Page 100 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SIAM
98
The was subdued and became a
necessary. city
Portuguese possession.
Fernandez arrived at Ayut'ia in 1511. He was well
and returned a Siamese
received, accompanied by
Ambassador. No objection appears to have been raised
to the occupation of Malacca. It may probably have
been thought better to forego the somewhat shadowy
claims of Siam in the Peninsula, rather than become
involved in with the which would
disputes Portuguese,
hamper the Kingdom in defending the northern frontier
the continual of the of
against aggressions Maharaja
Chiengmai.
A second Miranda de
Portuguese envoy, Azevedo,
visited Ayut'ia, by the overland route, about 1512,
and in a third from named
1516 envoy Albuquerque,
to and concluded
Duarte de Coelho, proceeded
Ayut'ia
a fresh with Siam.
treaty
The final result of these treaties was that the
were to reside and on trade
Portuguese permitted carry
at Ayut'ia, Tenasserim, Mergui, Patani and Nak'on
Srit'ammarat.
The broad-minded of Rama T'ibodi II
policy King
with regard to foreign traders has been emulated by
every King of Siam since his time.
King Rama T'ibodi II also set a noble example in
to another toleration.
regard matter, namely religious
He Coelho to erect a wooden crucifix in a
permitted
prominent place in Ayut'ia. Not many European
monarchs of that such a liberal mind.
period possessed
The whole history of Siam, in fact, is an object-lesson
to Europeans in the matter of religious tolerance, and
the Siamese may well be proud that their annals are not
stained with the record of such atrocious crimes as were
committed in of in the name of
every country Europe