It covered approximately the area of the modern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part of the Malaysian state of Kelantan.

During this period the kingdom's economic and military strength was greatly increased to the point that it was able to fight off four major Siamese invasions.

It had declined by the late 17th century and it was invaded by Siam in 1786, which eventually absorbed the state after its last raja was deposed in 1902.

The kingdom drew trade from Chinese, Indian, and local traders as a stopping place for ships bound for, or arriving from, the Gulf of Thailand.

Langkasuka reached its greatest economic success in the 6th and 7th centuries and afterward declined as a major trade center.

The most substantial ruins believed to be ancient Langkasuka have been found in Yarang located approximately 15 kilometres from the sea and the current city of Pattani.

[4] This Patani was located in Keresik (name in Malay) or Kru Se (in Thai), a few kilometers to the east of the current city.

In the 14th century, King Ram Khamhaeng the Great (c. 1239 – 1317) of Sukhothai occupied Nakhon Si Thammarat and its vassal states which would include Patani if it had existed at that date.

[4] According to the Malay Annals, Chau Sri Wangsa, a Siamese prince, founded Patani by conquering Kota Mahligai.

After much negotiation (and recurrence of the disease), the king agreed to convert to Islam, adopting the name Sultan Ismail Shah.

[citation needed] Patani became more important after Malacca was captured by the Portuguese in 1511 as Muslim traders sought alternative trading ports.

[3][9] Manzur Shah ruled for nine years, and after his death, Patani entered a period of political instability and violence.

[15] In 1619, John Jourdain, the East India Company's chief factor at Bantam was killed off the coast of Patani by the Dutch.

[16][6] Potteries from the middle Ming to late Qing dynasties are found in the city, indicating extensive faraway trade.

After 1620, the Dutch and English both closed their warehouses, but a prosperous trade was continued by the Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese for most of the 17th century.

She stopped paying the bunga mas tribute to Siam, and formed an alliance with Johor, marrying her daughter (who later became Raja Kuning) off to their ruler Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah III.

However, her daughter was already married to the king of Bordelong (Phatthalung), Okphaya Déca, who prompted the Siamese to attack Patani in 1633–1634.

The war with Siam had caused considerable suffering to Patani as well as a significant decline in trade, and Raja Kuning adopted a more conciliatory stance towards the Siamese.

[18] Following the invasion, political disorder continued for five decades, during which the local rulers were helpless to end the lawlessness of the region, and most foreign merchants abandoned trade with Patani.

Siam was shattered, and as rivals fought for the vacant throne, Patani declared its complete independence.

In 1786 Siam sent an army led by Prince Surasi (Viceroy Boworn Maha Surasinghanat), younger brother of King Rama I, to seek the submission of Patani.