[July 11] Narai, king of Siam

True Name: Somdet Phra Narai (สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช)

Surnamed: "The Great"

Parents: Prasat Thong, king of Siam, and Siri Galyani

Date of Birth: 1633
Royal House: Prasat Thong
Spouse: Suriyong Rasmi, among others
Predecessor: Sri Sudharmmaraja
Reign: 1656 – 1688
Summary: The Prasat Thong dynasty was still new when Narai was born in 1633 to the usurping king of the kingdom of Siam. He was not the eldest son of the king, but he was of his mother, Siri Galyani, a daughter of the last king of the Sukhothai dynasty. Thus, Narai was the heir of the old dynasty and his rise to greatness would legitimize that transition. After working with his uncle to depose his half-brother, Sanpet VI. Sudharmmaraja, his uncle, took the throne and Narai immediately began plotting his uncle's downfall. By October 1656, his uncle was captured and Narai had him publicly executed. Narai was now the undisputed ruler of Siam. 

Foreign powers dominated Siam at the time, with the Dutch controlling trade in the south and the English making forays into the north from India. China, too, was making incursions into Siam and Narai made it his first action as king to retake control over the northern provinces. While trying to balance English and Dutch influences in his court, he obtained Jesuit architects to build his palace at Lopburi, thereby moving the capital away from Ayutthaya, the traditional Thai capital, for the first time. Jesuits sent from France attempted to convert Narai on numerous occasions, but the king wouldn't have it. He allowed them to stay and preach, but the Siam monarchy would remain devotedly Buddhist. As part of his foreign policy, Narai sent diplomats to Europe and Asia, where they were treated as wonders of the world and afforded many contemporary luxuries. During the last decade of his reign, France became a dominant force in Indochina. Narai allowed French troops to garrison at various Siamese ports where the troops began training the local army in Western tactics. Throughout his entire reign, Narai had been consolidating power using foreign soldiers to subdue local lords. In 1688, the king became ill and decided to resolve the succession dispute that would inevitably come upon his death. He appointed his daughter as his heir and gave the throne to whomever married her. Instead, a councilor named Phetracha took the throne in a coup and murdered his two rivals. Narai died a few days later. As his first act, Phetracha expelled the French troops from Siam and turned away all connection to the West. Missionaries were allowed to stay, but the French were soundly condemned. Phetracha married Narai's daughter, Sudavadi, thereby legitimizing his ascent to the throne.

Date of Death: 11 July 1688
Successor: Phetracha

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Anthemius, emperor of Rome (472)
• Rudolph II, king of Burgundy (937)
• Amalric I, king of Jerusalem (1174)
• Otto I, duke of Bavaria (1183)
• Robert II, count of Artois (1302)
• Joachim I, elector of Brandenburg (1535)