Welcome! In today's video, we will explore the history of one of the most legendary events in the Siamese (Thai) chronicles: Naresuan's great victory by elephant duel against the crown prince of the Toungoo dynasty Mingyi Swa. The video will also cover the ancient tradition of elephant warfare and duels on elephant back in Burmese (Myanmar) and Thai history. Although Naresuan and Mingyi Swa's duel is the most famous and remembered elephant duel, there was a long tradition of king's and royal family members fighting single combat on the back of elephants dating back about the 13th century. I hope you enjoy the video, and thanks for watching!

For more information about the history of elephant duels and the military history of war elephants in Southeast Asia see:

Sunait Chutintaranoud, "The Rite of the Elephant Duel in Thai-Burmese Military History," Journal of Humanities (2004)

Sunait Chutintaranoud, "Cakravartin: Ideology, Reason and Manifestation of Siamese and Burmese Kings in Traditional Warfare (1538-1854)," Crossroads (1988)

For more information about King Naresuan's elephant duel and its legacy in Thai history see:

Matthew Kosuta, "King Naresuan's Victory in Elephant Duel: A Tale of Two Monuments," Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia (2019)

Barend Jan Terwiel, "What Happened at Nong Sarai? Comparing Indigenous and European Sources from the Late 16th Century Siam," Journal of the Siam Society 101 (2013)

For more information about the decline of the First Toungoo Empire see:

Michael W. Charney, "The 1598-1599 Siege of Pegu and the Expansion of Arakanese Imperial Power into Lower Burma," Journal of Asian History (1994)