Episode #238 - What Was the Last Elephant Duel?  ## Metadata - Author: [[Our Fake History]] - Full Title: Episode #238 - What Was the Last Elephant Duel? - Category: #podcasts - URL: https://share.snipd.com/episode/0bd10e3a-74b2-4835-b144-07c4d0144bc7 ## Document Notes ## Highlights - **Myth-Making Around Nong Sarai** - The Battle of Nong Sarai (1593) became legendary as the "last elephant duel" though sources disagree wildly. - The duel's story was shaped into national myth to symbolize Thai independence and kingly virtue. Transcript: Sebastian Major The year 1593. The place, Nong Sarai, in what is today modern Thailand. The event, the last known elephant duel in history. Two noblemen, armed to the teeth, riding pachyderms and doing their utmost to kill the elephant rider across from them. By the late 16th century in Southeast Asia, the elephant duel was a centuries-old tradition. A battle of champions, which, if legend is to be believed, could stand in for full-scale pitched battles between armies and could save thousands of lives. A commander on elephant back would represent his entire force, with the agreement being that the army of the losing rider would honorably accept the loss and retreat. But the duel of 1593, the supposed last duel, was a little messy. The context for this last duel was the Battle of Nong Sorai, a showdown between two of the most formidable armies in 16th century Southeast Asia. The larger force had come from Burma and was led by Crown Prince Min Ki Zwa of the country's Tuanggu dynasty. The opposing army was led by Neresawan, a man formerly known as the Black Prince, but now sporting the title King of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya was a prosperous Thai-speaking city which at one time had been the capital of a sizable Southeast Asian empire. But as the Burmese kingdom started aggressively expanding its empire in the 1500s, Ayutthaya soon found itself paying tribute to its more powerful neighbor. The Thai kingdom made several attempts to reassert its independence, but in 1569 an overwhelming Burmese force seized the capital of Ayutthaya, placing a hand-picked puppet king On the throne and formally reducing the kingdom to a vassal state. As part of the surrender of Ayutthaya, the king's two sons were sent to the Burmese capital to act as royal hostages, to hopefully ensure the loyalty of the new Thai king. These two Thai princes were Neresawan and his brother Ikathotsoro, nicknamed the Black Prince and the White Prince, respectively. Neresawan apparently had a darker complexion than his fairer brother, hence the name. The two royal captives lived alongside the Tuanggu nobility at court and received an appropriately princely education. This included Burmese military training, which at the time was recognized as the best in Southeast Asia. After six years in Burma, the princes returned home, but clearly never got fully comfortable with their role as vassals. After nearly 20 years of Burmese dominance, things began to change in the region. The grip of the Tuonggu dynasty was starting to slip, and the time had come for the Thai kingdom to once again reassert its independence. Since his return home, the Black Prince Neresawan had steadily gained a reputation as a formidable military commander. He had built a loyal force that, while relatively small when compared to the Burmese army, could credibly give the Tuanggu dynasty a run for its money. So, in 1583, Neresawan, with the blessing of his father the king, formally declared that Ayutthaya would no longer be paying tribute to Burma. The Thai-speaking kingdom was now in open rebellion and so began a bloody nine-year war. In those years, the Burmese made six attempts to invade the country and crush Neresawand's rebellion. None of these campaigns proved decisive. Along the way, Neresawon's father died, making the Black Prince, who had been the de facto ruler of the country, the official king. So it was in late 1592 that the Tuonggu dynasty made one last attempt to reassert their dominance over the rebellious ties. To do this, they put together a truly massive force. Now, all numbers from this period are disputed, but some sources estimate that the invading army may have had as many as 250,000 soldiers. What's more, the army was commanded by the Tuonggu Crown Prince, a young man that Neresawon would have grown up with at the Burmese court. This time, it was personal. King Neresawon chose to meet this invading army at Nong Sarai, some 85 kilometers outside of the capital. While the Burmese had the numerical advantage, both armies were formidable. They were both outfitted with newly acquired European gunpowder weapons, and both forces commanded impressive herds of war elephants. Now, what happened next? Well, that is the source of some serious historical debate. One of the most colorful retellings of this event can be found in the book Lords of Life, A History of the Kings of Thailand, written in 1960. The description found in that book draws largely from a 16th century Thai source known as the Royal Chronicle, but it's also spiced up with a few fun details from other Thai sources. This account is a good reflection of how this battle has been popularly remembered in Thailand. We are told that when the two armies joined in battle, Neresawan and his brother were both riding huge war elephants. But the animals were in musth. That's a type of elephant heat that's part of the natural elephant breeding cycle. Bull elephants will periodically go into must when they're looking to breed, which makes them more aggressive, unpredictable, and harder to control. ([Time 0:00:34](https://share.snipd.com/snip/4ac29896-5b08-47b1-8816-02760b117aa6)) - **Royal Chronicle's Dramatic Duel** - The Royal Chronicle recounts Neresawan challenging the Burmese crown prince and cutting him "in half" with a sword staff. - That vivid scene became central to Thai artistic and public commemorations. Transcript: Sebastian Major But the animals were in musth. That's a type of elephant heat that's part of the natural elephant breeding cycle. Bull elephants will periodically go into must when they're looking to breed, which makes them more aggressive, unpredictable, and harder to control. Elephants surprised their riders by suddenly charging deep into the Burmese lines, kicking up huge amounts of dry season dust as they went. When the dust settled, Neresawan discovered that he was within shouting distance of the Burmese crown prince, his old chum from his days as a royal hostage. The crown prince was observing the battle from atop his own formidable war elephant in the shade of a large tree. So Neresawan shouted out, quote, Elder brother, why do you sit under that tree? Drive your elephant out and let us join in single combat as we used to do in practice as students. Let it be a sight for our troops to see, So that it will be known that brave deeds have not yet deserted princes, nor have they lost their skill, and they can still perform the noble art of Single combat on elephants. End quote. You gotta love that. The challenge was accepted. The crown prince came forward on his elephant mount and the two combatants squared up for a duel. A classic elephant duel played out much like a European joust. The elephants would charge at one another, and the goal would be for one of the elephants to hook its opponent with its tusk and throw it off balance, leaving the rider vulnerable to either Be stabbed or unseated. We're told that on the first charge, the Burmese elephant got the better of his Thai opponent. Neresawan was exposed. The crown prince swung his sword staff, but only managed to slice off a piece from the brim of Neresawan's hat. Recouping, the elephants squared up and charged again. This time, Neresawan's elephant managed to hook the Burmese animal with tusks. The crown prince was vulnerable, and so Neresawan attacked with his blade and, quote, the hapless crown prince was cut in half from his shoulder to his waist, end quote. In the fray, Neresawan's trusty elephant driver was hit by a bullet and killed. But the king had already struck the fatal blow. ([Time 0:07:12](https://share.snipd.com/snip/5b565500-5720-436b-8f84-3b9262ad0945)) - **Ten Conflicting Versions** - Multiple sources (Thai, Burmese, European, Persian) give at least ten different versions of Nong Sarai. - Conflicting accounts show how national pride and later storytelling reshaped the event. Transcript: Sebastian Major The elephant duel at Nong Sarai has been remembered as one of the most pivotal moments in Thai history. The dramatic instant when King Neresawan bested the Burmese crown prince has been commemorated with statues, murals, royally commissioned works of art, and postage stamps. Neresawan's victory in the duel has come to stand in as a metaphor for Thailand's independent spirit. There's a deep pride in Thailand that the country was one of the few nations in Asia to never be colonized by a Western power. The elephant duel represents a moment when Thai bravery overcame foreign oppression, and as such, it has become a deeply symbolic event. But did this elephant duel even take place? There are at least 10 different accounts of the of Nong Sarai, written by Thai, Burmese, Dutch, Persian, and Portuguese authors. These sources give wildly different accounts of what actually went down that day. Which of these sources should we trust? Was Neresawan's last duel just an elephant-sized historical myth? Let's see what we can find out today on Our Fake History. ([Time 0:10:39](https://share.snipd.com/snip/ed8702a4-3a5a-403a-99c7-3a082bde3fb6)) - **Approach Royal Histories Carefully** - Be cautious when questioning revered national histories in countries with strict lèse-majesté laws. - Research and public critique can carry legal risk, as Sulak Sivaraksa's 2017 case shows. Transcript: Sebastian Major But that constitution preserves an elevated level of reverence for the Thai king and the royal family. This eventually evolved into what are known as the country's les magistes laws. These laws make it a criminal offense to insult, threaten, or in any way defame the king or any other member of the royal family. And according to a recent ruling by the Thai Supreme Court, this also extends to any deceased monarchs as well. And these laws are no joke. A successful Les Magistes conviction can result in 15 years in Thai prison. And given the vague nature of what may or may not constitute Les Magistes, sometimes critical or irreverent interpretations of Thai history have been seen as grounds for a criminal Investigation. Now, when I embarked on this topic, I thought, surely an event from the 16th century that involves a king from an era predating not only the modern state of Thailand, but also the kingdom Of Siam, could not possibly be offensive. After all, King Noresawan came from an entirely different dynasty than that of the current Thai monarchs. Well, it turns out that I was wrong about that. In 2017, the prominent Thai writer and social activist Sulak Sivaraksa was charged with Les Magistés due to a university lecture he gave in 2014 where he questioned the official account Of King Noresawan's elephant duel with the Burmese crown prince. The charges were eventually dropped, but only after Sivar Aksa petitioned the king directly. According to the Thai activist, quote, if it weren't for his majesty's grace, this case would not have been dropped, end quote. So what I thought would be a somewhat lighthearted episode about elephant duels turns out to be the kind of thing that just might get you arrested in Thailand. This seems to be because the story of Noresawan is particularly important to the Thai military, who celebrate the 1593 victory at Nong Sarai with a yearly parade. All of this is to say that in Thailand, this is considered a deeply significant historical event. Questioning the truth of this elephant duel is not only scandalous, but potentially illegal. So I'm really going to need to tread lightly with this one. I should also recognize that at the time of recording, Thailand is in a period of national mourning for the late Queen Mother. So if there are any Thai listeners, I offer my condolences. My goal, as always, is not to offend or mock any nation's history. That's not my thing. At least I hope it's not my thing. I pursued this topic because I wanted to celebrate Southeast Asian history. I hope that spirit comes across. ([Time 0:19:28](https://share.snipd.com/snip/6e9cb369-f902-4cb1-a6a7-1cd8ee053027)) - **Tread Carefully** - Questioning the truth of the elephant duel involving King Neresawon could be considered scandalous or even illegal in Thailand. - Be aware that the story is particularly important to the Thai military, who commemorate the victory with a yearly parade. - Acknowledge periods of national mourning, such as the one mentioned for the late Queen Mother. - When discussing sensitive historical topics, clearly state that your goal is not to offend or mock any nation's history. - If Thai listeners are present, express condolences during times of national mourning. Transcript: Sebastian Major I hope that spirit comes across. But the truth is that there are at least 10 different accounts of what went down at Nong Sarai in 1593. Many historians who study Thai history have noted that the account of Neresawon's victory that appears in the Royal Chronicle not only conflicts with most of the other sources, but Has its own internal inconsistencies. Where there is contested history, this podcast must go. Also, expect me to stay away from a story that features an elephant duel? I mean, come on. So let's start by getting a little background on elephant warfare in Southeast Asia, and then we'll dive into the various accounts of King Neresawon at Nong Sarai. Today's episode of Our Fake History is being brought to you by Rosetta Stone. As the seasons change, it's the perfect time to learn something new. ([Time 0:22:50](https://share.snipd.com/snip/22abb1e0-98cc-48ac-aaad-4c36094a37ad)) - **Elephant Duels As Royal Legitimacy** - Elephant duels were a long-standing Southeast Asian tradition tied to kingly legitimacy and the Chakravartin ideal. - Winning such a duel symbolized divine rulership and validated royal authority. Transcript: Sebastian Major One of the most important texts we have that gives us information about the Sukhothai kingdom is the so-called Inscription of Ram Kam Hang. King Ram Kam Hang is recognized as the most significant ruler of the Sukhothai kingdom. He's credited with reforming earlier scripts to create the Thai alphabet and enshrining Theravada Buddhism as the dominant religion in the kingdom. The inscription, which was likely created around the late 1290s, acts as both a biography of the king and a description of the Sukhothai kingdom. Being that this was a piece of royal boosterism, the description of the kingdom is accordingly glowing. Sukhothai is described as large, prosperous, peaceful, and just, thanks to the enlightened leadership of Ram Kamhang. There's also lots of talk about elephants. We're told that the king, quote, subdued many enemies who possessed broad kingdoms and many elephants, end quote. Most experts believe that this reference to many elephants was both literal and figurative. For much of recorded history, Southeast Asia was home to large herds of wild Asian elephants. By the time Sukhothai emerged as a regional power, elephants had been important domesticated animals for centuries. Captured elephants were used as pack animals, as beasts of burden, and as formidable weapons of war. Asian elephants had been used in warfare in India, dating back thousands of years. But they seem to have become a key part of Southeast Asian armies around the 6th century AD. The Khmer Empire, which was based in what is modern Cambodia, became well known for its large elephant armies between the 9th and 15th centuries. By pointing out that a king had many elephants, you were not only commenting on his military capabilities, but also his command over resources. Having many elephants meant that you had the means to feed many elephants. Elephants were such an important resource in the region that it was common for tribute payments between kingdoms to include an agreed-upon number of the best elephants. Expert Sunet Chutintarunan has explained that elephants had a myriad of military applications. He writes, quote, elephants were considered to be extremely useful in fighting, acting as a vanguard, protecting flanks and rear, preparing roads and campgrounds, clearing trees And shrubs, crossing rivers and breaking the current of swift rivers, strengthening the line of battle, acting as wooden castles, and supplying a lofty and mobile observation post For the king or the commander, enabling him to issue necessary orders or cheer up his army. In siege warfare, elephants with their heads sheathed in brass or steel plates served as battering rams or as rank breakers, end quote. That description helps us understand how war elephants were used throughout Asia and North Africa. But what seems to have been specific to Southeast Asia was the tradition of using elephants to fight head-to duels. Now, there's some evidence that elephant duels between nobles may have its roots in ancient Sri Lanka. There was a well-known story of a Sri Lankan king fighting a rival Tamil leader on elephant back in order to protect Buddhism on the island. This apparently happened sometime around the first century BC. Now, the exact historicity of that story is also debatable. But importantly, it was believed to be true by many Southeast Asian rulers in the medieval period. This Sri Lankan duel was the heroic model to which they all aspired. The idea was that an elephant duel could be used to settle a dispute when two opposing armies were more or less evenly matched. In Southeast Asia, these duels usually occurred after the armies had done some preliminary skirmishing and had sized each other up. If one side was obviously more powerful, you typically weren't going to get an elephant duel, as the dominant side was not going to give up its advantage. But when the outcome wasn't obvious, the king, or commanding general, could ride forward on his elephant and issue a formal challenge. Now, it was considered below the dignity of a king to fight with some rank-and soldier. One needed to duel with someone of roughly the same rank. Our elephant warfare expert tells us that, quote, for the king, direct contact or engagement was possible only in stylized duels between him and the head of the opposing side, who possessed Approximately equal status. It was the most honorable and cloudless way for the king to manifest his courage and prowess as the real Chakra Vartin. End quote. What is a Chakra Vartin, you ask? Well, this was a concept borrowed from ancient Indian religion. A Chakra Vartin was a divinely inspired ideal ruler whose sovereignty not be contested. So, it only follows that many of the best-remembered Thai kings were said to have fought elephant duels. An elephant duel was evidence that a king was a Chakravartin, a divinely inspired ruler. ([Time 0:27:34](https://share.snipd.com/snip/b0a1aa8e-45ce-4e86-bf5f-c5381eeaa538)) - **Chronicle's Contradictions** - The Royal Chronicle's duel narrative contains contradictions like ongoing gunfire and post-battle reprisals. - Those inconsistencies suggest the encounter wasn't a formal, negotiated duel. Transcript: Sebastian Major So in the introduction, I related a version of the Battle of Nongserai that was largely drawn from a source known as the Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya. That source was the official historical record as approved by the kings of Ayutthaya. As such, the chronicle is colored by a very specific pro-Ayutthaya perspective. So, you know, keep that in mind as we work our way through it. In that source, we're told that as hundreds of thousands of soldiers were about to cut one another down, Neresawon spotted the Burmese crown prince and issued a formal challenge, yelling Over the din of battle. Now, this official challenge was significant because this was considered appropriate protocol for an elephant duel. We're told that the crown prince accepted the challenge and the two squared off. Now, one thing I didn't mention in the introduction is that the Royal Chronicle tells us that at that same moment, King Neresawan's brother, the White Prince, issued his own challenge To one of the Burmese generals. The White Prince and this Burmese general then fought their own elephant duel at the same time as Neresawan was fighting the Crown Prince of the Burmese. The Royal Chronicle tells us that Neresawan won his duel when he fatally slashed the crown prince with his sword staff. But in the fray, Neresawon's elephant driver was hit and killed by an enemy bullet. Those bullets are going to become important later, so keep that in the back of your mind. The Royal Chronicle goes on to tell us that Neresawon's army capitalized on the confusion and demoralization caused by the death of the Burmese crown prince. ([Time 0:40:34](https://share.snipd.com/snip/dad4d81f-bfab-47f8-8e60-8273f00c3dea)) - **Accident Over Protocol** - Several Thai sources omit an official challenge and describe the leaders' clash as accidental amid chaotic fighting. - That accidental framing resolves many contradictions in the official chronicle. Transcript: Sebastian Major Before we start looking at sources that give us a foreign perspective on the Battle of Nongserai, we should look at the other Thai sources. Now, these sources all agree that Neresawan killed the Burmese crown prince while both men were on elephant back. But not all of them described the event like it was a traditional elephant duel. Most of these sources do not include the detail found in the Royal Chronicle that Neresawon shouted an official challenge to the Burmese prince. This is important because if it was going to be an official elephant duel, then you would need an official challenge. A text written in Dutch in 1640, but reflecting contemporary Thai histories at the time, tells us that the fight between the two leaders started almost accidentally because both of Their elephants were in muff. In this source, we're told that the animals originally charged at each other without any goading from either rider. Apparently, the Burmese elephant was bigger and more intimidating, which originally made Nuresawan's elephant flee. But we're told that the king said a Buddhist prayer which steadied his elephant and gave him the heart to charge back into the fight. At that point, Neresawan fatally stabbed his opponent. So in this source, we still get a tale of battlefield heroics that makes Neresawan look very brave. But it does not suggest that this was a traditional elephant duel that was meant to stand in for the wider battle. This description helps resolve many of the contradictions that we find in the Royal Chronicle. The Burmese prince didn't acknowledge Neresawon's rank by agreeing to a formal duel. This encounter happened accidentally in the heat of a larger battle. This also explains why Neresawon may have felt angry with his commanders for not backing him up. His elephant put him in a very dangerous situation. It's logical that he was looking around going, hey, where are my guys? This account is consistent with a later Thai source written in 1690 by court astrologers. This is known as the Luang Prasert Chronicle. Now, this source is very concerned with things that are of interest only to astrologers. We're told that the battle happened during an inauspicious time of day, which led to Noresawan's arm being injured. It also tells us that the crown prince's hat fell off at one point, which was a bad omen for his fortune in the battle. But importantly for us, this source says nothing of a formal challenge. Instead, we read that Neresawan rode out on his elephant, faced the crown prince in battle, and the prince died. And that's it. ([Time 0:51:12](https://share.snipd.com/snip/034f7236-c427-4968-ae5b-ec7ec8d5c7c4)) - **Burmese Friendly-Fire Account** - Burmese historian Yukala reports a misdirected musth elephant injured the crown prince, then Neresawan fired a firearm to mortally wound him. - Yukala treats the event as chaotic friendly-fire, not a chivalrous duel. Transcript: Sebastian Major The Burmese account of this battle is very different from the Thai sources. The earliest Burmese version of events comes from the Tuanggu dynasty historian Yu Kala. Now, experts of Southeast Asian history are very complimentary of Yu Kala. He was a regional pioneer the use of primary sources like court documents, royal correspondences, and military records. He used the toolkit of the modern historian. As such, his work is considered quite reliable. Now, that does not mean we should treat his account uncritically. Yukala was writing a history for the Burmese dynasty. That means it's going to have a certain Burmese bias to it. But you should know that most modern experts appreciate Yukala's rigor as a historian. Many find him to be even-handed. So, just so you know who we're dealing with here. So, according to Yukala, at the Battle of Nong Sarai, there was an elephant that was in musth, but it was not the one that carried Neresawon. He tells us that one of the Burmese generals rode the afflicted animal and kept it blindfolded so he would not start randomly charging when he saw the other male elephants. As the battle raged, this Burmese general noticed that Neresawon's elephant had come dangerously close to the Burmese crown prince. So the general took the bandages off his elephant's eyes, hoping that it would charge at Neresawon. But the wild elephant veered off course, and instead of charging at the king of Ayataya, it attacked the Burmese prince and his elephant. This was a case of friendly fire, or at least friendly elephant gouging. Either way, this misdirected elephant immobilized the crown prince's steed. At that moment, Neresawan rushed in on his elephant and shot a European firearm at close range, mortally wounding the Burmese prince and effectively ending the battle. Now, I find this account fascinating because it includes so many of the elements that appear in the Thai sources only just rearranged to create a completely different picture. The elephant in must, the accidental encounter, the secret gun, it's all there, just different. But we should recognize that the Burmese account agrees with the Thai sources that Noresawan killed the prince while they were both on elephant back. But the Burmese source makes it very clear that this was not a formal elephant duel. This was a messy encounter that happened in the heat of a wider battle. The prince was made vulnerable by one of his own elephants, and then Neresawan killed him using a gun. ([Time 0:57:33](https://share.snipd.com/snip/f1e107d4-eefc-4a80-adfc-f637fd3ae081)) - **European Travelers' Disagreements** - European observers reported mixed details: some said stabbing, others that the prince was shot, and a Portuguese chronicler claimed Portuguese mercenaries fired. - Travelers' reports show contemporary uncertainty and rumor around the fatal blow. Transcript: Sebastian Major One of the earliest is from a French traveler named Jacques de Coutre, who visited Ayutthaya during the reign of King Neresawon. He arrived in the country in 1595, just a couple years after the Battle of Nong Sarai. While he was visiting, he witnessed the elaborate funeral that Neresawon held for the elephant that he had ridden during the fabled battle. Dukutra makes it clear that Neresawan believed that he owed his life to this elephant. According to this traveler, the king's grieving for this animal was both public and profound. Now, Dekutra also gives us a description of the Battle of Nong Sarai, likely gleaned from local informants in Ayutthaya. But it doesn't tell us much about the alleged duel, other than the fact that the Burmese crown prince died thanks to a, quote, lance stab to the throat, end quote. So if nothing else, Dukutra backs up the Thai assertion that Neresawon used a blade to kill his rival. But another European source contradicts that. In 1602, just nine years after the event in question, a Jesuit priest visiting Neresawon's kingdom wrote in a letter that the Burmese crown prince had, quote, been slain with a shot, End quote, at the Battle of Nong Sarai. This account later found its way into the work of the famous English travel writer Samuel Purchase. So, what does this tell us? Well, when Europeans were traveling to Ayotea in the years after the Battle of Nong Sarai, they were hearing different things on the street. Some were hearing that the Burmese prince had been stabbed, others that he had been shot. Now, one of the most detailed accounts we get from a European comes from a Portuguese historian. This was a man named Antonio Boccaro, who worked as the chronicler and keeper of the archives in Goa in the early 1600s. Bokaro was drawing from, but he tells us that a formal challenge was sent to the Burmese crown prince by Noresawan at the Battle of Nong Sarai. He also tells us that all of the Burmese crown prince's advisors tried to talk him out of doing the duel because he would be sacrificing their numerical advantage. But this source tells us that the crown prince was simply too proud and felt like he had to accept the challenge. From there, Bakaro goes on to describe an encounter that is clearly not a typical elephant duel. Like most of the other accounts, the two rivals are said to have clashed while a battle raged around them. But the death of the crown prince is described very differently from everything else we've discussed so far. B.J. Turwiel paraphrases the Portuguese source like this, quote, Then came the black prince, Neresawan, on his elephant, clearly visible to the whole opposing army. Fighting valiantly, the Burmese crown prince wounded his opponent with an axe. When the Siamese leader, that's Neresawon, noticed that he was almost defeated, he called two Portuguese who were in his vicinity that they should fire. End quote. So, in this version, the Burmese prince was mortally wounded by End quote. Some gun-toting Portuguese mercenaries, and then finished off by Neresawon. Now, annoyingly, he does not say how Neresawon ultimately killed him. ([Time 1:01:48](https://share.snipd.com/snip/62cf07e0-e66a-4ea7-a0fd-4c3f359eff8b)) - **Hidden Goad Gun Rumor** - Persian and late Thai sources both reference a firearm hidden under an elephant goad, but they disagree on who used it. - That recurring detail suggests rumor networks influenced later retellings. Transcript: Sebastian Major This one comes from a Persian diplomat who visited Ayutthaya in 1685. So, that means that he was writing a solid 90 years after the Battle of Nong-Sorai took place. But he passes along a very fascinating piece of information that he had heard about Neresawon's famous duel. He writes that at the battle, Neresawon saw, quote, the extent of his adversary's strength and had no hope of overcoming him in an even match. So he decided to attach a firearm beneath his elephant prod. When the two combatants were close to one another and the eagle-like prince swooped down to snatch his victim from off the elephant, the governor's son, Neresawon, took aim with his Goad and before the Burmese prince knew what had happened, he fell and was dead. End quote. Whoa, that's interesting. Now, to be clear, this Persian diplomat was reporting on rumors. But it's fascinating that this account includes the detail about the gun hidden underneath the elephant goad. I told you not to forget about that elephant goad. Except this time, it was Neresawan who allegedly was wielding the hidden gun. I think this adds yet more context to that Thai source from the 1770s that mentions the hidden gun. It's possible that those authors were responding to the types of rumors that this Persian diplomat recorded. ([Time 1:07:01](https://share.snipd.com/snip/ee6fe0be-da94-4183-9444-9a3f68e1c585)) - **Probable Composite Reconstruction** - Most credible synthesis: elephants went wild, the crown prince's mount was disabled, and a shot (by Neresawan or companions) mortally wounded him before a possible finishing blade stroke. - Later chroniclers polished this into a clean, honorable duel to enhance royal prestige. Transcript: Sebastian Major First, we need to recognize that every source agrees that Noresawan killed the Burmese crown prince. Every source also agrees that both leaders were on elephant back when the fatal blow was struck. So there was definitely a fight on elephant back. But I think we can also safely say that this encounter was not a traditional Southeast Asian elephant duel. All the sources, even the Royal Chronicle, described the fight happening while the battle was raging around the elephant-riding commanders. Most of the sources describe the encounter between the leaders happening by chance after some elephants got out of control. Wider hostilities did not stop because of this fight between the leaders. And only one very late source suggests that the Burmese army was allowed to peacefully retreat after the death of the crown prince. Most of our sources describe Neresawan's army chasing down the retreating Burmese in the aftermath. The historian B.J. Turwiel has proposed the The elephants. Only his brother, the White Prince, came to his assistance, engaging one of the enemy's army leaders in battle. At this moment, a Burmese general who saw Neresawon coming too close to the crown prince uncovered the eyes of his elephant in musth. But this enraged animal attacked and severely wounded the crown prince's mount. Seeing the crown prince's elephant in difficulty, Neresawon quickly took advantage of the situation. He closed in, and he, or possibly one of the warriors riding with him, maybe a Portuguese man, fired a gun which mortally wounded the crown prince. End quote. I would add that it also seems plausible that Neresawan then stabbed the Burmese prince after he was shot. This might explain why multiple sources speak of a death by slashing. ([Time 1:09:56](https://share.snipd.com/snip/fae16c33-3481-4c14-aefd-fa3e3a65a268)) - **Guns Ended Elephant Warfare** - The spread of firearms made elephant warfare increasingly obsolete and dangerous. - The Nong Sarai episode may mark the end of elephant duels as a military practice. Transcript: Sebastian Major Well, it depends on how much of a stickler you want to be. It was certainly the last historical event to be presented as an elephant duel in Southeast Asian history. As gunpowder weapons became more common in Southeast Asia, war elephants started to become more of a liability than a battlefield advantage. In the age of field artillery, these once dominant animals were transformed into big targets. Interestingly, this elephant duel may have been the last because of the very thing that made it less than a duel, the guns. ([Time 1:16:24](https://share.snipd.com/snip/9caeb32e-d6e8-46ec-af44-66c9f0097bf2))