held as to the date[208] and character
of this event. It would appear that in 1350 a Siamese subsequently
known as King Ramadhipati, a descendant of an ancient line of Thai
princes, founded Ayuthia as a rival to Sukhothai. The site was not
new, for it had long been known as Dvaravati and seems to be mentioned
under that name by I-Ching (_c._ 680), but a new city was apparently
constructed. The evidence of inscriptions indicates that Sukhothai was
not immediately subdued by the new kingdom and did not cease to be a
royal residence for some time. But still Ayuthia gradually became
predominant and in the fifteenth century merited the title of capital
of Siam.

Its rise did not affect the esteem in which Buddhism was held, and it
must have contained many great religious monuments. The jungles which
now cover the site of the city surround the remnants of the Wat
Somarokot, in which is a gigantic bronze Buddha facing with scornful
calm the ruin which threatens him. The Wat Chern, which lies at
some distance, contains another gigantic image. A curious
inscription[209] engraved on an image of Siva found at Sukhothai
and dated 1510 A.D. asserts the identity of Buddhism and Brahmanism,
but the popular feeling was in favour of the former. At Ayuthia the
temples appear to be exclusively Buddhist and at Lophburi ancient
buildings originally constructed for the Brahmanic cult have been
adapted to Buddhist uses. It was in 1602 that the mark known as the
footprint of Buddha was discovered at the place now called Phra-bat.

Ayuthia was captured by the Burmese in 1568 and the king was carried
into captivity but the disaster was not permanent, for at the end of
the century the power of the Siamese reached its highest point and
their foreign relations were extensive. We hear that five hundred
Japanese assisted them to repulse a Burmese attack and that there was
a large Japanese colony in Ayuthia. On the other hand when Hideyoshi
invaded Korea in 1592, the Siamese offered to assist the Chinese.
Europeans appeared first in 1511 when the Portuguese took Malacca.
But on the whole the dealings of Siam with Europe were peaceful
and both traders and missionaries were welcomed. The most singular
episode in this international intercourse was the career of the Greek
adventurer Constantine Phaulcon who in the reign of King Narai was
practically Foreign Minister. In concert with the French missionaries
he arranged an exchange of embassies (1682 and