Page 146 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM

Pagodas and Kanburi, and it was hoped to reach Ayut'ia
before the Siamese could
organise any opposition. King
Naresuen, however, was ready for them. He met the
advance of the
guard Burmese, under the Princes of
Pagan and Bassein, not far from the frontier. The
Burmese were defeated, the Prince of Pagan being killed
and the Prince of Bassein The Siamese
captured.
pursued the Burmese until they came up to the main
army of the Crown Prince. Confusion and panic ensued,
and the Burmese were driven back across the frontier.
The Crown Prince himself
only narrowly escaped being
taken
prisoner.
These failures filled Nanda with
repeated Bhureng
apprehension. He foresaw the break-up of his Empire
and felt that his was the fact that
dynasty endangered by
the Crown Prince was involved in these
personally
disastrous defeats.
It was decided to make a final effort to subdue Siam.
An army of 250,000 men was raised, which crossed the
frontier in December The Crown Prince was
1592.
nominally in command, but the real leaders were the
Prince of Prome, who had met with some success in the
Shan States, Natchin Noung, 1 son of the Prince of
Taungu, and the Prince of Zaparo.* The Crown Prince
advanced of the Three and the other
by way Pagodas,
commanders the Melamao route. The Burmese
by
Prince of
Chiengmai was also ordered to send his troops
to assist.
The King of Siam hardly expected the Burmese to be
ready for another invasion so soon after the serious
reverse which had suffered in At the end of
they 1590.
'This was one of the Burmese Princes who accompanied Prince Naresuen to
Miiang Kum in 1582.
*
A District of Burma, which the author has failed to identify.