Prince Ramesuan

Prince Ramesuan (; ; d. November 1564) was a 16th-century Siamese prince and military commander of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He was the eldest son of King Maha Chakkraphat and Queen Suriyothai, and a member of the Suphannaphum dynasty. He had four younger siblings: a brother, Mahin (later King Mahinthrathirat), and three sisters, Wisut Kasattri, Boromdilok, and Thepkassatri. Following the Burmese–Siamese War (1563–1564) (the War of the White Elephants), he was taken to Pegu as a hostage in March 1564. He subsequently served as a commander in the Royal Burmese Army and died of illness in November 1564 during a military campaign against Lan Na.

First war

In 1548 his father ascended the throne as King of Ayutthaya, he immediately became heir and Uparaja of Siam. During the First Siege of Ayutthaya war with Toungoo Dynasty, Prince Ramesuan together with the King, the Queen, Prince Mahin and Princess Boromdhilok left the walls of the city on their war elephants to engage the Burmese forces led by King Tabinshwehti of Pegu in battle. In the combat with the Thado Dhamma Yaza, the Viceroy of Prome both his mother and his sister lost their lives. It was recorded in Siamese history that it was Prince Ramesuan who returned his mother's lifeless body to the capital. After a failed siege of the capital city, Tabinshwehti and his forces decided to retreat northward near Mae Sot.

Prince Ramesuan and Maha Thammaracha was ordered to pursue the retreating forces, costing many Burmese lives. Soon the Burmese decided to stand ground and ambush the Siamese forces near Kamphaeng Phet, by dividing their forces on two sides of the road and outflanking Prince Ramesuan's forces. As a result, Prince Ramesuan and Maha Thammaracha was captured by the Burmese. This prompted Maha Chakkraphat to negotiate a peace with Tabinshwehti, which resulted in the turning over of two great war elephants and a cease fire. Prince Ramesuan and Thammaracha was released and the Burmese was allowed to retreat unmolested. After the war, the Prince was part of the party inside the Royal court that favoured the dismantling of the walls of the cities of Suphanburi, Lopburi and Nakhon Nayok, this was implemented as a way of depriving a future Burmese invasion with a fortified stronghold, only a day's march from the capital. His wife and immediate family also came. The Siamese royal family were given quarters befitting their former status in Pegu. In October 1564, the prince, who was in poor health, nonetheless agreed to march to Lan Na along with the main Burmese army to put down the ongoing rebellion by King Mekuti of Lan Na. The ailing prince died en route to Lan Na in November 1564.