Uthong
King of Ayutthaya, Siam
King U-thong (Thai: พระเจ้าอู่ทอง; pronounced [ʔùː.tʰɔ̄ːŋ]) or King Ramathibodi I (Thai: สมเด็จพระรามาธิบดีที่ ๑; Rāmādhipatī; , 1314–1369) was the founder and first monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, reigning from 1351 to 1369. He is traditionally regarded as a pivotal figure in Thai history for unifying the rival power centers of Lopburi (Lavo) and Suphan Buri (Suphannaphum), establishing a centralized state that would dominate mainland Southeast Asia for over four centuries.
Ramathibodi I was the son of a mixed Siamese Mon–Chinese monarch Baramaraja, previously a prince of Si Satchanalai who subsequently ascended the throne of Xiān's Ayodhya, and Sunandhadevī, a younger princess of the court of Suvarnaraja, the ninth monarch of Xiān. Originally known by the title Varashreṣṭhakumāra (วรเชษฐกุมาร), he succeeded his father as king of Xiān in 1344. In 1351, he was formally enthroned as the founding monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. His maternal lineage can be traced back to the Dvaravati period, specifically under the ruling dynasty of the polity situated in the Phraek Si Racha region.
Origins
He was known as Prince Uthong (meaning "Golden Cradle") before he ascended to the throne in 1350. There are many theories about Uthong's background, including possibly being a descendant of Mangrai. The designation “Uthong” was initially attributed to Ramathibodi I by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, son of King Mongkut, who identified him with the figure of Uthong referenced in several chronicles. This identification was predicated upon the hypothesis that Ramathibodi I originated from Mueang Uthong.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Uthong” is king of Ayutthaya, Siam. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Uthong, King and Ayutthaya, not as a finished interpretation.
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Chronology provides the most reliable spine for this subject; interpretation should follow only after identities and dates are secure. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q718191. VIAF identifies the subject as 75341608. The Library of Congress control number is n86133158. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1314, 1369, 1351 and 1344.
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This entry incorporates text from “Uthong” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.