the rank of queen, thus technically none of his sons had claim to the throne over their half-uncle whose mother was a Rama II's principal consort.
Ancestry
edit| Ancestors of Rama II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^Baker, Chris; Phongphaichit, Phasuk (2009).A History of Thailand.Cambridge University Press. p. 31.ISBN978-0521767682.Retrieved10 July2019.
- ^"Rama II".britannica /.Encyclopædia Britannica.Retrieved24 February2021.
- ^Harper, Tim, Amrith, Sunil G."Histories of Health in Southeast Asia"pp. 23-26
- ^Norman G. Owen (2005).The Emergence Of Modern Southeast Asia.National University of SingaporePress. p. 95.ISBN9971-69-328-3.
- ^Sunait Chutintaranond(March 1992)."The Image of the Burmese Enemy in Thai Perceptions and Historical Writings"(PDF).thesiamsociety.org.Chulalongkorn University.Archived(PDF)from the original on 15 March 2023.Retrieved14 August2023.
- ^Roberts, Edmund(1837) [First published in 1837]. "Chapter XIX―History of Siam".Embassy to the Eastern courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat: in the U. S. sloop-of-war Peacock... during the years 1832-3-4.Harper & brothers. p.300.Retrieved25 April2012.
stranguary.
- ^Wales, H. G. Quaritch(14 April 2005) [First published in 1931]."Pt. III, Ch. VI, 1. Succession".Siamese state ceremonies.London: Bernard Quaritch. p. 67.Retrieved25 April2012.
The Succession to the Throne of Siam is, in theory, regulated by the law of A.D. 1360....
See also
edit
