His reign was the most prosperous during the Ayutthaya period and saw the great commercial and diplomatic activities with foreign nations including the Middle East and the West.

Narai's reign was also known for the 1662–1664 invasion of Burma, the destruction of the briefly independent port city of the Sultanate of Singgora (1605–1680), and the conflict he had with the English East India Company.

The presence of numerous foreigners from the French Jesuits to the Persian delegates has left historians with rich sources of material on the city of Ayutthaya and its conflicts and courtly life in the seventeenth century that otherwise would not have survived the complete destruction of the capital in 1767.

Prince Narai was born on 16 February 1632 to King Prasat Thong and his consort, Princess Sirithida[3] (Thai: ศิริธิดา), who was a daughter of Songtham.

Si Suthammaracha's rule was weak and he fell under the control of Chao Phraya Chakri, an ambitious mandarin who also wanted the throne.

Domestic policies in King Narai's reign were greatly affected by the interference of foreign powers most notably the Chinese to the north, the Dutch to the South, and the English who were making their first forays into India to the west.

Sensing a possible weakening of Burmese influence in the northern vassal states, King Narai began the Burmese–Siamese War of 1662–64 to bring Chiang Mai under the direct control of Ayutthaya.

[9] At the same time, he also granted a concession of the strategic port of Bangkok to Beauregard, with the view of countering Dutch influence.

[10] King Narai also built a new palace at present-day Lopburi ("Louvo" in the French accounts) utilising the expertise of Jesuit architects and engineers.

The move to Lopburi was arguably prompted by the Dutch naval blockade of Ayutthaya in 1664 to enforce a fur monopoly.

In 1673, a French ecclesiastical mission arrived at the Siamese court with letters from Pope Clement IX and King Louis XIV of France.

Most controversially, King Narai allowed the rise of Constantine Phaulkon, a Greek adventurer who first arrived in Ayutthaya in 1675, formerly worked for the English East India Company.

[13] Phaulkon was introduced into the court by minister of foreign affairs and trade Kosa Lek in 1681 as a quick-witted interpreter and quickly gained the royal favor.

Phaulkon suggested a plan for the reconstruction of the fort of Mergui in polygonal European style, which was strongly opposed by Kosa Lek.

[15][16] Siamese courtiers also resented Phaulkon's influence and he quickly became the focus of xenophobic sentiments at court, with the future King Phetracha at their head.

Colbert sent his letter to Phaulkon to instruct him to persuade the Siamese king to concede to French requests with the promises of granting him the rank of count.

Chevalier de Forbin was made commander of the Bangkok fort and trained Siamese armies in Western warfare.

[8]: 263  Several Siamese forts including Mergui, Ligor, Singora (Songkhla), Lavo, and Ayutthaya itself were reconstructed in European style.

[17] In 1686, a revolt broke out in Ayutthaya, caused by the Makassars whom were seeking asylum in Siam after being expelled by the Dutch Empire.

Constantine Phaulkon and Forbin mobilized the defence of the Kingdom, with the forces of Ayutthaya made up from a coalition of French, English and Siamese troops.

The mission included Kosa Pan returning home, Guy Tachard again, Simon de La Loubère, Claude Céberet du Boullay, and General Desfarges.

Narai spent his whole reign reducing the power of native mandarins that had caused much bloodshed during his predecessors’ time.

One of the critical turning points was concerned with the construction of the French forts and military barracks in Bangkok, near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River.

Matters were brought to a head when King Narai fell gravely ill in March 1688 while staying in his Lopburi palaces.

Further questioning of Phaulkon revealed a plot to raise a rebellion, and he too was executed by Phetracha's adopted son Luang Sorasak on 5 June.

[8]: 273–276 Although King Narai's reign witnessed the greatest extent of foreign influence at the Siamese court, his diplomatic achievements were to be reversed by his successor.

The items were a pair of silver cannons that were eventually stored in the Royal Furniture Repository in Paris since they were classed as gifts rather than weapons.