For the Portuguese in mid-century it was no longer
Ayutthaya but Pegu which was 'the most powerful
monarchy in Asia, except that of China' and it was not
lightly that Bayinnaung termed himself the King of Kings
• European involvement in mainland Southeast Asia did not
affect the overall direction of political developments during
the sixteenth century, although in some cases it may have
hastened the movement towards a greater centralization of
authority.
• In island Southeast Asia, however, the impact of the
European presence was far greater. In part this was
because most 'states' Europeans encountered were smaller
than were those on the mainland, and therefore more
easily dominated. Even in the larger kingdoms European
influence was extensive because of their attempts to gain
trading advantages through alliances with local rulers,
whom they mistakenly believed had powers similar to kings
in Europe