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King Naresuan (นเรศวร) the Great,
was the ruler of Ayutthaya (อยุธยา), who reigned from 1590 until 1605 AD. He was
born in Phitsanulok (พิษณุโลก) in 1555, a son to King Mahadhammaracha (มหาธรรมราชา)
and his principal wife and Queen Wisutikasat (วิสุทธิกษัตรีย์), the daughter of
King Chakraphad (จักรพรรดิ). He was taken to Burma as a hostage, so that his
father, who had been put on the throne by the Burmese after they had conquered
Ayutthaya in 1569, would be a loyal vassal to Burma. Naresuan stayed in Burma
for seven years what probably made him the only Siamese King who ever could
speak Burmese. In 1571, the Burmese King Bayinnaung allowed him to return home
in exchange for his sister, Princess Suphankanlaya (สุพรรณกัลยา). Despite his
young age of just 16, his father sent him to the northern town of Phitsanulok to
govern the region whilst also making him heir to the throne of Ayutthaya. He
played a key role in the defense of Ayutthaya, against both Burmese and Khmer
attacks. These Khmer invasions gave the Siamese an excuse to mobilize troops and
increase their weaponry, without arousing suspicion with the Burmese and
allowing the Siamese-Burmese conflict to escalate into a war of independence. In
a duel on elephants during the 1593 Battle of Nong Sarai (หนองสาหร่าย), he
defeated Minchit Sra or Mingyi Swa (มีนจีซวา), whom in Thai-Burmese is referred
to by the names Mangsahmkiat (มังสามเกียด) or Mangkayohtchawa (มังกะยอชวา), the
Burmese crown prince and a grandson of Bayinnuang, the King of Pegu, and in
doing so liberated Ayutthaya from the yoke of Burma. During his reign he
consolidated his kingdom and tried to expand its borders. He died age 50 at
Meuang Hang (เมืองแหง) in the Shan states while leading a campaign to forestall
the Burmese takeover of that region in 1605. He is considered one of the Great
Kings in Thai history referred to as a Maha Raj (มหาราช), and hence also called
Phra Naresuan Maha Raj (พระนเรศวรมหาราช) or Somdet Phra Chao Naresuan Maha Raj (สมเด็จพระเจ้านเรศวรมหาราช).
As such, his statue is included in the monument at Uthayaan Rachaphak (อุทยานราชภักดิ์).
He is further immortalized in several statues and memorials, such as the King
Naresuan Memorial in Ayutthaya, and this one in Nong Bua Lamphu (หนองบัวลำภู).
He was a huge enthusiast of cock fighting, known in Thai as kaanchon kai (การชนไก่)
and at shrines devoted to him one will generally find stone sculptures of cocks,
often placed there as offerings.
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