Page 90 - A History of Siam

88 A BISTORT OF SUM

In 1454 his Kingdom was ravaged by a terrible outbreak
of and in a was made
smallpox, 1455 military expedition
to Malacca.
As already mentioned, Malacca had been subject to
Siam since the time of King Ramk'amheng. It may be
assumed, however, that Siamese control was of a more
or less shadowy nature. The Malays were originally
Buddhists, but Mohammedanism was introduced before
the tenth and the time of Trailok
century, by King
it was the at Malacca. It is
prevailing religion possible
that the of Malacca were to rebel
people encouraged
by their Arab co-religionists, who had started to form
settlements in the Peninsula. The town was
captured,
but events to show that Siamese control
subsequent go
was not effective for
long,
In 1460 the Governor of Sawank'alok's treachery
became known, and he therefore fled to Chiengmai,
and was appointed by Maharaja Tilok to be Governor
of in the
P'ayao. Encouraged by him, following year
a Lao was sent the to invade
(1461), army by Maharaja
Siamese Suk'ot'ai and invested
territory. They captured
P'itsanulok. News of an invasion of Yunnanese from
the north caused them to retire, but Suk'ot'ai remained
in the hands of the until the when
Maharaja year 1462,
it was retaken. Sawank'alok became for a time of
part
the dominions.
Chiengmai
As a result of these constant incursions from
Chieng-
mai, King Trailok determined to establish his capital
at P'itsanulok. He therefore appointed his elder son,
Prince Boromoraja, to be Governor or Regent of Ayut'ia,
and proceeded in 1463 to P'itsanulok, accompanied by
his younger son, Prince Int'araja. P'itsanulok remained
the of Siam for about
capital twenty-five years.
Maharaja Tilok, far from being overawed by this step,