Page 121 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM 117

an some of the Shan and he
expedition against States,
accused Maharaja Mekut'i (himself a Prince of Mfiang
Nai) of assisting the Shans. Chiengmai was besieged
by a strong Burmese army, and was taken, after only
a few in Thus never to
days' resistance, April, 1556. fell,
rise the Tai of
again, independent Kingdom Chiengmai
or Lannat'ai, two hundred and sixty years after its
establishment
by King Mengrai.
Maharaja Mekut'i was permitted to rule as a vassal
of the King of Burma, and a Burmese army of occupation
was left at Chiengmai.
By the irony of fate, the efforts made by King
Chakrap'at to capture elephants for the defence of his
country were the indirect cause of the second Burmese
invasion. Among the animals captured were no less
than seven white The was
elephants. King persuaded
"
to adopt the title of Lord of the White Elephants."
The King of Burma saw in this as good an excuse as
any other to precipitate war. He therefore sent envoys
to demand two of the white
elephants.
consulted his advisers. Some held
King Chakrap'at
that it was better to surrender a of white
couple elephants
than to the into war headed
plunge country ; others, by
Prince Ramesuen, advised the King that it would dis-
him in the of the whole world if he were to
grace eyes
submit to so unreasonable a
tamely request ; moreover,
submission would the
they argued, only encourage King
of Burma to put forward still more outrageous demands.
In the end, an unfavourable reply was sent to Bhureng
Noung, who thereupon at once declared war.
Bhureng Noung, as has been seen, was far more
powerful than any of his predecessors had been. His
control over him in a so
Chiengmai placed position
favourable for out an invasion of Siam that the
carrying