Chiraprapha

Chiraprapha Thewi (, Chiraprabhādevi; ), also spelt Chirapraphathevi, known in the Chiang Mai Chronicle as Phra Pen Chao Maha Chirapabha Devi (; ) was the Queen consort of Ket, the 12th monarch of the Kingdom of Lan Na, and the mother of Thao Chai, the 13th monarch.

She later ascended the throne as the 14th monarch of Lan Na, becoming the first Queen regnant of the kingdom following her husband's assassination, and reigned from 1545 to 1546. During her reign, the northern principalities fell into turmoil due to power struggles between nobles and members of the royal family. The kingdom became weakened, facing military threats from both the north and south, namely from the Burmese and Ayutthayan armies. This coincided with the reign of Chairachathirat of Ayutthaya, who led a military campaign that reached Chiang Mai.

Jiraprapha ruled for just over a year before abdicating the throne in favor of her maternal grandson, Setthathirath, the son of Photisarath of Lan Xang. After her abdication, she and her grandson departed for the capital of Luang Prabang and never returned to Chiang Mai for the rest of her life.

Royal Biography Jiraprabhadevi was the queen consort of Ket, also known as Ketchettharaj, king of the Kingdom of Lan Na (reigned first time from 1525–1538 and again from 1543–1545). She gave birth to two sons and one daughter:

Thao Chai, King of Lan Na (reigned 1538–1543), was enthroned after the nobles deposed his father, Ket. However, Thao Chai was later murdered along with his family by those same nobles. Chao Chom Mueang, the second son, was unable to ascend the throne due to frailty. Some accounts describe him as possibly intellectually disabled. Chao Yotkhamthip, who later became the queen of Photisarath of Lan Xang. Their son was King Setthathirath.

Situation before her reign Ket, her husband, first ascended the throne around 1525–1538. In the early period of his reign, the traditional power groups from the time of Kaew were still influential. There was no notable conflict among the nobles at that time, and he seemed to rule in the same manner as his predecessors. This initial stability was due in part to the support of the monastic community and his grandmother, the Dowager Queen (Siriyasawadee Devi), who formed the old power base.

However, after the Dowager Queen died in 1534, Ket attempted to centralize authority. This move displeased the nobles of Lampang, led by Muen Sam Lan, who became the figurehead of a rebellion in 1535. The nobles of Lampang were at the forefront of this uprising. A chronicle states: "...the ministers, led by Muen Sam Lan of Nakhon, his son Muen Luang Chan Nok, and Muen Yi Ai, plotted against King Ketchettharaj. Upon learning this, the king had Muen Sam Lan executed that same day...". This indicates widespread discontent among the regional nobility, leading to increasing conflict. By 1538, the nobility had gained enough power to depose the king and sent him into exile in Mueang Noi.

Following his removal, Chai (Saikham), his son, was installed as king in 1538 at the age of 24. However, his reign was short-lived. According to the Hariphunchai chronicle: "...Thao Saikham ruled for six years. He had many sons and daughters. In the Year of the Tiger, 1543, during the 11th lunar month, on a Sunday, he and his entire household were murdered in their residence...".

First War with Ayutthaya During her reign, a war broke out between Ayutthaya and Lan Na. In 1545, Chairachathirat of Ayutthaya launched a rapid campaign against Lan Na. Chiang Mai was in a weakened and chaotic state following internal divisions. The Ayutthayan army marched quickly, reaching Chiang Mai in just 16 days.

At the time, Jiraprabha had only recently ascended the throne following the death of her husband. The city was unprepared for war, so to prevent destruction, she sent envoys to present tribute and propose peace to Chairachathirat. He accepted the offer and did not attack the city.

Jiraprabha invited the Ayutthayan king to stay at Wiang Chet Lin, the royal summer palace at the foot of Doi Suthep, rather than allowing him to enter Chiang Mai through the Chang Phueak Gate, which was the traditional entrance for monarchs. She also invited him to participate in religious meritmaking by constructing a gu (, gū) in honor of Ket at Wat Lok Moli, which served as his dynastic temple which could explain his decision not to harm Chiang Mai. However, no records suggest any romantic relationship between them, and there is no indication of such in historical documents.

Shan Invasion In the same year, shortly after Ayutthaya's army had withdrawn, Shan forces from Mong Nai and Yawnghwe (in the modern-day Shan States) laid siege to Chiang Mai. Adding to the crisis, an earthquake struck the region, causing the collapse of several important Cetiya, including those at Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, and others. This compounded the turmoil in the city. However, the Shan attackers eventually retreated.

Ayutthaya succeeded in capturing Lamphun, but Chiang Mai successfully defended itself. The result was a defeat for Ayutthaya. Chairachathirat was severely wounded by a bullet during the battle. Lan Na and Lan Xang forces captured large quantities of weapons, war elephants, horses, and many prisoners of war.

Abdication After the war ended, Photisarath of Lan Xang received great merit and recognition. He brought his son, Setthathirath, to rule over the Kingdom of Lan Na. Jiraprabha thus abdicated the throne in favor of her grandson. During Setthathirath’s reign over Lan Na, from 1546 to 1547, Photisarath suddenly died. Consequently, Setthathirath returned to Lan Xang in 1547, taking with him the Emerald Buddha and Jiraprabha. However, the exact date of her death is unknown.