Siam appears to have no place in history, prior to the introduction of the Budhist religion, in the year of Christ, 638, when a sovereign by the name of Krek governed the country. In 1521, their first intercourse with Europeans (the Portuguese) took place. There were two revolutions, and the country was conquered by the Burmans, and recovered again its independence between A. D. 1547 and 1596. In the year 1612, the first English ship made her appearance, and ascended the river to Yuthia, the ancient capital, about fifty miles above the present seat of government. In the year 1621, a Portuguese mission was sent to Siam, by the Portuguese viceroy of Goa; and in the same year, some Roman Catholic missionaries first made their appearance. In 1627, another revolution took place, which placed a new dynasty on the throne. In 1684, the son of the usurper was instigated by Constantine Phaulcon, a Greek adventurer, to send an embassy to Louis XIV. In 1685, the Chevalier Chaumont was sent there, at the head of a splendid embassy, which was the cause, in 1687, of sending a second mission, with a squadron of ships and five hundred soldiers. The total destruction of the English took place at Magni, this year, in consequence, it is said, of their overbearing and insolent conduct; and, in the year following, their factory at Yuthia was removed. In 1690, a revolution took place, and the reigning family lost the throne; the minister, Phaulcon, lost his life, and the French were expelled from the country, which destroyed their hopes of establishing a French empire in the East, until the year 1787, when they made that famous treaty with Cochin-China, ceding the peninsula of Haw, the bay of Turam, &c.; but which failed in consequence of the troublesome state of public affairs in France, at that period, followed by the revolution. Since that time, and within the last five years, the French government sent a frigate to Cochin-China, and endeavoured, but without effect, to have the treaty ratified. The dynasty of 1690 reigned till the capture of the capital by the Burmans, under Shembuan, the second son of Alompia, which took place in 1767, when the king was killed at the entrance of his palace. The Burman army retired with great plunder, after destroying vast numbers of the inhabitants, making slaves of others, destroying the temples, and committing every sort of excess. The Siamese immediately rose upon the Burmans who remained, and massacred them and their partisans.