Government Monarchy Formation 1st millennium | Historical era Middles Ages | |
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Capital Ligor or Nakhon Sri Thammarat later. Languages Religion Islam (Mostly and official), Theravada Buddhism (Minorities), State Brahmanism/Hinduism (Minorities) | ||
Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom (Kingdom of Ligor) ( rtgs: Anachak Nakhon Si Thammarat) was one of the major constituent city states (mueang) of the Siamese kingdoms of Sukhothai and later Ayutthaya and controlled a big part of the Malay peninsula. Thai histories record a Negara Sri Dharmaraja kingdom.
Most historians identify the Tambralinga kingdom of Chinese records with a precursor of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The somewhat controversial Ramkhamhaeng stele of 1283 (or 1292) lists Nakhon Si Thammarat as one of the tributary kingdoms of Sukhothai. In the Palatinate law of King Trailok dated 1468 Nakhon Si Thammarat was listed as one of 8 great cities (phraya maha nakhon) belonging to the Ayutthaya. Under king Naresuan it became instead a first class province (mueang ek). After the fall of Ayutthaya Nakhon Si Thammarat enjoyed a short period of independence, but was quickly subdued by Taksin on his mission to reunite Siam.
With the thesaphiban reform of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab at the end of the 19th century the kingdom was finally fully absorbed into Siam. A new administrative entity named monthon (circle) was created, each supervising several provinces. Monthon Nakhon Si Thammarat, established 1896, covered those areas on the east coast of the peninsula, i.e. the provinces Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung.