Chiang Mai is an ancient city with a proud history. Its founder was King Mengrai , who gathered many small towns and villages from the Lanna Thai Kingdom. King Mengrai was the son of Phra Chao Lao Meng, descendent of Phra Chao Lawa Chakarach who was founder of the Yonok Kingdom. King Mengrai's mother was Phra Nang Ouaming Chommuang.
In the year 1259 A.D. King Mengrai inherited the Yonok Kingdom from Phra Chao Lao Meng. At the same time as Praya Mengrai was ruling over the lanna Thai Kingdom, Phaya Ruang (Por Khun Ramkhamhaeng the great) was ruling over Sukhothai, and Phaya Ngammuang was ruling over Phayao. These three kings were sworn allies. After consolidating the Lanna Thai Kingdom, King Mengrai successfully defeated the city of Haripunchai the year 1281 A.D. and appointed "Ai Fa", one of his close officials, to rule over the city. King Mengrai then went on to build a new city, naming it "Wiang Kumkham". (The remains of this city can still be seen in the area of Sarapee district, Chiang Mai Province.)
Later, in the year 1291 A.D., King Mengrai ordered the establishment of another city that would serve as the capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom. King Mengrai invited his two sworn allies, Phra Ruang of Sukhothai and Phaya Ngammuang of Phayao, to help him select the site of the new city. The three kings agreed that the fertile plains between the Suthep Mountain range and the Ping River would be the most suitable place for the capital city of the lanna Thai Kingdom.
The following statement made by King Mengrai shows the strategic military and economic advantages of the chosen site of the new city, "The enemies will not be able to attack and destroy this city. The settlers who have thousands in wealth will increase to tens of thousands, and those who have tens of thousands will increase to hundreds of thousands."
After the decision had been made concerning the site of the city, King Mengrai began the construction by building a rectangular shaped wall measuring 800 wa wide and 1,000 wa long. A moat was dug around the wall, starting at the northeastern side, which was regarded as bringing prosperity to the city, and continued clockwise to the southern side. Then, a market was set up within the city. The completion of this initial building took four months. The three kings named the new capital, "Nopburi Sri Nakhon Ping Chiang Mai."
From the year 1296 A.D., it served as the center of the Lanna Thai Kingdom and was ruled by the kings of the Mengrai Dynasty until it was finally invaded and taken as a vassal state by the Burmese. Later, in the year 1774 A.D. King Taksin the great, ruler of Thonburi, was able to overthrow the Burmese domination of the Lanna Thai Kingdom. Chiang Mai then became a tributary state of Thonburi and its ruler was required to pay an annual tribute to Thonburi and later to Krung Ratanakosin. The last nine rulers of Chiang Mai were of the "Na Chiang Mai" family, beginning with Phra Kawila and ending with Chao Kaew Nawarat as Chiang Mai's last ruler.
In the year 1897 A.D. King Chulachomklao (Rama V) incorporated all of his tributary states into the administrative regions of Siam. In the year 1932 A.D. the system of administrative regions was discontinued and the different parts of Siam were divided into provinces. Ever since, Chiang Mai has been a province of Thailand. Altogether, Chiang Mai served as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom for 600 years (1296 A.D. - 1932 A.D.), and celebrated its 700th anniversary as a city in the year 1996 A.D.
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