Taksin

Taksin (Royal Institute: Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharat; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช listen or The King of the Thonburi Kingdom; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, Somdet Phra Chao Krung Thonburi; Chinese: 鄭昭; pinyin: Zhèng Zhāo; Teochew: Dên Chao; Vietnamese: Trịnh Quốc Anh) (April 17, 1734 – April 7, 1782) was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom of Thai Chinese. He is greatly revered by the Thai people for his leadership in liberating Siam from Burmese occupation after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, and the subsequent unification of Siam after it fell under various warlords. He established the city Thonburi as the new capital, as the city Ayutthaya had been almost completely destroyed by the invaders. His reign was characterized by numerous wars, fought to repel new Burmese invasions and to subjugate the northern Thai kingdom of Lanna, the Laotian principalities, and a threatening Cambodia. He was succeeded by the Chakri dynasty and the Rattanakosin Kingdom under his long-time friend King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke.