Siam : The Land of the White Elephant as It Was and IsBacon, George B. (George Blagden)
History
Siam : The Land of the White Elephant as It Was and Is
Bacon, George B. (George Blagden)
Thailand -- Description and travel; Thailand -- History
This dynasty had lasted from the founding of Ayuthia, A.D. 1350, until
A.D. 1602, a period of two hundred years. Its record shows, on the
whole, a remarkable regularity of succession, with perhaps no more
intrigues, illegitimacies, murders, and assassinations than are to be
found in the records of Christian dynasties. Temples and palaces were
built, and among other works a gold image of Buddha is said to have been
cast (in the city of Pichai, in the year A.D. 1380), "which weighed
fifty-three thousand catties, or one hundred and forty-one thousand
pounds, which would represent the almost incredible value (at seventy
shillings per ounce) of nearly six millions sterling. The gold for the
garments weighed two hundred and eighty-six catties." Another great
image of Buddha, in a sitting posture, was cast from gold, silver, and
copper, the height of which was fifty cubits.
One curious tradition is on record, the date of which is at the
beginning of the fifteenth century. On the death of King Intharaxa, the
sixth of the dynasty, his two eldest sons, who were rulers of smaller
provinces, hastened, each one from his home, to seize their father's
vacant throne. Mounted on elephants they hastened to Ayuthia, and by
strange chance arrived at the same moment at a bridge, crossing in
opposite directions. The princes were at no loss to understand the
motive each of his brother's journey. A contest ensued upon the
bridge--a contest so furious and desperate that both fell, killed by
each other's hands. One result of this tragedy was to make easy the way
of the youngest and surviving brother, who, coming by an undisputed
title to the throne, reigned long and prosperously.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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