Vạravoṇśādhirāj

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Khun Vạravoṇśādhirāj (Thai: วรวงศาธิราช; RTGS: Worawongsathirat) was an Ayuthian monarch whose legitimacy to the title of king is denied by Thai historians as he is believed to have been an usurper to the throne. The Royal Chronicles of Ayuthia depicts him as an usurper to the throne for having participated in the royal coronation ceremony and becoming king. Khun Vạravoṇśādhirāj was formerly known as Puñśrī of the Banpuŧr Śrīdēb (บุญศรีตำแหน่งพันบุตรศรีเทพ; Bunsi tamnaeng Phan But Si Thep); he is believed to have been a brahmin keeper of the Bradēbpidạr Cloister (พระเทพบิดร; Phra Thep Bidon), a religious chamber complex in palace grounds, there carrying out duties such as organising the various rites and ceremonies. Eventually, he was promoted to the position of Khun Jinarāj, and from there ascended the throne as Khun Vạravoṇśādhirāj.

Khun Vạravoṇśādhirāj is believed to have been involved in a clandestine sexual relationship with Dāv Śrīsutācandr, a consort of His Majesty King Jaiyarājādhirāj; the pair plotted and carried out the assassination of the child-king Kǣvfā, Vạravoṇśādhirāj ascension to the throne and the posting of a man named Can of Mahālōk (จันแห่งบ้านมหาโลก; Chan haeng Ban Maha Lok), believed to have been his younger brother, to reign as Uparaja.

During his reign certain branches of the court nobility and royal lineage were displeased with the situation. Among them were Khun Birēndradēb, the Hmïn Rājasnēhā, Hlvaṇ Śrīyoś, Khun Indradēb and the Minister for Defence. Thus they conceived a plot to overthrow him, asking him to capture in person a white elephant in Lavō (present-day Lobpurī), one that was too difficult for mahouts and other specialists to capture without his presence. Vạravoṇśādhirāj, suspecting nothing, was then assassinated en route to Lavō, killed by gunshot whilst travelling by boat along the Ҏlāhmạ (ปลาหมอ; Pla Mo) Canal side of the Srapav (สระบัว; Sa Bua) Canal (the historian Jeremias van Vliet claims it was on the side nearer the Palace Gate. Thus, Vạravoṇśādhirāj reigned for a period of 42 days, succeeded by King Ḍēīyrrājā.

source: Thai Wikipedia