Page 105 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SUM 103

1 It to note that the of
privileges. is interesting King
Burma likewise had a number of in
large Portuguese
his service. The Portuguese of that day, like true
soldiers of fortune, were ready to fight for anybody
against anybody.
This success Burma in the end to be
against proved
a disaster for Siam. It was the cause of the
original
bitter between the two countries which later led
enmity
to and
long sanguinary wars, bringing death, famine,
and to both countries. It is not too
unspeakable misery
much to that the evil results of the feud between
say
Siam and Burma may be seen in both countries even at
the
present day.
In was called to intervene
1545 King P'rajai upon
in the affairs of The of the northern
Chiengmai. history
Kingdom for some years previous to this had been very
troubled. In 1538 King Mtiang Kesa, the I5th King
of was T'ai Sai K'am.
Chiengmai, deposed by his son,
The latter until when a rebellion broke out,
reigned 1543,
caused by his cruelty and misgovernment. He was
and Kesa was restored. In
killed, King Miiang 1545
he became insane, and a conspiracy was hatched against
him, headed by one Sen Dao. The King was murdered,
and with him the direct male line of King Mengrai
became extinct. Sen Dao offered the throne to the
Prince of Kengtung, who refused it. It was then offered
to Prince Mekut'i of Miiang Nai, a descendant of Prince
K'rua, one of the sons of King Mengrai, the founder of
Chiengmai. In the meantime, however, a party of
nobles hostile to Sen Dao met at Chiengsen, and sent
an envoy to ask the King of Luang P'rabang to accept
the Chiengmai throne for his eldest son, Prince Jai

1 The ruins of the houses and the church given by King P'rajai to the Portuguese
can still be seen at Ayut'ia.