Page 99 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SUM 97

King Rama T'ibodi II was the first King of Siam
who is known to have received and
European envoys
to have concluded treaties with a
European power.
In 1497 Vasco da Gama made his celebrated voyage
to India round the Cape of Good Hope. In the succeed-
the with most
ing years Portuguese, extraordinary
obtained of tracts of terri-
rapidity, possession large
in and to
tory India, by 1508 they already began
turn their eyes farther east. In that year four Portuguese
under the command of de
vessels, Lopes Sequiera,
arrived at Malacca. The town was then governed by
a Malay Sultan, nominally a vassal of Siam, but in
reality independent. Sequiera entered into negotiations
with a view to trade relations a
opening up ; dispute
ensued ; Sequiera arrested certain Malays who were
on board his the Sultan retaliated
ships ; by killing
some of the Portuguese on shore, and imprisoning
others. Sequiera, having too weak a force to attack
Malacca, retired, and reported the matter to Affonso
the famous of
d'Albuquerque, Viceroy Portuguese
India.
In June 1509 Albuquerque arrived, with a considerable
force, off Malacca. After fruitless negotiations for the
surrender of the Portuguese prisoners, Malacca was
attacked and The
captured. Malay population fled,
and the returned to their
Portuguese ships.
learnt that the Siamese claimed
Albuquerque, having
some over Malacca, determined to send an
rights envoy
to Ayut'ia to explain matters. Taking advantage of
the of some Chinese which were
presence junks
about to leave for he sent one Duarte
Ayut'ia,
Fernandez, with a letter addressed to the King of
Siam.
In a fresh attack on Malacca became
September 1509
Gs