After the death of King Kawila in 1815, his younger brother Thammalangka took over as the ruler of Chiang Mai. However, subsequent rulers weren't given the title of "king" but instead received the noble rank of Phraya from the Bangkok court. The leadership structure in Lanna was unique: Chiang Mai, Lampang, and Lamphun each had a ruler from the Chetton dynasty, with the Chiang Mai ruler overseeing all Lanna lords. Their allegiance was to the Chakri kings of Bangkok, and succession was controlled by Bangkok. These rulers had considerable autonomy in their regions.

Khamfan succeeded Thammalangka in 1822, marking the start of internal political strife within the Chetton dynasty. His reign saw confrontations with family members, including his cousin Khammoon and his brother Duangthip. Khamfan's death in 1825 led to more power struggles, which eventually led to Phutthawong, an outsider to the primary lineage, taking control. His reign was marked by peace and stability, but he also faced external pressures, notably from the British who were establishing a presence in neighboring Burma.

The British influence grew after their victory in the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1826. By 1834, they were negotiating boundary settlements with Chiang Mai, which were agreed upon without Bangkok's consent. This period also saw the revival of abandoned towns like Chiang Rai and Phayao. Phutthawong's death in 1846 brought Mahawong to power, who had to navigate both internal familial politics and growing British interventions in the region.