King Sri Indraditya (Thai: พ่อขุนศรีอินทราทิตย์; RTGS: Pho Khun Si Inthrathit) ruled the Sukhothai Kingdom from the year 1238 to c. 1270. He is credited as the founder of the Phra Ruang Dynasty, itself credited as the first historical Siamese dynasty, having a double claim to this title: for being cradled precisely in the region designated by foreigners as "Siam" (Khmer: Syāiņ; Chinese: Sien, etc.), and for being the dynasty which freed the Thai principalities from the Cambodian yoke.
Sri Intraditya and his queen, Queen Sueang, had three sons. The eldest died at a young age, the second was named Ban Muang, and the third son defeated a Khmer prince in an encounter of mounted combat on elephants; he named this youngest son Ram Khamhaeng (Rama the Bold) in tribute to the feat. Sri Intraditya died around 1270, and was succeeded by his son Ban Muang. |