Songtham

King Songtham also known as King Borommaracha I was the king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1611 to 1628, of the Sukhothai dynasty. His reign marked a period of prosperity for Ayutthaya following the restoration of independence from the Toungoo Empire after the reign of Bayinnaung. It also saw the beginning of expanded overseas trade, particularly with the Dutch and the Japanese. Songtham employed foreign mercenaries as royal guards; most notably the Japanese soldier Yamada Nagamasa, commander of the Japanese volunteer corps.