The Siamese revolution of 1688 was a major popular upheaval in the Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom (modern Thailand) which led to the overthrow of the pro-French Siamese king Narai. The Mandarin Phetracha, previously one of Narai's trusted military advisors, took advantage of the elderly Narai's illness, and killed Narai's Christian heir, along with a number of missionaries and Narai's influential foreign minister the Greek adventurer Constantine Phaulkon. Phetracha then married Narai's daughter, took the throne, and pursued a policy of ousting French influence and military forces from Siam. One of the most prominent battles was 1688's Siege of Bangkok, when tens of thousands of Siamese forces spent four months besieging a French fortress within the city. As a consequence of the revolution, Siam severed significant ties with the West, with the exception of the Dutch East India Company, until the 19th century.
King Narai the Great (Thai: สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, RTGS: Somdet Phra Narai Maharat, pronounced [sǒmdèt pʰráʔ nāːrāːj māhǎːrâːt] listen ) or Ramathibodi III (Thai: รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ listen ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Prasat Thong dynasty. He was the king of Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous king of the Prasat Thong dynasty.
His reign was the most prosperous during the Ayutthaya period and saw the great commercial and diplomatic activities with foreign nations including the Middle East and the West. During the later years of his reign, Narai gave his favorite – the Greek adventurer Constantine Phaulkon – so much power that Phaulkon technically became the chancellor of the state. Through the arrangements of Phaulkon, the Siamese kingdom came into close diplomatic relations with the court of Louis XIV and French soldiers and missionaries filled the Siamese aristocracy and defense. The dominance of French officials led to frictions between them and the native mandarins and led to the turbulent revolution of 1688 towards the end of his reign.
Narai's reign was also known for the 1662–1664 invasion of Burma, the destruction of the briefly independent port city of the Sultanate of Singgora (1605–1680), and the conflict he had with the English East India Company.
The presence of numerous foreigners from the French Jesuits to the Persian delegates has left historians with rich sources of material on the city of Ayutthaya and its conflicts and courtly life in the seventeenth century that otherwise would not have survived the complete destruction of the capital in 1767.
1688May, 10
King Narai nominates his daughter Sudawadi to succeed him with Constantine Phaulkon, Mom Pi and Phetracha acting as regents. The ensuing revolution leads to the Ayutthaya Kingdom severing all ties with Europe.
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Events on 1688
- 10May
Siamese revolution of 1688
King Narai nominates his daughter Sudawadi to succeed him with Constantine Phaulkon, Mom Pi and Phetracha acting as regents. The ensuing revolution leads to the Ayutthaya Kingdom severing all ties with Europe. - 1Nov
Glorious Revolution
William III of Orange sets out a second time from Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands to seize the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland from King James II of England during the Glorious Revolution. - 9Nov
William III of England
Glorious Revolution: William of Orange captures Exeter. - 9Dec
Battle of Reading (1688)
Glorious Revolution: Williamite forces defeat Jacobites at Battle of Reading, forcing flight of James II from the country. - 11Dec
James II of England
Glorious Revolution: James II of England, while trying to flee to France, allegedly throws the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames.