3- Si-Suddhammaraja—18 years
4. Diyara
5. Suvannapasftda
6* Xaraya.
By this time the route to the East had been
discovered and the Portuguese were coming to trade
with the rich East. They were followed by other
European nations. In 1604 the Dutch East India
Company established a depot at Ayuthia. The French
also came over to Siam. Many Jesuists also catne to
this country to preach the gospel of christ. In 1656
Phra Narai at the suggestion of his European minister
Constance Faulcon (Phya Vijayen) opened up the
Siamese ports to the Spanish, Portuguese, English,
Dutch and French and sect two embassies to Louis
XV for a commercial treaty and an alliance for
mutual help.
With other European nations, the French also
came to Siam, but it is said that the- French had to
leave Siam a year after their arrival, * notwithstanding
the promises given by the Court regarding the stabili-
ty and safety of their establishment/ We need not
go far to seek its reason. * The events which led to
the overthrow of Phya Vijayen (Constance Faulcon)
and the consequent departure of the French from
Siam, in 1688, in the reign of Somdet Phra Narayana1