Sukhothai Kingdom

Sukhothai Kingdom[note 1]
อาณาจักรสุโขทัย
Anachak Sukhothai
1238–1438
The Sukhothai Kingdom at its greatest extent during the late 13th century under the reign of King Ram Khamhaeng
The Sukhothai Kingdom at its greatest extent during the late 13th century under the reign of King Ram Khamhaeng
Sukhothai Kingdom (dark purple) in 1400 CE
Sukhothai Kingdom (dark purple) in 1400 CE
Capital
Common languagesSukhothai
Religion
Theravada Buddhism
GovernmentMonarchy (mandala system)
King 
• 1238–1270
Si Inthrathit (first)
• 1279–1298
Ram Khamhaeng
• 1347–1368
Li Thai
• 1419–1438
Borommapan (last)
Historical eraPost-classical era
• Independence
1238
• Tributary state of Ayutthaya
1378–1438
• Annexed by Ayutthaya
1438
• Maha Thammaracha becomes King of Ayutthaya
1569[1]
Currency
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Lavo Kingdom
Ayutthaya Kingdom
Today part of

The Sukhothai Kingdom (Thai: สุโขทัย, RTGSSukhothai, IAST: Sukhodaya, pronounced [sù.kʰǒː.tʰāj] ) or the Northern Cities[3] was a post-classical Siamese kingdom (mandala) in Mainland Southeast Asia surrounding the ancient capital city of Sukhothai in present-day north-central Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Si Inthrathit in 1238 and existed as an independent polity until 1438, when it fell under the influence of the neighboring Ayutthaya after the death of Borommapan (Maha Thammaracha IV).

Sukhothai was originally a trade center in Lavo—itself under the suzerainty of the Khmer Empire—when Central Thai people led by Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao, a local leader, revolted and gained their independence. Bang Klang Hao took the regnal name of Si Inthrathit and became the first monarch of the Phra Ruang dynasty.

The kingdom was centralized and expanded to its greatest extent during the reign of Ram Khamhaeng the Great (1279–1298), who some historians considered to have introduced Theravada Buddhism and the initial Thai script to the kingdom. Ram Khamhaeng also initiated relations with Yuan China, through which the kingdom developed the techniques to produce and export ceramics like sangkhalok ware.

After the reign of Ram Khamhaeng, the kingdom fell into decline. In 1349, during the reign of Li Thai (Maha Thammaracha I), Sukhothai was invaded by the Ayutthaya Kingdom, a neighboring Thai polity. It remained a tributary state of Ayutthaya until it was annexed by the kingdom in 1438 after the death of Borommapan. Despite this, the Sukhothai nobility continued to influence the Ayutthaya monarchy in centuries after through the Sukhothai dynasty.

Sukhothai is traditionally known as "the first Thai kingdom" in Thai historiography, but current historical consensus agrees that the history of the Thai people began much earlier. The ruins of the kingdom's capital, now 12 km (7.5 mi) outside the modern town of Sukhothai Thani in Sukhothai Province, are preserved as the Sukhothai Historical Park and have been designated a World Heritage Site.


Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ Chris Baker; Pasuk Phongpaichit (2017). A History of Ayutthaya. Cambridge University Press. p. 76. But 1569 was also the final act of the merger between Ayutthaya and the Northern Cities.
  2. ^ "เงินตรา" [Currency]. Royal Thai Mint. 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  3. ^ Baker, Chris; Phongpaichit, Pasuk (2017). A History of Ayutthaya: Siam in the Early Modern World. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-19076-4.

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