# Lavo Kingdom

The Lavo Kingdom (Thai: อาณาจักรละโว้) was a political entity (mandala) on the left bank of the Chao Phraya River in the Upper Chao Phraya valley from the end of Dvaravati civilization, in the 7th century, until 1388. The original center of Lavo was Lavapura and was shifted to Ayodhya (Xiān) in the 1080s. However, since both Ayodhya or Xiān and Lavo separately sent embassies to the Chinese court in the late 1200s, these two polities were potentially the individual states.
Before the 9th century, Lavo, together with other supra-regional settlements, such as Si Thep, Sema [th], Phimai, Nakhon Pathom, and others were the centers of the mandala-style polities of Dvaravati. Due to several circumstances, including, climate changes and the invasions of the surrounding polities, several Dvaravati centers lost their prosperity, and the mandalas in the Menam Valley was then split into two main mandala: Lavo (modern Lopburi) in the east and Suphannaphum (modern Suphanburi) in the west,$^{:30}$ while the Mun–Chi mandalas allied with Kambudesha in the Tonlé Sap basin.$^{:93}$

## History
### Early Dvaravati period: 7th–9th centuries

The area of Dvaravati (what is now Thailand) was first inhabited by Mon people who had arrived and appeared centuries earlier. The foundations of Buddhism in central Southeast Asia were laid between the 6th and 9th centuries when a Theravada Buddhist culture linked to the Mon people developed in central and northeastern Thailand. The Mon Buddhist kingdoms that rose in what are now parts of Laos and Central Plain of Thailand were collectively called Dvaravati.$^{:27}$

#### The Mon people of Lavo

According to the Northern Thai Chronicles, Lavo was founded by Phraya Kalavarnadishraj, who came from Takkasila in 648 CE. Kalavarnadishraj was a son of Phraya Kakabatr, king of Takkasila (it is assumed that the city was Tak or Nakhon Chai Si)$^{:29}$ who set the new era, Chula Sakarat in 638 CE. The era was used by the Siamese and the Burmese until the 19th century. His son, Phraya Kalavarnadishraj founded the city a decade later.
Evidence from stone inscriptions found in ancient Mon script in Northern and Central Thailand confirms that the main population of Lavo and Haripuñjaya mandalas is likely to be the same ethnic group, the "Mon people," or any ethnic group that uses the Austroasiatic languages. Due to the royal blood relations, these two states maintained a good relationship for the first 300 years.
The only native language found during early Lavo times is the Mon language. However, there is debate whether Mon was the sole ethnicity of Lavo. Some historians point out that Lavo was composed of mixed Mon and Lawa people (a Palaungic-speaking people), with the Mons forming the ruling class. It is also hypothesized that the migration of Tai peoples into Chao Phraya valley occurred during the time of the Lavo kingdom.
Theravada Buddhism remained a major belief in Lavo although Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism from the Khmer Empire wielded considerable influence. Around the late 7th century, Lavo expanded to the north. In the Northern Thai Chronicles, including the Cāmadevivaṃsa, Camadevi, the first ruler of the Mon kingdom of Hariphunchai, was said to be a daughter of a Lavo king.
Few records are found concerning the nature of the Lavo kingdom. Most of what we know about Lavo is from archaeological evidence. Tang dynasty chronicles records that the Lavo kingdom sent tributes to Tang as Tou-ho-lo. In his diary, the monk Xuanzang referred to Dvaravati-Lavo as Tou-lo-po-ti, which seems to echo the name Dvaravati, as a state between Chenla and the Pagan Kingdom. By the Song dynasty, Lavo was known as Luówō (羅渦).

#### Chenla influence

Through royal relations, Isanavarman I of the Chenla Kingdom expanded Khmer influence to the Chao Phraya valley during the Mon dominance through his campaigns around the 7th century but did not exercise political control over the region. The influence probably ended when Chenla faced the power struggle which led to the division of the kingdom in the late 7th century during the reign of Jayadevi.

### Late Dvaravati period: 10th–11th centuries
#### Fall of Ayodhyapura

In the early Dvaravati period, the western Chao Phraya Valley was probably centered in Ayodhyapura (Si Thep) as mentioned in the Pali chronicles, Ratanabimbavamsa [th] and Jinakalamali. Lavo at that time was speculated to be the southern fortress of Ayodhyapura. After Ayodhyapura declined in the mid 10th century, the city-states in central Thailand then merged into two mandalas – Lavo (modern Lopburi) in the east and Suphannabhum (modern Suphan Buri) in the west.
Ayodhyapura potentially began to decline in the mid-10th century as the Khmer inscription dating to 946 mentioned the Angkorian king Rajendravarman II won over Rāmaññadesa (country of the Mon) and Champa. He later assigned his lineage, Vap Upendra, as the governor of Rāmaññadesa in 949.$^{:3546}$ Moreover, the Ratanabimbavamsa [th] mentions a battle between Ayodhyapura led by Adītaraj and Yaśodharapura over the Emerald Buddha in the late 9th or early 10th centuries.$^{:51}$ But the conflict between these two polities may exist long before, as Woodward stated Jayavarman II, who established Kambujadesa and relocated the capital northward to Yaśodharapura in the mid 9th century,$^{:87}$ formed an ally with the city-states in the Mun-Chi river basin, including Wen Dan, to counter Ayodhyapura's strength in the Pa Sak River basin in the west.$^{:93}$
Ayodhyapura was left abandoned around the 13th century. Many Thai scholars believe that climatic change and epidemics contributed to Ayodhyapura's downfall. The inhabitants subsequently sought refuge in Lavapura and Ayodhya (Xiān), both of which later merged into the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century.

#### Lower Chao Phraya Valley's political turmoil

During the 10th–11th centuries, Lavo was overrun by neighbors from all directions; several battles with the northern neighbor Haripuñjaya happened in the early 900s, which caused the kingdom to be annexed by Tambralinga from the south in 928. Then it was devastated by the Angkor from the east in 946 and 1001 and was later invaded by Pagan from the west in 1058 and 1087, as detailed below.
In the early 10th century, several battles between two sister mandalas—Lavo and Haripuñjaya—from 925 to 927 were recorded. According to the O Smach Inscription, after two years of the enthronement, King Rathasatkara or Trapaka (Thai: อัตราสตกะราช/ตราพกะ) of Haripuñjaya moved south aiming to seize Lavo. The Lavo king, Uchitthaka Chakkawat or Ucchitta Emperor (อุฉิฎฐกะจักรวรรดิ/อุจฉิตตจักรพรรดิ), moved northward to defend. However, the war between these two sister states spread to the southern kingdom of Tambralinga, King Jivaka or Suchitra (พระเจ้าชีวก/พระเจ้าสุชิตราช), took this advantage to occupy Lavo. After losing Lavo, both Mon's kings rallied up north to hold Haripuñjaya city, but King Rathasatkara defeated and lost the hometown to Lavo's king. After failing to retake Haripuñjaya, King Rathasatkara moved south to settle in Phraek Si Racha (present-day Sankhaburi district). The battle is mentioned in several chronicles such as the Jinakalamali and Cāmadevivaṃsa.
After Jivaka took Lavo's capital, Lavapura (ลวปุระ), he appointed his son, Kampoch (กัมโพช), as a new ruler and enthroned the ex-Lavo queen as his consort. Following the conquering of Lavo, Javaka also seized Suphannabhum in the next few years. Princes of Suphannabhum—Thamikaraj and Chadachota—fled to Haripuñjaya.$^{:191}$ Tambralinga's prince King Kampoch, unsuccessfully annexed Haripuñjaya the following year. He attempted to seize another northern city, Nakaburi (นาคบุรี), but also failed. Several battles between Haripuñjaya and Lavo happened since then.
In 1001, Tambralinga lost Lavo to the Angkor due to the Angkorian 9-year civil wars, in which Suryavarman I marched the troops to destroy several polities in upper Mun Valley and Lavo where his predecessor Jayavarman V fled. Lavo was left abandoned but was retrieved by Sri Lakshmi Pativarman who was appointed by Suryavarman I as Lavo governor in 1006. This marked Lavo officially merging with the Angkor. Lavo at that time was governed by a Cambodian prince, as a part of Angkor's vassal state.$^{:29}$
To the north, Suphannabhum prince Thamikaraj enthroned the King of Haripuñjaya. He, with the assistance of Suphannabhum, marched to the south and successfully took over Lavo in 1052;$^{:532}$ his younger brother Chadachota was appointed Lavo king.$^{:532}$
Only six years after Chadachota acceded to the throne, Lavo faced another challenge in 1058 when Pagan led by Anawrahta invaded the Menam Valley and aimed to annex Lavo, to avoid the second devastation Chadachota instead established royal relations with Pagan by having his queen consort's older sister married to the king of Pagan. Two polities then became allies. Chadachota's son, Narai, became his successor who then moved Lavo capital to Ayodhya in the 1080s. During Narai's reign, Lavo experienced another invasion by Pagan in 1087 but the conflict ended with the negotiation.$^{:40–42}$ Narai died with no heir in 1087. This caused a 2-year Ayodhya civil war among the nobles, in which Phra Chao Luang won.

#### Arrival of the Tai peoples

Modern Thai historians think the Tai peoples originated in northern Vietnam and Guangxi province in China. The origin of the Tai peoples were living in northern Southeast Asia by the 8th century. Five linguistic groups emerged: the northern Tai in China (ancestors of Zhuang); the upland Tai people in northern Vietnam (ancestors of the Black, White and Red Tai); the Tais in northeastern Laos and bordering Vietnam (ancestors of the Tai of Siang Khwang and the Siamese in Ayutthaya); the Tai in northern Laos; and the Tai west of Luang Prabang, northern Thailand and in the adjoining parts of Laos, Yunnan and Burma.$^{:26}$
In 861, Tai Yuan from Lan Na began to settle in the lower Menam Valley, increased in influence in Lavo,$^{:39}$ and began to resist the Angkorian control in the mid-11th century.$^{:28}$ Lavo was said to be seized by Siamese from the western Menam Valley in the early 11th century and by Tai's king Prom of Yonok in 1106, according to the local chronicles. Sending tribute to China in 1115 during the reign of Sri Thammasokkarat signified that Lavo was an independent polity at that time.$^{:39}$
After the Angkor lost Lavo to Suphannabhum princes in 1052, the younger prince Chadachota claimed the throne. His son, Narai, moved Lavo's seat to Ayodhya in the 1080s. This resulted in the throne of Lavo's Lavaburi being vacant from 1087 to 1106, Si Satchanalai king, Kraisornrat (ไกรศรราช) who is of Mon's Chaliang and Tai's Chiang Saen lineages, took over the seat. An attempt to re-expand influence to Lavo by the Angkor occurred in 1181 when Jayavarman VII appointed his lineage Narupatidnavarman to govern Lavapura. Due to this political pressure, a Tai ruler Sri Thammasokkarat (ศรีธรรมโศกราช), who was also from Si Satchanalai, fled to Nakhon Si Thammarat.$^{:38–39}$ Prang Sam Yot was built during this period.$^{:170}$ However, Lavapura was probably taken back by a Tai royal from Phraek Si Racha (แพรกศรีราชา; present-day Sankhaburi) in the 13th century.$^{:109}$ During this era, Angkor's power waned due to the weak rule and feuding began in the Angkor.$^{:120}$
All of the turmoils as mentioned earlier also led to the independence declaration of the Sukhothai Kingdom in 1238.

### Ayodhya: 1100s–1350s
#### Foundation of Ayodhya

Ayodhya, previously known as Mueang Wat Derm or Mueang Nong Son, was found in 934 by a monk from Mueang Bang Than (บางทาน) in present-day Kamphaeng Phet.$^{:30}$ The majority of Ayodhya's inhabitants are supposed to have migrated from Ayodhyapura following its fall in 946 as well as residents from Lavapura who fled after the city was destroyed by Angkor in 1001. This large population, coupled with its location that controlled the trade routes of the Chao Phraya River basin, led to the city's rapid growth$^{:5–7}$ and was later designated as the new capital of Lavo in the 1080s. The term Xiān (暹; or Siam) mentioned in several Chinese and Đại Việt texts from 1149 until the official establishment of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1351 was potentially Ayodhya instead of Sukhothai Kingdom, Suphannabhum, and other initial Siamese polities. There are many records of Xiān invasion of Champa,$^{:line148}$ Dān mǎ xī (單馬錫, identified as far as Tumasik, or Singapore),$^{:39}$ Xī lǐ (昔里),$^{:39}$ Ma-li-yü-êrh (Melayu),$^{:140}$ and Samudera Pasai Sultanate on Sumatra before the formation of Ayutthaya Kingdom. From about the same period there is also a well-known bas relief panel of Angkor Wat showing mercenaries of the Khmer army, who are identified as syam-kuk, perhaps "of the land of Siam." One cannot be certain what ethnolinguistic group these mercenaries belonged to, but many scholars have thought them to be Siam people.$^{:70}$
After 2 centuries of being devastated, the region entered the conflict-free era in the 12th century, artifacts and ruins dating back to the 12th–13th centuries found in the area indicate that there was a migration of people from surrounding regions, such as the Khmer from the east, the Mon from the west, and the Tai-Mon from the north. Several modern mandalas then emerged, such as Suphannabhum, Phip Phli [th], Sukhothai, and Ayutthaya.$^{:272–3}$

#### Siamese Lavo

After Phra Chao Luang (พระเจ้าหลวง) won the 1087–1088 Ayodhya civil war, he was enthroned as the king. However, since he had no male heir, he had his only daughter marry Sai Nam Peung (สายน้ำผึ้ง),$^{:103–4}$ son of Kraisornrat (ไกรศรราช) who was of Mon's Chaliang and Tai's Chiang Saen lineages and served as the Lavapura king at that time.$^{:21,23}$ Their descendants, later known as the Uthong (Lavo) dynasty, continued to rule Ayodhya until the Ayutthaya Kingdom formation in 1351. According to The Customs of Cambodia written by Zhou Daguan as an official delegation sent by the Yuan Dynasty to Angkor from 1296–1297, the Siamese people exerted significant influence over Lavo's Lavapura and appeared in huge numbers in the Angkorian city of Yasodharapura.
The Kingdom of Lavo, Lo-hu, joined Ny Wang in sending embassy to China in 1289$^{:144}$ then only from Lavo in 1299.$^{:221–222}$ In 1349 Xiān people become united with the people of Lo-hu, the new kingdom named Xiānluó (暹羅) by the Chinese.$^{:102}$ However, Xiān might refer to the Suphannaphum Kingdom of Suphanburi Province.

#### Formation of Ayutthaya Kingdom

In 1350, Uthong and Borommarachathirat I of Suphannaphum (modern Suphan Buri) co-founded Ayutthaya Kingdom on an island located on the intersection of three rivers; Chao Phraya River, Lopburi River and Pa Sak River, and Uthong became the king of the city. But Borommarachathirat I took Ayutthaya from Uthong's son Ramesuan in 1370, and then Ramesuan retreated to Lavo. In 1388, Ramesuan took revenge by taking Ayutthaya back from Borommarachathirat I's son, Thong Lan. Borommarachathirat I's nephew Intharachathirat took Ayutthaya back for the Suphannaphum dynasty in 1408. Uthong dynasty was then purged and became a mere noble family of Ayutthaya until the 16th century.
There are many theories about Uthong's origin. According to HRH Prince Chula Chakrabongse, he was thought to have been a descendant of Mangrai.$^{:28}$ Van Vliet's chronicles, a seventeenth-century work, stated that King Uthong was a Chinese merchant who established himself at Phetchaburi before moving to Ayutthaya. Tamnan Mulla Satsana, a sixteenth-century Lanna literature, stated that King Uthong was from the Lavo Kingdom.
After the foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century, Lavo was incorporated into a major stronghold of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It became the kingdom's capital during the reign of King Narai in the mid-17th century, and the king resided there for about eight months a year.

## List of rulers
### Before 11th century: Lavapura as seat

| Name | Name | Reign | Note |
| English | Thai | Reign | Note |
| As a southern fortress of Dvaravati's Ayodhyapura ||||
| Kalawandith | กาฬวรรดิษฐ์ | 648–700 | Founder |
| Unknown | Unknown | 8th–9th century | |
| Uchitthaka Chakkawat | อุฉิฎฐกะจักรวรรดิ | ?–927 | |
| During the wars with Haripuñjaya in 927, the Lavo's capital Lavapura was captured by the King of Tambralinga. ||||
| Kampoch | กัมโพช | 927–946? | As a tributary state of Tambralinga. |
| In 946, the Angkorian king Rajendravarman II won over Rāmaññadesa (lit. 'country of the Mon', possibly Dvaravati's Lavapura/Ayodhyapura). ||||
| Vacant | Vacant | 946–948 | |
| Vap Upendra? | วาป อุเปนทร | 949–1002? | As the governor of Rāmaññadesa, appointed by Rajendravarman II.$^{:3546}$ |
| In 1002, Lavo was sacked by the Angkorian king, Suryavarman I, and Lavapura was abandoned. ||||
| Vacant | Vacant | 1002–1005 | |
| Lakshmipativarman | ศรีลักษมีปติวรมัน | 1006–1052 | As the governor, appointed by Suryavarman I |
| In 1052, Lavo gained independence after it was retaken by Haripuñjaya and Suphannabhum. ||||
| Chadachota | จันทรโชติ | 1052–1069 | Prince of Suphannabhum who fled to Haripuñjaya after Suphannabhum was siezed by Tambralinga in the 920s. |
| Regent | Regent | 1069–1082 |
| Around the 1080s, the capital was shifted southward to Ayodhya by King Narai, the old capital was then renamed Lopburi ||||

### After 11th century: Ayodhya as seat

       This epoch is recognized as the Pre-Ayutthaya period, also known as the Ayodhya period. The polity centered in Ayodhya was referred to as Xiān in Chinese and Đại Việt texts, whereas the polity located in Lopburi continued to be referred to as Lavo.
| Ayodhya rulers | Ayodhya rulers | Reign | Lopburi rulers | Lopburi rulers | Reign |
| English | Thai | Reign | English | Thai | Reign |
| Phra Narai | พระนารายณ์ | 1082–1087 | Phra Narai | พระนารายณ์ | 1082–1087 |
| Vacant | Vacant | 1087–1089 | Vacant | Vacant | 1087–? |
| Phra Chao Luang | พระเจ้าหลวง | 1089–1111 | King Phrom of Yonok seized Lopburi in 1106 and appointed his son from Si Satchanalai, Kraisornrat, as a new ruler | King Phrom of Yonok seized Lopburi in 1106 and appointed his son from Si Satchanalai, Kraisornrat, as a new ruler | King Phrom of Yonok seized Lopburi in 1106 and appointed his son from Si Satchanalai, Kraisornrat, as a new ruler |
| Sai Nam Peung | สายน้ำผึ้ง | 1111–1165 | Kraisornrat | ไกรศรราช | 1106–? |
| Dhammikaraja | พระเจ้าธรรมิกราชา | 1165–1205 | Sri Thammasokkarat$^{:170}$ | ศรีธรรมโศกราช | No later than 1115–1181$^{:39}$ |
| Uthong | พระเจ้าอู่ทอง | 1205–1253 | Lavo sent tribute to China in 1115$^{:19}$ | Lavo sent tribute to China in 1115$^{:19}$ | Lavo sent tribute to China in 1115$^{:19}$ |
| Chaisen | พระเจ้าชัยเสน | 1253–1289 | Indravarman II | นฤปตีนทรวรมัน | 1181?–1218 |
| Suwanracha | พระเจ้าสุวรรณราชา | 1289–1301 | Pha Mueang/Srindrapatindraditya? | ผาเมือง | 1218–? |
| Xiān sent tributes to China five times during 1292 to 1299. | Xiān sent tributes to China five times during 1292 to 1299. | Xiān sent tributes to China five times during 1292 to 1299. | King of Phraek Si Racha (Name unidentified) (As a tributary state of Sukhothai) | King of Phraek Si Racha (Name unidentified) (As a tributary state of Sukhothai) | 1283–1319 |
| Thammaracha | พระเจ้าธรรมราชา | 1301–1310 | King of Phraek Si Racha (Name unidentified) (As a tributary state of Sukhothai) | King of Phraek Si Racha (Name unidentified) (As a tributary state of Sukhothai) | 1283–1319 |
| Boromracha | พระบรมราชา | 1310–1344 | Lavo sent tributes to China in 1289 and 1299.$^{:221–222}$ | Lavo sent tributes to China in 1289 and 1299.$^{:221–222}$ | Lavo sent tributes to China in 1289 and 1299.$^{:221–222}$ |
| Xiān sent tributes to China in 1314, 1319 and 1323.$^{:39}$ | Xiān sent tributes to China in 1314, 1319 and 1323.$^{:39}$ | Xiān sent tributes to China in 1314, 1319 and 1323.$^{:39}$ | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). |
| Ramathibodi I (Uthong) (Also the first king of Ayutthaya Kingdom) | พระรามาธิบดีที่ 1 | 1344-1369 | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). | After King of Phraek Si Racha died in 1319, both Lopburi and the city of Ayodhya was considered royal inheritances for his daughter, Son Sai (สนไส้/ จันทรเทวีศรีรัตนฉายา), who later passed it to her son, Uthong (Ramathibodi I). |
| After Ayutthaya Kingdom was officially established in 1351, Lavo was annexed into Ayutthaya in 1388. |||||||