About this lecture

In this lecture, Graham H. Dalrymple traces the emergence of Singora (present-day Songkhla) in the 17th century, and its three Muslim rulers, Datuk Mogul (r. [?]–1620), Sultan Suleiman (r. 1620–1676) and Sultan Mustapha (r. 1676–1680). This reveals that the political fortunes of Singora was inextricably to its relationship with Ayutthaya to the north, and its commercial success amidst increased volume of international trade on the central belt of the Siamese-Malay peninsula. This is followed by examining the legacy of the Singora royal family within Siam after the destruction of Singora in 1680. The rebellion and rehabilitation of Sultan Sulaiman’s eldest son Mustapha (d. 1692) will be explored, before considering the administrative and military careers of Hussein (d. 1693), and Hasan (d. 1691), and the range of contributions by Mustapha, Hussein, and Hasan’s descendants within Siam. This reveals overlooked connections between South and Central Thailand, the mixed fortunes of this lineage, and the forms of co-option which Siamese kings took with these Muslim actors between the early 17th century and early 19th century.