Page 120 - A History of Siam

n6 A HISTORY OF SIAM

way into the palace. The King escaped by boat ; but his
Prince Ramesuen and Prince Mahin, assembled
two sons,
their forces and attacked Prince Sri Sin's adherents. The
young Prince was killed, fighting bravely to the last.
Most of his adherents were and executed.
apprehended
Prince Sri Sin deserves to be called one of the heroes
of Siamese Few will doubt but that this
history. gallant
youth, who died sword in hand, fighting bravely for his
father's throne, would have made a better King than
his rival, the miserable Mahin. Had Prince Sri Sin
succeeded in his Siam have
enterprise, might possibly
been the into which she sank a
spared degradation only
few later.
years
We must now retrace our for a few moments to
steps
consider the course of events in Burma. Tabeng Shwe
T'i, after his retreat from Siam in 1540, fell under the
influence of a named who
Portuguese Diego Suarez,
encouraged him to drink in excess. The King became
unable to and in was assassinated.
quite govern, 1550
Burma then fell into great confusion, and was once
more split up into several small States ; but Bhureng
Noung, the brother-in-law of Tabeng Shwe T'i, pro-
claimed himself and had established his
King, by 1555
control over Taungu, Prome, Pegu and Ava.
Bhureng Noung next picked a quarrel with Chiengmai.
The ruler of at that time was
Chiengmai Maharaja
Mekut'i, who had been summoned to the throne in
In the Burmese monarch was in
1549.* 1556 engaged
1
Prince Jai Jett'a was crowned as Maharaja of Chiengmai shortly after King
P'rajai's second expedition and death (1547). He only remained in Chiengmai
for two years, and then returned to Luang P'rabang to fight his younger brother,
who had assumed the crown of Luang P'rabang on the sudden death of their
father. It was on this occasion that King Jai Jett'a removed from Chiengmai
the emerald Buddha, the crystal Buddha of Lamp'un, the P'rasmgh, and other
particularly sacred images. None of them were returned except the P'rasingh.
King Jai Jett'a announced his intention of remaining at Luang P'rabang:
the Chiengmai nobles therefore held that the throne was vacant, ana summoned
the nval candidate, Prince Mekut'i of Miiang Nai, to become Maharaja.
(1549.)