Page 67 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SIAM
63
related to the of
Chiengsen, and was, therefore, King*
Chiehgmai. It is probable that the old Prince of jut'ong
had no sons by his chief wife, but only a daughter* This
was married to the founder of who
daughter Ayut'ia,
later became Prince of Ut'ong"(P'ya Ut'ong) by the right
of his wife, in preference to his brothers-in-law, the sons
of inferior wives of the old Prince.
His the former had been a
predecessor, P'ya Ut'ong,
great warrior, and had acquired a considerable part of
the dominions once ruled over by King Ramk'amheng
Nak'on
of Suk'ot'ai, including Srit'ammarat, Ratburi,
and P'etchaburi, as well as TenasseYim and Tavoy,
which had been lost to Suk'ot'ai in and which
1318,
Ut'ong had annexed about 1325.
The of the rise of
history P'ya Ut'ong's power is very
obscure, and it is impossible to say what portion of the
domain which was under his control when he founded
had been and what
Ayut'ia acquired by him, portion
have been inherited from his father-in-law.
The reasons which led to the foundation of are
Ayut'ia
likewise not known for certain. Legends are plentiful
with to this but the truth to be
regard question, appears
that Ut'ong was abandoned owing to an epidemic.
P'ya Ut'ong first settled to the south of the present town
of but after three he decided to build his
Ayut'ia, years
on an island in the river. This was the
capital beginning
of the of the ruins of which are familiar to
city Ayut'ia,
all travellers to Siam. The sea was at that much
period
nearer to than is now the case. The site chosen
Ayut'ia
was not far from the ancient of which had
city Ayodhya,
been abandoned or
destroyed.
P'ya Ut'ong, after founding Ayut'ia, assumed the
title of Rama a title later borne other
T'ibodi, by many
Kings of Siam, including His late Majesty.