Maha Thammaracha (king of Ayutthaya)

Maha Thammaracha, Maha Thammarachathirat, or Sanphet I, formerly known as Khun Phirenthorathep, was King of Ayutthaya from the Sukhothai dynasty, ruling from 1569 to 1590. As a powerful Sukhothai noble, Phirenthorathep gradually rose to power. After playing many political turns, he was eventually crowned as King of Ayutthaya.

Sukhothai noble

Before his ascension to the throne, Maha Thammaracha was known as Khun Phirenthorathep or "Okya Phitsanulok" (ออกญาพิษณุโลก, okya being a high-ranking noble title conferred by the king). He descended from the Phra Ruang dynasty of the former Sukhothai Kingdom, which had been conquered by the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1438. It was however not simply annexed, but its area—now known as the "northern cities" (Mueang Nuea)—continued to be ruled by local aristocrats under Ayutthayan overlordship within the "mandala" model. During the reign of Borommatrailokkanat (1448–1488) however, the power of Sukhothai lords was reduced. Phitsanulok, then the most important of the "northern cities", was subsequently ruled by Uparajas (viceroys), the designated heirs to the throne of Ayutthaya. King Chairachathirat (1534–1546), who before his ascension to the throne of Ayutthaya had resided as Uparaja in Phitsanulok, centralised the administration even further, abolishing the quasi-autonomous rule of Uparajas and summoning members of the old Sukhothai nobility to serve at his court in Ayutthaya.

Khun Phirenthorathep was one of the Sukhothai nobles brought to the court of Ayutthaya by Chairachathirat, who appointed him as head of the royal guard.