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King Naresuan's Death at Mueang Hang in 1605: What the Evidence from Each Side Says
King Naresuan died on 25 April 1605 while leading his army north. Thai and Burmese evidence agree that he died at Mueang Hang, but they still differ on the aim of the campaign, the year recorded, and where Mueang Hang actually was.
What each version says
| Sources | What it says (summary) |
|---|---|
| Luang Prasoet Chronicle | No record, because the surviving manuscript breaks off in mid-story in CS 966, while describing a campaign by boat from Pa Mok, before the year of Naresuan's death. |
| Phan Chanthanumat (Choem) version, as cited by Kirigaya | The royal army rested at Chiang Mai for about a month before marching on to Mueang Hang, where Naresuan died. The original plan was to cross the Salween River and pass through the Shan lands to attack Ava. |
| Somdet Phra Phonnarat version (Bradley's printed text) | The royal army camped at Thung Kaeo, Mueang Hang Luang, while Ekathotsarot was at Mueang Fang. When the king fell gravely ill he sent word to him; Ekathotsarot arrived on Saturday, the 6th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, and Naresuan died on Monday, the 8th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, aged 50. The nature of his illness is not described. |
| Burmese chronicles (U Kala's Maha Yazawin) | News came that a Siamese army of 20 divisions led by Naresuan was advancing toward the border, but the king of Siam fell suddenly ill and died at Mueang Hang in the Burmese year 966, so the Siamese army called off its invasion. |
| Van Vliet's account | Also says he died at Mueang Hang, but says the target of the campaign was Toungoo, not Ava. |
| Chiang Tung chronicle | Says he died at Wiang Dao, which probably means Chiang Dao, and dates it to around 1601/02, several years earlier than the other sources. |
The last campaign
Late in Naresuan's reign, the kingdom of Ava under King Nyaungyan was extending its power into the Shan (Tai Yai) lands that lay between Ayutthaya and Ava. The Burmese chronicles record that in early 1605 the Ava court received news that a Siamese army of 20 divisions, led by Naresuan himself, was advancing toward the border.
The Thai side says the royal army marched north by way of Chiang Mai, rested there for about a month, and then went on to Mueang Hang, planning to cross the Salween River and pass through the Shan lands to attack Ava.
The Luang Prasoet Chronicle ends before this point
Only one manuscript of the Luang Prasoet Chronicle has been found, and its text breaks off in mid-story in CS 966. After recording the king setting out with his army by boat from Pa Mok and making camp along the way, the text simply stops.
The version with the most reliable dates therefore has no record of the king's death in CS 967. Everything the Thai side tells about this period comes from chronicles revised after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767.
The Rattanakosin-period versions: Thung Kaeo at Mueang Hang Luang
The text printed by Bradley, which belongs to the same line as the Somdet Phra Phonnarat version, says the royal army went by way of Mueang Hang Luang and camped at Thung Kaeo, while Ekathotsarot led another force by a different route as far as Mueang Fang. When Naresuan fell gravely ill, he ordered officials to go and inform Ekathotsarot.
Ekathotsarot arrived on Saturday, the 6th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, and Naresuan died on Monday, the 8th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, at the age of 50, having reigned for 15 years. This day and month have been calculated to correspond to 25 April 1605, even though this version, as elsewhere, gets the year wrong.
This text says only that he was gravely ill and does not describe his symptoms. The widely told story that he suffered from a boil on his face therefore does not come from this version.
The Burmese chronicles, Van Vliet and the Chiang Tung chronicle
U Kala's Burmese chronicle records that the king of Siam died at Mueang Hang in the year 966 of the Burmese era. It says that when Naresuan fell suddenly ill at the border, the Siamese army called off its invasion, and the Ava court then turned instead to attacking the Shan states.
Van Vliet also says he died at Mueang Hang, but says the army's target was Toungoo, not Ava. The Chiang Tung (Kengtung) chronicle says he died at Wiang Dao, which probably means Chiang Dao, and gives a year several years earlier than the other sources, while the main chronicles of Chiang Mai, Chiang Saen and Nan do not mention the event at all.
Where was Mueang Hang?
Although most sources agree on the name Mueang Hang, its location is still debated. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab suggested that it lay within today's Fang District; others believe it was around Wiang Haeng District in Chiang Mai Province.
A study by Kirigaya in the Journal of the Siam Society identifies Mueang Hang as a Shan town on the far side of the Salween River, about 150 kilometres north of Chiang Mai, and a 2024 study based on the oral accounts of Shan people likewise concludes that Mueang Hang was not Wiang Haeng.
Where historians still disagree
- Location of Mueang Hang: Prince Damrong Rajanubhab suggested it was in Fang District and others place it around Wiang Haeng District, while Kirigaya's study and research based on Shan oral accounts place it in Shan State, across the Salween River.
- Aim of the campaign: the Thai chronicles say it was headed for Ava, Van Vliet says Toungoo, and the Burmese chronicles say the Ava court feared the Siamese army would push on as far as Ava.
- The illness: the text printed by Bradley says only that he was gravely ill. The widely told story of a boil on his face needs its source checked further.
- The recorded year: the Rattanakosin-period versions give a day and month that calculate to 25 April 1605 but get the year wrong, while the Chiang Tung chronicle gives a year several years earlier than the other sources.
See this event’s campaign route on the map
Frequently asked questions
On what date did King Naresuan die?
On Monday, the 8th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, CS 967, which has been calculated to correspond to 25 April 1605 (BE 2148).
Is Mueang Hang in Thailand or in Myanmar?
It is still debated. Some suggest it was in Fang or Wiang Haeng District in Chiang Mai Province; others place it in Myanmar's Shan State, across the Salween River.
Do the Burmese chronicles record King Naresuan's death?
Yes. U Kala's Burmese chronicle says the king of Siam died at Mueang Hang, causing the Siamese army to call off its invasion, and that the Ava court then turned to attacking the Shan states instead.
- Some Annotations to The Chiang Mai Chronicle: The Era of Burmese Rule in Lan Na - Kirigaya, Journal of the Siam Society
- Nyaungyan Min - Wikipedia
- The Detailed Royal Chronicles, Bradley edition (PongSawaML digital text dataset) (in Thai)
- Events in Ayuddhya from Chulasakaraj 686-966 (translation of the Luang Prasoet Chronicle) - O. Frankfurter, Journal of the Siam Society
- Mueang Hang: where King Naresuan the Great died, according to the testimony of Shan (Tai Yai) people - Journal of Humanities, Naresuan University (in Thai)
- Naresuan - Wikipedia
Last updated 10 November 2026