Songtham
| Songtham ทรงธรรม | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of Ayutthaya | |||||
Statue of King Songtham at the King Songtham Shrine, Wat Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi | |||||
| King of Siam | |||||
| Reign | 1610/11 – 12 December 1628 | ||||
| Predecessor | Si Saowaphak | ||||
| Successor | Chetthathirat | ||||
| Born | c. 1590 | ||||
| Died | 12 December 1628 | ||||
| Issue | Chetthathirat Athittayawong Phra Phanpi Si Sin Sirithida | ||||
| |||||
| House | Sukhothai | ||||
| Father | Ekatotsarot | ||||
King Songtham (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าทรงธรรม) also known as King Borommaracha I (Thai: สมเด็จพระบรมราชาที่ ๑) was the king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1611 to 1628, of the Sukhothai dynasty. His reign marked a period of prosperity for Ayutthaya following the restoration of independence from the Toungoo Empire after the reign of Bayinnaung. It also saw the beginning of expanded overseas trade, particularly with the Dutch and the Japanese. Songtham employed foreign mercenaries as royal guards; most notably the Japanese soldier Yamada Nagamasa (Okya Senaphimuk), commander of the Japanese volunteer corps.