Changes

==Origins==

==Origins==

The kingdom was founded in [[1351]] by U Thong, also known as King Ramathibodi I, who may have been from a local Chinese diaspora merchant family. The kingdom was visited by [[Zheng He]] twice, in [[1408]] and [[1421]]. Its chief products were rice, raw cotton, rhino horn, deer hides, elephant teeth, and a variety of forest products, and some of its chief imports were Indian textiles and Chinese [[porcelain]]s.<ref name=lock240>Craig Lockard, “‘The Sea Common to All’: Maritime Frontiers, Port Cities, and Chinese Traders in the Southeast Asian Age of Commerce, Ca. 1400–1750.” ''Journal of World History'' 21, no. 2 (2010): 239-240.</ref>

The kingdom was founded in [[1351]] by U Thong, also known as King Ramathibodi I, who may have been from a local Chinese diaspora merchant family. The kingdom was visited by [[Zheng He]] twice, in [[1408]] and [[1421]]. Its chief products were rice, raw cotton, rhino horn, deer hides, elephant teeth, and a variety of forest products, and some of its chief imports were Indian textiles and Chinese [[porcelain]]s.<ref name=lock240>Craig Lockard, “‘The Sea Common to All’: Maritime Frontiers, Port Cities, and Chinese Traders in the Southeast Asian Age of Commerce, Ca. 1400–1750.” ''Journal of World History'' 21, no. 2 (2010): 239-240.</ref> Siamese envoys traveled to Korea on a number of occasions in the 14th century, if not earlier, and may have passed through Japan on their way there, but records on this subject prior to the 17th century are extremely sketchy.<ref name=ishiisiam>Ishii Yoneo, "Siam and Japan in Pre-Modern Times: A Note on Mutual Images," in Donald Denoon et al (eds.), ''Multicultural Japan'', Cambridge University Press (1996), 153.</ref>

Ayutthaya was a major [[tribute|tributary]] to the [[Ming Dynasty]] in the 14th-15th centuries, sending 68 tribute missions between [[1369]] and [[1439]]. These missions were more numerous, and carried a greater variety of goods, than those sent to China by any other tributary.<ref name=lock240/> Ayutthaya was one of the most distant polities - culturally, at least, insofar as Siam is an Indic culture, not a Sinic one - to maintain regular relations with the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] court. The kingdom fought off attacks by [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] Chinese armies in the 1580s-1590s, but also engaged in regular [[tribute]] trade, sending missions to China once every few years, and receiving investiture in return. In [[1575]], Ayutthaya sent envoys to Ming to request a new royal seal to replace one destroyed in fighting with the Burmese, and in [[1592]] King [[Naresuan]] offered to send his navy to help the Ming defeat [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi's]] attempts to [[Korean Invasions|conquer Korea]],<ref>David C. Kang, “Hierarchy in Asian International Relations: 1300-1900.” ''Asian Security'' 1, no. 1 (2005): 62. </ref> though the offer was formally rejected the following year.<ref>Polenghi, 14.</ref>

Ayutthaya was a major [[tribute|tributary]] to the [[Ming Dynasty]] in the 14th-15th centuries, sending 68 tribute missions between [[1369]] and [[1439]]. These missions were more numerous, and carried a greater variety of goods, than those sent to China by any other tributary.<ref name=lock240/> Ayutthaya was one of the most distant polities - culturally, at least, insofar as Siam is an Indic culture, not a Sinic one - to maintain regular relations with the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] court. The kingdom fought off attacks by [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] Chinese armies in the 1580s-1590s, but also engaged in regular [[tribute]] trade, sending missions to China once every few years, and receiving investiture in return. In [[1575]], Ayutthaya sent envoys to Ming to request a new royal seal to replace one destroyed in fighting with the Burmese, and in [[1592]] King [[Naresuan]] offered to send his navy to help the Ming defeat [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi's]] attempts to [[Korean Invasions|conquer Korea]],<ref>David C. Kang, “Hierarchy in Asian International Relations: 1300-1900.” ''Asian Security'' 1, no. 1 (2005): 62. </ref> though the offer was formally rejected the following year.<ref>Polenghi, 14.</ref>

Ayutthaya entered into trade relations with Ryûkyû in the mid-to-late 15th century, and only began trading with Japan a century later, in the 1570s. Official trade with Japan was overseen by a Siamese Department of Eastern Maritime Affairs and Crown Junks; the office was headed by a resident Chinese official, and employed Chinese language in much of its activities, Ming diplomatic protocols being standard throughout much of the region.<ref name=pol23/>  

Ayutthaya entered into trade relations with Ryûkyû in the mid-to-late 15th century, and traded local products such as [[sappanwood]] and pepper for East Asian goods such as folding fans and Japanese swords. These swords became an integral part of the Siamese king's regalia, while the Siamese products were crucial elements of Ryûkyû's tributary goods, given as gifts to Ming Dynasty China.<ref name=ishiisiam/> Ayutthaya only began trading with Japan a century later, in the 1570s. Official trade with Japan was overseen by a Siamese Department of Eastern Maritime Affairs and Crown Junks; the office was headed by a resident Chinese official, and employed Chinese language in much of its activities, Ming diplomatic protocols being standard throughout much of the region.<ref name=pol23/>  

==Early Modern Period==

==Early Modern Period==

The city grew in strength after [[1511]], when the Portuguese conquest of [[Malacca]] drove many Chinese and Southeast Asian merchants to relocate, and to operate out of Ayutthaya instead. The city was destroyed by Burmese invaders in the 1560s (as it would be again in the 1760s), but it recovered to become perhaps the largest city in Southeast Asia by 1600.<ref name=lock240/> It was located a short distance upriver from the coast along the Menam River, making it more protected from coastal raiders and pirates than many of the other major port cities in the region (such as Malacca).<ref>Polenghi, 21.</ref> It was further defended by a set of city walls, outside of which the king granted designated areas of land to each of a number of foreign communities. This served to protect the city to a certain extent from possible uprisings by these foreign merchants & settlers, but also served the simple logistical convenience of enabling foreign ships to dock at the docks associated with their community. The city was home to communities of Chinese, Malays, Chams, Persians, Indians, Arabs, and by 1600 or so, Japanese as well. The Chinese were by far the largest group, numbering around 3-4,000 by the 1680s, and were so numerous, and so well-integrated into the local society that local rulers seem to have considered them nobles & commoners, i.e. regular members of society, and not foreigners.<ref name=lock241>Lockard, 241.</ref> The Chinese were particularly prominent in the local society as merchants, shippers, and shipwrights, as well as in a variety of other positions. Roughly half the ships in port at any given time were Chinese-owned, and quite a few Japanese merchants, based in [[Osaka]] or [[Sakai]], purchased their ships (or commissioned them to be built) in Ayutthaya. Many Crown Ships, which operated on behalf of the court, king, or royal princes, were also built and captained by local Chinese. Between the 1630s and 1720s, as many as nine Siamese ships made port at Nagasaki each year. These Crown Ships were also accepted at [[Qing Dynasty]] Chinese ports as private Chinese trade ships, and not as a foreign court's official trade (in which case they would have been subject to the protocols and obligations of the tribute system). Revenues from this maritime trade accounted for roughly one-third of royal income.<ref name=lock242>Lockard, 242-243.</ref>

The city grew in strength after [[1511]], when the Portuguese conquest of [[Malacca]] drove many Chinese and Southeast Asian merchants to relocate, and to operate out of Ayutthaya instead. Ayutthaya quickly secured a treaty with the Portuguese in [[1516]], mainly to secure access to [[teppo|firearms]], and to defend against the development of European hostility against the kingdom. Dominicans, Franciscans, and [[Jesuits]] then established missions in the city in [[1566]], [[1587]], and [[1607]] respectively.<ref>Ishii, "Siam and Japan," 154.</ref>

 

The city was destroyed by Burmese invaders in the 1560s (as it would be again in the 1760s), but it recovered to become perhaps the largest city in Southeast Asia by 1600.<ref name=lock240/> It was located a short distance upriver from the coast along the Menam River, making it more protected from coastal raiders and pirates than many of the other major port cities in the region (such as Malacca).<ref>Polenghi, 21.</ref> It was further defended by a set of city walls, outside of which the king granted designated areas of land to each of a number of foreign communities. This served to protect the city to a certain extent from possible uprisings by these foreign merchants & settlers, but also served the simple logistical convenience of enabling foreign ships to dock at the docks associated with their community. The city was home to communities of Chinese, Malays, Chams, Persians, Indians, Arabs, and by 1600 or so, Japanese as well. The Chinese were by far the largest group, numbering around 3-4,000 by the 1680s, and were so numerous, and so well-integrated into the local society that local rulers seem to have considered them nobles & commoners, i.e. regular members of society, and not foreigners.<ref name=lock241>Lockard, 241.</ref> The Chinese were particularly prominent in the local society as merchants, shippers, and shipwrights, as well as in a variety of other positions. Roughly half the ships in port at any given time were Chinese-owned, and quite a few Japanese merchants, based in [[Osaka]] or [[Sakai]], purchased their ships (or commissioned them to be built) in Ayutthaya. Many Crown Ships, which operated on behalf of the court, king, or royal princes, were also built and captained by local Chinese. Between the 1630s and 1720s, as many as nine Siamese ships made port at Nagasaki each year. These Crown Ships were also accepted at [[Qing Dynasty]] Chinese ports as private Chinese trade ships, and not as a foreign court's official trade (in which case they would have been subject to the protocols and obligations of the tribute system). Revenues from this maritime trade accounted for roughly one-third of royal income.<ref name=lock242>Lockard, 242-243.</ref>

The Japantown was located on the eastern bank of the Menam, along with the [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC) factory, and a brief-lived British enclave (from [[1612]]-[[1625]]). Enclaves of Portuguese, Chinese, Malay, and Vietnamese sat on the opposite shore; many Japanese Christians sent their children to be educated in the Portuguese quarters. These foreign communities settled most internal matters themselves, but Siamese authorities still had jurisdiction; none of these foreign communities enjoyed [[extraterritoriality]] until the VOC attained such privileges in [[1664]].<ref name=pol23/>

The Japantown was located on the eastern bank of the Menam, along with the [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC) factory, and a brief-lived British enclave (from [[1612]]-[[1625]]). Enclaves of Portuguese, Chinese, Malay, and Vietnamese sat on the opposite shore; many Japanese Christians sent their children to be educated in the Portuguese quarters. These foreign communities settled most internal matters themselves, but Siamese authorities still had jurisdiction; none of these foreign communities enjoyed [[extraterritoriality]] until the VOC attained such privileges in [[1664]].<ref name=pol23/>