Ayutthaya - The March of the Elephant

Apologies everyone - internet problems again.

Every attempt to post anything long (like the next installment) just gives me a 'page not found error'.

Will be back when I can.

Yikes!

I looked in briefly on my lunchbreak, saw my AAR at the top of the board and thought 'that's not right'.

Weekly Showcase was not something I expected to get - not with so many great AARs around.
Do I have Haiji Giray to thank for it?

Anyway, many thanks for honouring my humble AAR, LD, and I'll try to live up to the billing.

Next installment will be up in a day or so, if I have to resort to four-wheel bandwidth.

Thanks again, LD

Chapter 6d - Rama T'Bodi III (fl1523-1529)

Floppy discs to the rescue - let's see if this works

(This is the update I meant to post on Saturday - it's been slightly overtaken by events)

The Second Chinese War

The declaration of hostilities from China - delivered for no reason anyone in Ayutthaya could understand - touched off a ferment of diplomatic activity across the region. The Raja of Mataram declared his support for the Emperor, while Rama T'Bodi called on his loyal Cambodian allies. While the Sultan of Arakan wavered, the ruler of Champa sought to profit from the situation with his own attack on Cambodia. Playing on the Sultanate's traditional hostility to the Hindu powers, Ayutthayan diplomats were able to secure Arakanese support shortly after (1).

Compared to the epic confrontation of the previous decade, the war itself began in a curiously half-hearted manner. Much of the Ayutthayan army was still tied down in the siege of Mandalay, and the mighty Imperial legions were nowhere to be seen. General Tifni lead his riders north again, raiding the Chinese border provinces and cutting up isolated groups of poorly-trained militia. Meanwhile, a small Chinese army from Hanoi crossed into Mekong province and laid a desultory siege to Luangphrabang.

The major confrontation took place in August, on the plains of Sichuan Pendi. General Tifni had lead his men down from Yunnan, to engage the local militia who were once again trying to muster, but this time the Chinese were ready. A fresh army had come up in secret from central China, and assaulted Tifni's rear once he had left the mountains. Outnumbered two to one, the General once again rallied his men to desperate battle (2).

This time neither Tifni's skill nor his soldiers' courage could win victory. The numbers of the Chinese and the power of their new weapons were simply too great. They pressed on and on despite their losses, and in the end General Tifni had to sound retreat. But he had done enough. He broke free with the bulk of his army, and left thousands of Chinese corpses to bloody the fields of Sichuan Pendi. The Imperial commander was left with possession of the field, but too few men to advance into Ayutthaya.

Shortly thereafter, aided by liberal bribes to important mandarins (3), Ayutthayan diplomats convinced the Emperor to end his aggression, which had cost him more than 25,000 soldiers in no more than three months. Rama T'Bodi once again hailed General Tifni as the saviour of Ayutthaya, and ordered all the statues of him to be gilded. They shone for generations in the cities of Ayutthaya, memorials to a defeat more glorious than most victories.

Peace with China left the Champans to face the consequences of their folly. Mandalay having fallen (again) in November, the full strength of Ayutthaya fell upon them in the spring of 1524, and their capital was swiftly under siege. It held out until November 1526, but the outcome was never in doubt. The ruler of Champa was forced to pay a large indemnity and submit to vassalage.

Colonial Developments

Late in 1523, yet another bold sea-captain offered his services to the crown of Ayutthaya. This man, a stranger from the west named Sharif (4), had heard of the rewards bestowed on Tuggurt and Meknes, and vowed to outdo them. He had no difficulty finding backers, and repaid them with his discoveries of Mindoro in 1524, Palawan the following year, and Tasmania on a southern voyage in 1529.

Colonisation of Australia in full swing, 1529


Colonial development continued apace. New settlements were founded in Wagga and Buru, the traders ventured to newly-discovered Palawan, and the old colonies continued to grow, Palembang being recognised as a province in 1525. The wealth of the overseas provinces attracted merchants and settlers from outside Ayutthaya, as well. Facing a steady influx of competitors, the Merchant Guilds petitioned for higher tariffs later in 1525 (5). Rama T'Bodi, now obsessed by military affairs, declared them cowards for quavering before foreigners and denied the petition. The next year, as part of his military build-up, the King ordered the fortification of the capitals of Palembang, Timor, Flores and Tindore (6).

Domestic Turmoil

The last years of Rama T'Bodi's reign did not go smoothly at home. The old King had become fixated on the nation's weakness in the face of the Chinese, who had formed a threatening new alliance with the Moslems of Brunei, Atjeh and Makassar. To counter the perceived threat, he ordered a major military build-up, to levels not seen even at the height of the Great War (7). His advisors openly doubted whether the Dragon Emperor knew or cared whether Ayutthaya mustered 20,000 soldiers or 40,000, or even 60,000, but the King would not be dissuaded. The increasing militarisation of the country, and the high taxes necessary to pay for it, caused increasing unrest, particularly in the newly-conquered Burmese provinces.

Mandalay revolted again in 1525, though this time the army was in position to put it down. Shan followed in 1526, traitors among the garrison taking the capital over to the rebels. The King's paranoia was not assuaged, even when the next year brought news of fresh conflict between China and Manchu. Desperate to retain the loyalty of the nobility, he allowed them increased privileges shortly after (8).

1528 brought no better news. China swiftly reduced Manchu to vassalage, renewing the threat of a third war, and the province of Lampang was stricken by plague in the summer. Late in the spring of 1529, simultaneous revolts swept the provinces of Shan, Mandalay and Assam.
On hearing the news, the Makassan ambassador, secure in his nation's alliance with China, praised the 'free people of Burma' in Rama T'bodi's own throne room. The old King fell to the floor foaming at the mouth, and never recovered.

Rama T'Bodi III, once mocked as 'the Little Elephant', died in the summer of 1529. His reign had seen the kingdom almost double in size and wealth (9), and his people honoured his success and praised the courage and willpower that had made it possible. He was buried with great splendour and much mourning, and without the usual accompaniment of palace intrigues. His eldest son, so far undistinguished into middle age, took the throne as Boromoraja IV (10).

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Notes
(1) Same old AI story - they dishonoured, then rejoined when asked.
(2) I thought 12,000 cavalry against 9,000 recruits on plains would be easy. Unfortunately, they had 15,000 friends turn up. There were less than 10,000 Chinese left standing when my morale ran out.
(3) I offered 100 ducats for peace at +2 warscore. China took it. I was relieved.
(4) Explorer number 3 . I cannot believe 'Sharif' is a Thai name,
(5) Foreign Trade Competition Rises - I went for +1 Free Trade (now Mercantilism 7) mostly for the extra colonists.
(6) With hindsight, saving up for a refinery would have been a better idea. But I was feeling paranoid.
(7) I decided to build my army up to the support limit (now 40,000), in the hope it would dissuade China from declaring war again the moment the truce ran out.
(8) Nobles Demanded Former Rights (again). I let them have the +1 Aristocracy (now Aristocracy 7), for cheaper cavalry and better diplomacy.
(9) Now 23 provinces, 6 colonies, 8 trade posts, monthly income 54, inflation 1%, tech still 2/2/2/3
(10) Adm Average, Mil Poor, Dip Average. Shrug.

Judge - The Chinese fortified all the provinces I can see long ago. If you remember, they won big over Dai Viet back in the 1420s, and neither Nippon nor Korea ever fought them. With nothing much to distract them, the Dragon's soft underbelly hardened up very quickly. My manpower has crept up to 12, thanks to all the colonies, but even so any major war means I lose troops faster than I can build them.
My problem with trade is that I only know 4 CoTs (Malacca, Shanghai, Ganges & Kansai). One of the reasons I kept Mercantilism high for so long was that I already had more merchants than I could use (and I couldn't afford a trade war).

Radagast - Good to have you along! Unfortunately there is no 'move the capital to Australia' option, or I'd be seriously considering it. 100,000 Chinese with guns is not something I want to tackle. Fortunately, this time the Chinese Hordes were not organised for war.

Anibal - Now it's two peaces for 125D. Still cheap
At Rama T'Bodi's death, my DP sliders were: Aristocracy 7, Centralisation 3, Innovativeness 2, Mercantilism 7, Offensive 9, Land 2, Quality 3, Serfdom 5. That's a mess, and I should have gone much more for Plutocracy (trade), Free Trade (colonists) and especially Innovativeness. Unfortunately the penny hadn't dropped by then...
Reputation was still 'very bad'. This is 1.05, and I don't have EUReader, so I can't tell you exactly what my BB was.

jwolf - My land tech is still 2. If you want to truly understand the term 'tech stagnation', play a country with a poor tech group and religion, set Innovativeness low and expand rapidly. All those new provinces are racking up the tech costs faster than I can invest - I have been piling all my research into Trade 3 for 50 years and I am still only about half-way there. On top of everything else, I think annexing my neighbours has landed me with an isolation penalty - I only know about 15 other countries.

Director - Right now, I'm keeping my army up to the support limit and hoping they don't get a random CB. My long term strategy is to wait for their revolts to hit - I don't think they'll be able to keep Vietnam when that happens and picking up provinces from a new-born Dai Viet (even one with China's tech) has got to be easier than tackling China head-on.

klink - Welcome to a fellow newbie! Thanks for the support - I have no intention of letting the Chinese wipe me out (I just hope it's my decision).

Chapter 7 - Boromoraja IV (1529 - 1533) & Ratsada (1534)

The Little Elephant's Legacy - Mainland Ayuthaya on the Death of Rama T'bodi III

Note the conquest of Upper Burma (top left) and further colonial expansion. Also note the length of the border with China!


The Great Burmese Revolt

Boromoraja's first months in power were far from easy. During the final weeks of his father's incapacity, the uprising in Burma had swelled to truly dangerous proportions. The rebels, wise in the ways of their mountains, had driven loyal forces from the field (1) and were beating against the walls of the surviving garrisons. As reinforcements hastily mustered in the lowland cities, the King ordered his generals to reform their troops and again strike into the mountains. To no avail, the end of 1529 saw the uplands still in rebel hands.
Only in spring, with the arrival of fresh troops, did the situation begai to improve. In the end numbers told, but it took the whole summer, and the expenditure of thousands of lives before the north-east was finally secured (2). Continuing his father's policy, Boromoraja ordered the battered army rebuilt to full war strength.

Divisions at Home

This policy was no more popular than it had been before, and quickly lead to divisions within the court. The provincial nobility - who had regained much of their influence in Rama T'Bodi's last years - insisted that only by strengthening their authority within their fiefs could the security of the border provinces be maintained. On the other side, the Court officials - heavily supported by the merchant guilds and the representatives of the overseas provinces - maintained that only a lowering of internal barriers and a general expansion of trade could provide the Crown with the income to support such an enlarged army.

Perhaps mindful of the failure of the provincial governors to prevent the Burmese Revolt, Boromoraja chose to listen to the advice of his courtiers, acting to enhance the rights of the merchant guilds and restrict the autonomy of the nobility (3). Perhaps mindful of the intrigues surrounding him, he also moved to secure the succession, annointing his eldest son, Ratsada, as Crown Prince and Heir in the summer of 1531 (4).

Harmony however, could not be imposed by decree. The Burmese rose again in Shan province late in 1531. The revolt was quickly put down, but the 'failure' of the King's new dispensations provided a pretext for opposition. A few months later, several prominent nobles from the Khmer and Bumese provinces were discovered in treasonable correspondance with the pirates of Atjeh (5), secretly encouraging attacks on Ayutthayan shipping to weaken their merchant opponents.

The artisans of the cities had for many years been subject to increasing taxation from both the Office of Internal Revenue and the provincial lords, while enjoying little of the prosperity and legal protection of the great merchants. Many had responded by departing their ancestral homes for the more liberal environment of the overseas provinces, and this drain of skilled manpower was now great enough to undermine the local economy in several provinces. In the spring of 1533, an order from the Royal Chancellor was sent to the provincial governors, encouraging them to enforce an archaic law forbidding the lower classes to move from their town of birth - and rioting broke out all over the country (6). Against the advice of the Court, the King chose to quiet the disturbances by formally abolishing the law and reducing taxes, a move which weakened the Crown's finances and further estranged him from the nobility.

Serenity Overseas

In contrast to the turmoil at home, the colonial program proceded smoothly during Boromoraja's reign. More settlements wee planted in the southern lands, at Murumbidgee, Macquarie and Towoomba, and trade continued to expand (7). Sharif continued to explore the southern seas, discovering Wangarei in 1531, Taranaki three years later, and finally reaching Fiji before his death late in 1535 (8). At the end of 1533, Sumbawa became the latest colony to be raised to provincial status.

The granting of provincial rights to Sumbawa was Boromoraja IV's last official act. He died unexpectedly before the end of the year and was succeeded by Ratsada.

Ratsada

The young monarch had little experience in the ways of war or government, but was popular in Court for his erudition and charm of manner. (9) He was also a keen student of Buddhist thought, and made it his business to encourage his subjects to follow the Way (10).

The news of Boromoraja's death appeared to encourage the Burmese rebels, Assam rising again in October 1534. The revolt was quickly put down, but trouble flared again in Mandalay the next month. Before the army could move to engage the rebels, Rasada was dead, apparently by a fall from his horse while preparing for the New Year's parade.

He had no child of age, and his brothers and uncles quickly fell to squabbling amongst themselves, backed by the various court factions. In the confusion, the commander of the Royal Guard was able to seize the throne as King P'Rajai (11).

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Notes:
(1) I sent three separate armies against the three revolts - and lost all three battles. The second round, my troops did better - I only lost 2 out of 3. Damn rebels.
(2) My total force dropped from 40,000 to 25,000. I was afraid China would take advantage.
(3) +1 Plutocracy (now Aristocracy 6). I wanted more money.
(4) 'Birth of Heir' event.
(5) Nobles, once again, Ally With Foreign Power. Atjeh was allied to Brunei, Makassar and China. I decided not to use the CB.
(6) Unhappiness among the Artisans - I went with Abolish a Tax (-1 Serfdom, now Serfdom 4, and -100 ducats).
(7) Monopoly Company, May 1530.
(8) I had fantasies of island-hopping from Australia to Fiji to Tahiti to South America, but at Naval Tech 2 it just isn't practical.
(9) Adm Average, Mil Average, Dip Very Good.
(10) Missionary in Perak.
(11) Adm Average, Mil Average, Dip Poor. Sigh. Back to the normal run of monarchs, I see.

Judge, jwolf - Thanks for the support. I was trying to boost investment by boosting income (Plutocracy and Free Subjects), but it wasn't really working.
Machiavellian - Please don't ask. Land 3 costs more than 15,000 (wince).
heagarty - Good to see you, and congratulations on your 'Best AAR' award!