Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
of
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
under the
House of Chakri
The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the ...
, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พระพุทธเจ้าหลวง, the Royal Buddha).
Chulalongkorn's reign was characterised by the modernisation of Siam, governmental and social reforms, and territorial concessions to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and
French. As Siam was surrounded by
European colonies
The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs.
Colonialism in the modern sense began w ...
, Chulalongkorn, through his policies and acts, ensured the independence of Siam.
All his reforms were dedicated to ensuring Siam's independence given the increasing encroachment of Western powers, so that Chulalongkorn earned the epithet ''Phra Piya Maharat'' (พระปิยมหาราช, the Great Beloved King).
Early life
![King Mongkut and Prince Chulalongkorn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/King_Mongkut_and_Prince_Chulalongkorn.jpg)
King Chulalongkorn was born on 20 September 1853 to King
Mongkut and Queen
Debsirindra
Queen Debsirindra of Siam ( th, เทพศิรินทรา, , ), formerly Queen Ramphoei Phamaraphirom ( th, รำเพยภมราภิรมย์), born Princess Ramphoei Siriwong ( th, รำเพย ศิริวงศ์; 17 ...
and given the name Chulalongkorn. In 1861, he was designated ''Krommamuen Pikhanesuan Surasangkat''. His father gave him a broad education, including instruction from Western tutors such as
Anna Leonowens. In 1866, he became a
novice monk for six months at
Wat Bawonniwet according to royal tradition. Upon his return to his secular life in 1867, he was designated ''Krommakhun Phinit Prachanat'' (.)
In 1867, King Mongkut led an expedition to the
Malay Peninsula south of the city of
Hua Hin
Hua Hin ( th, หัวหิน, ) is one of eight districts (''amphoe'') of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a beach resort town. The district ...
, to verify his calculations of the
solar eclipse of 18 August 1868
A total solar eclipse occurred on August 18, 1868, also known as "The King of Siam's eclipse". A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A ...
. Both father and son fell ill of malaria. Mongkut died on 1 October 1868. Assuming the 15 year-old Chulalongkorn to be dying as well, King Mongkut on his deathbed wrote, "My brother, my son, my grandson, whoever you all the senior officials think will be able to save our country will succeed my throne, choose at your own will."
Si Suriyawongse
Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Sri Suriwongse ( th, สมเด็จเจ้าพระยาบรมมหาศรีสุริยวงศ์, , ; also spelled ''Suriyawong'', etc.; 23 December 1808 – 19 January 1883), whose personal ...
, the most powerful government official of the day, managed the succession of Chulalongkorn to the throne and his own appointment as
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
. The first
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of ot ...
was held on 11 November 1868. Chulalongkorn's health improved, and he was tutored in public affairs.
The young Chulalongkorn was an enthusiastic reformer. He visited Singapore and
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
in 1870 and
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
in 1872 to study the administration of British colonies. He toured the administrative centres of Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, and back to Calcutta in early 1872. This journey was a source of his later ideas for the modernization of Siam. He was crowned king in his own right as Rama V on 16 November 1873.
[
Si Suriyawongse then arranged for the ]Front Palace
Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Mongkhon , colloquially known as the Front Palace ( th, วังหน้า, ), was the title of the ''uparaja'' of Siam, variously translated as "viceroy", "vice king" or "Lord/Prince of the Front Palace", as ...
of King Pinklao
Pinklao ( th, ปิ่นเกล้า) (September 4, 1808 – January 7, 1866) was the viceroy of Siam. He was the younger brother of Mongkut, King Rama IV, who crowned him as a monarch with equal honor to himself.
Early life
Prince Chutama ...
(who was his uncle) to be bequeathed to King Pinklao's son, Prince Yingyot
Krom Phra Ratchawang Bowon Wichaichan ( th, กรมพระราชวังบวรวิไชยชาญ) or Phra Ong Chao Yodyingyot (or Yingyot) (พระองค์เจ้ายอดยิ่งยศ) (6 April 1838 – 28 Aug ...
(who was Chulalongkorn's cousin).
As regent, Si Suriyawongse wielded great influence. Si Suriyawongse continued the works of King Mongkut. He supervised the digging of several important khlongs, such as Padung Krungkasem and Damneun Saduak, and the paving of roads such as Charoen Krung and Silom. He was also a patron of Thai literature and performing arts.
Early reign
At the end of his regency, Si Suriyawonse was raised to Somdet Chao Phraya, the highest title a noble could attain. Si Suriyawongse was the most powerful noble of the 19th century. His family, the House of Bunnag, was a powerful aristocratic dynasty of Persian descent. It dominated Siamese politics since the reign of Rama I
Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now T ...
. Chulalongkorn then married four of his half-sisters, all daughters of Mongkut: Savang Vadhana
Sri Savarindira ( th, ศรีสวรินทิรา; , 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), also known as Savang Vadhana ( th, สว่างวัฒนา; ), was a consort and half-sister of Chulalongkorn (Rama V), but she was no ...
, Saovabha
Queen Saovabha Phongsri ( th, เสาวภาผ่องศรี; RTGS: Saowapha PhongsiPronunciation) was an agnatic half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Pr ...
, and Sunandha (Mongkut with concubine Piam), and Sukumalmarsri (Monkut with concubine Samli).
Chulalongkorn's first reform was to establish the "Auditory Office" (Th: หอรัษฎากรพิพัฒน์) on 4 June 1873, solely responsible for tax collection, to counter the influence of the Bunnag family
The House of Bunnag ( th, บุนนาค; ) was a powerful Siamese noble family of Mon- Persian descent influential during the late Ayutthaya kingdom and early Rattanakosin period. Originally of Persian Islamic descent, they converted en masse ...
whom had been in control of weath collection since early Rattanakosin. As tax collectors had been under the aegis of various nobles and thus a source of their wealth, this reform caused great consternation among the nobility, especially the Front Palace. Chulalongkorn appointed Chaturonrasmi
Prince Chaturonrasmi, the Prince Chakkrabatradipongse ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าจาตุรนต์รัศมี กรมพระจักรพรรดิพงศ ...
to be an executive of the organization, which he closely oversaw. From the time of King Mongkut, the Front Palace had been the equivalent of a "second king", with one-third of national revenue allocated to it. Prince Yingyot of the Front Palace was known to be on friendly terms with many Britons, at a time when Siamese relations with the British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
were tense.
In 1874, Chulalongkorn established the Council of State as a legislative body and a privy council as his personal advisory board based on the British privy council. Council members were appointed by the monarch.
Front Palace crisis
On the night of 28 December 1874, a fire broke out near the gunpowder storehouse and gasworks in the main palace. Front Palace troops quickly arrived, fully armed, "to assist in putting out the fire". They were denied entrance and the fire was extinguished. The incident demonstrated the considerable power wielded by aristocrats and royal relatives, leaving the king little power. Reducing the power held by the nobility became one of his main motives in reforming Siam's feudal politics.
When Prince Yingyot died in 1885, Chulalongkorn took the opportunity to abolish the titular Front Palace and created the title of "Crown Prince of Siam
The Crown Prince of Thailand (or Siam; th, สยามมกุฎราชกุมาร; ; lit. the royal son of Siam) is a title held by the heir apparent to the Thai throne. First created by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1886, for his s ...
" in line with Western custom. Chulalongkorn's son, Prince Vajirunhis
Maha Vajirunhis, Crown Prince of Siam ( th, มหาวชิรุณหิศ; ; 27 June 1878 – 4 January 1895) was the first Crown Prince of the Chakri dynasty. He was the first son of King Chulalongkorn and Queen Savang Vadhana together, ...
, was appointed the first Crown Prince of Siam, though he never reigned. In 1895, when the prince died of typhoid at age 16, he was succeeded by his half-brother Vajiravudh, who was then at boarding school in England.
Haw insurgency
In the northern Laotian lands bordering China, the insurgents of the Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It laste ...
had taken refuge since the reign of King Mongkut. These Chinese were called ''Haw'' and became bandits, pillaging the villages. In 1875, Chulalongkorn sent troops from Bangkok to crush the Haw who had ravaged as far as Vientiane
Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
. However, they met strong Chinese resistance and retreated to Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...
in 1885. New, modernized forces were sent again and were divided into two groups approaching the Haw from Chiang Kam and Pichai. The Haw scattered and some fled to Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. The Siamese armies proceeded to eliminate the remaining Haw. The city of Nong Khai
Nong Khai ( th, เทศบาลเมืองหนองคาย, ) is a city in northeast Thailand. It is the capital of Nong Khai province. Nong Khai city is located in Mueang Nong Khai district.
Nong Khai lies on the Mekong River, near ...
maintains memorials for the Siamese dead.
Third Anglo-Burmese War
In Burma, while the British Army fought the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty
The Konbaung dynasty ( my, ကုန်းဘောင်ခေတ်, ), also known as Third Burmese Empire (တတိယမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်) and formerly known as the Alompra dynasty (အလောင်းဘ ...
, Siam remained neutral. Britain had agreements with the Siamese government, which stated that if the British were in conflict with Burma, Siam would send food supplies to the British Army. Chulalongkorn honored the agreement. The British expected he would send an army to help defeat the Burmese, but he did not do so.
Military and political reforms
Freed of the Front Palace and Chinese rebellions, Chulalongkorn initiated modernization and centralization reforms. He established the Royal Military Academy in 1887 to train officers in Western fashion. His upgraded forces provided the king much more power to centralize the country.
The government of Siam had remained largely unchanged since the 15th century. The central government was headed by the ''Samuha Nayok'' (i.e., prime minister), who controlled the northern parts of Siam, and the ''Samuha Kalahom'' (i.e., grand commander), who controlled southern Siam in both civil and military affairs. The Samuha Nayok presided over the ''Chatu Sadombh'' (i.e., Four Pillars). The responsibilities of each pillar overlapped and were ambiguous. In 1888, Chulalongkorn moved to institute a government of ministries. Ministers were, at the outset, members of the royal family. Ministries were established in 1892, with all ministries having equal status.
The Council of State proved unable to veto legal drafts or to give Chulalongkorn advice because the members regarded Chulalongkorn as an absolute monarch, far above their station. Chulalongkorn dissolved the council altogether and transferred advisory duties to the cabinet in 1894.
Chulalongkorn abolished the traditional Nakorn Bala methods of torture in the judiciary process, which were seen as inhumane and barbaric to Western eyes, and introduced a Western judicial code. His Belgian advisor, Rolin-Jaequemyns, played a great role in the development of modern Siamese law and its judicial system.
Pressures for reform
Chulalongkorn was the first Siamese king to send royal princes to Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
to be educated. In 19th century Europe, nationalism flourished and there were calls for more liberty. The princes were influenced by the liberal notions of democracy
Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which people, the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choo ...
and elections they encountered in republics like France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and constitutional monarchies
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
like the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
In 1884 (year 103 of the Rattakosin Era), Siamese officials in Europe warned Chulalongkorn of possible threats to Siamese independence from the European powers. They advised that Siam should be reformed like Meiji Japan
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization b ...
and that Siam should become a constitutional monarchy. Chulalongkorn demurred, stating that the time was not ripe and that he himself was making reforms.
Throughout Chulalongkorn's reign, writers with radical ideas had their works published for the first time. The most notable ones included Thianwan Wannapho, who had been imprisoned for 17 years and from prison produced many works criticizing traditional Siamese society.
Conflict with French Indochina
In 1863, King Norodom
Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and was ...
of Cambodia was forced to put his country under French protection. The cession of Cambodia was officially formulated in 1867. However, Inner Cambodia (as called in Siam) consisting of Battambang
Battambang ( km, បាត់ដំបង, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang Province and the third largest city in Cambodia.
Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is the leading rice-producing province of the coun ...
, Siam Nakhon, and Srisopon, remained a Siamese possession. This was the first of many territorial cessions.
In 1887, French Indochina was formed from Vietnam and Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
. In 1888, French troops invaded northern Laos to subjugate the Heo insurgents. However, the French troops never left, and the French demanded more Laotian lands. In 1893 Auguste Pavie, the French vice-consul of Luang Prabang, requested the cession of all Laotian lands east of the Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annual ...
. Siam resented the demand, leading to the Franco–Siamese War of 1893.
The French gunboat ''Le Lutin'' entered the Chao Phraya
The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
E ...
and anchored near the French consulate
The Consulate (french: Le Consulat) was the top-level Government of France from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 10 November 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire on 18 May 1804. By extension, the term ''The Co ...
ready to attack. Fighting was observed in Laos. ''Inconstant'' and ''Comete'' were attacked in Chao Phraya, and the French sent an ultimatum: an indemnity of three million francs, as well as the cession of and withdrawal from Laos. Siam did not accept the ultimatum. French troops then blockaded the Gulf of Siam and occupied Chantaburi and Trat
Trat ( th, ตราด, ), also spelt Trad, is a town in Thailand, capital of Trat province and the Mueang Trat district. The town is in the east of Thailand, at the mouth of the Trat River, near the border with Cambodia.
Etymology
''Trat'' ...
. Chulalongkorn sent Rolin-Jacquemyns to negotiate. The issue was eventually settled with the cession of Laos in 1893, but the French troops in Chantaburi and Trat refused to leave.
The cession of vast Laotian lands had a major impact on Chulalongkorn's spirit. Prince Vajirunhis
Maha Vajirunhis, Crown Prince of Siam ( th, มหาวชิรุณหิศ; ; 27 June 1878 – 4 January 1895) was the first Crown Prince of the Chakri dynasty. He was the first son of King Chulalongkorn and Queen Savang Vadhana together, ...
died in 1894. Prince Vajiravudh was created crown prince to replace him. Chulalongkorn realised the importance of maintaining the navy and established the Royal Thai Naval Academy
The Royal Thai Naval Academy (Thai: โรงเรียนนายเรือ) (RTNA) was established by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1898. He officially opened the academy on 20 November 1906. Originally located on the royal yacht ''Maha ...
in 1898.
Despite Siamese concessions, French armies continued the occupation of Chantaburi and Trat for another 10 years. An agreement was reached in 1903 that French troops would leave Chantaburi but hold the coast land from Trat to Koh Kong. In 1906, the final agreement was reached. Trat was returned to Siam but the French kept Koh Kong and received Inner Cambodia.
Seeing the seriousness of foreign affairs, Chulalongkorn visited Europe in 1897. He was the first Siamese monarch to do so, and he desired European recognition of Siam as a fully independent power. He appointed his queen, Saovabha Phongsri
Queen Saovabha Phongsri ( th, เสาวภาผ่องศรี; RTGS: Saowapha PhongsiPronunciation) was an agnatic half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Pr ...
, as regent in Siam during his travel to Europe. During a visit to Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, on 26 October, he condemned and ordered his servant to be executed
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
for a breach of etiquette committed in Lisbon, according to the telegram news from Saragossa
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributar ...
.
Reforms
Siam had been composed of a network of cities according to the Mandala system codified by King Trailokanat
Borommatrailokkanat ( th, บรมไตรโลกนาถ, , sa, Brahmatrailokanātha) or Trailok (1431–1488) was the king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1448 to 1488. He was one of many monarchs who gained the epithet ''King of White Ele ...
in 1454, with local rulers owing tribute to Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
. Each city retained a substantial degree of autonomy, as Siam was not a "state" but a "network" of city-states. With the rise of European colonialism, the Western concept of state and territorial division was introduced. It had to define explicitly which lands were "Siamese" and which lands were "foreign". The conflict with the French in 1893 was an example.
Sukhaphiban districts
Sukhaphiban () sanitary district
Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1872 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures:
*Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies
*Rural sanitary dis ...
s were the first sub-autonomous entities established in Thailand. The first such was created in Bangkok, by royal decree of King Chulalongkorn in 1897. During his European tour earlier that year, he had learned about the sanitary districts of England, and wanted to try out this local administrative unit in his capital.
Monthon system
With his experiences during the travel to British colonies and the suggestion of Prince Damrong, Chulalongkorn established the hierarchical system of monthons in 1897, composed of province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
, city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
, '' amphoe'', ''tambon
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district ('' amphoe'') and province ('' changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 '' khwaen ...
'', and '' muban'' (village) in descending order. (Though an entire monthon, the Eastern Province, Inner Cambodia, was ceded to the French in 1906). Each monthon was overseen by an intendant of the Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
. This had a major impact, as it ended the power of all local dynasties. Central authority now spread all over the country through the administration of intendants. For example, the Lanna
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
states in the north (including the Kingdom of Chiangmai, Principalities of Lampang
Lampang, also called Nakhon Lampang ( th, นครลำปาง, ) to differentiate from Lampang province, is the third largest city in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang province and the Mueang Lampang district. Traditional names for L ...
, Lamphun
Lamphun ( th, ลำพูน, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Lamphun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Nai Mueang of Mueang Lamphun district. As of 2006 it has a population of 14,030. Lamphun lies north ...
, Nan
Nan or NAN may refer to:
Places China
* Nan County, Yiyang, Hunan, China
* Nan Commandery, historical commandery in Hubei, China
Thailand
* Nan Province
** Nan, Thailand, the administrative capital of Nan Province
* Nan River
People Given name
...
, and Prae, tributaries to Bangkok) were made into two monthons, neglecting the existence of the Lanna kings.
Local rulers did not cede power willingly. Three rebellions sprang up in 1901: the Ngeaw rebellion in Phrae
Phrae (; ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Phrae Province.
The town occupies ''tambon'' Nai Wiang of Mueang Phrae District. It has an area of nine kilometres2 and a population of 17,971 (2005). Phrae is 555 km no ...
, the 1901–1902 Holy Man's Rebellion
The Holy Man's Rebellion ( th, กบฏผู้มีบุญ), took place between March 1901 and January 1936. It started when supporters of the Phu Mi Bun religious movement initiated an armed rebellion against French Indochina and Siam, aim ...
in Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...
, and the Rebellion of Seven Sultans
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
in the south. All these rebellions were crushed in 1902 with the city rulers stripped of their power and imprisoned.
Abolition of corvée and slavery
Ayutthaya King Ramathibodi II established a system of corvée
Corvée () is a form of unpaid, forced labour, that is intermittent in nature lasting for limited periods of time: typically for only a certain number of days' work each year.
Statute labour is a corvée imposed by a state for the purposes of ...
in 1518 after which the lives of Siamese commoners and slaves were closely regulated by the government. All Siamese common men ( ไพร่) were subject to the Siamese corvée system. Each man at the time of his majority had to register with a government bureau, department, or leading member of the royalty called () as a () or under a nobleman's dominion ( or ) as a (). owed service to sovereign or master for three months of the year. () were those who could make payment in kind The term in kind (or in-kind) generally refers to goods, services, and transactions not involving money or not measured in monetary terms. It is a part of many spheres, mainly economics, finance, but also politics, work career, food, health and othe ...
(cattle) in lieu of service. Those conscripted into military service were called ().
Chulalongkorn was best known for his abolition of Siamese slavery ( ทาส.) He associated the abolition of slavery in the United States with the bloodshed of the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
. Chulalongkorn, to prevent such a bloodbath in Siam, provided several steps towards the abolition of slavery, not an extreme turning point from servitude to total freedom. Those who found themselves unable to live on their own sold themselves into slavery by rich noblemen. Likewise, when a debt was defaulted, the borrower would become a slave of the lender. If the debt was redeemed, the slave regained freedom.
However, those whose parents were household slaves (ทาสในเรือนเบี้ย) were bound to be slaves forever because their redemption price was extremely high.
Because of economic conditions, people sold themselves into slavery in great numbers and in turn they produced a large number of household slaves. In 1867 they accounted for one-third of Siamese population. In 1874, Chulalongkorn enacted a law that lowered the redemption price of household slaves born in 1867 (his ascension year) and freed all of them when they had reached 21.
The newly freed slaves would have time to settle themselves as farmers or merchants so they would not become unemployed. In 1905, the '' Slave Abolition Act'' ended Siamese slavery in all forms. The reverse of 100 baht
The baht (; th, บาท, ; sign: ฿; code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand. SWIFT ranked the Thai baht as the 10th-m ...
banknotes in circulation since the 2005 centennial depict Chulalongkorn in navy uniform abolishing the slave tradition.
The traditional corvée system declined after the Bowring Treaty
The Bowring Treaty was a treaty signed between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Siam on 18 April 1855. The treaty had the primary effect of liberalizing foreign trade in Siam, and was signed by five Siamese plenipotentiaries (among them Wo ...
, which gave rise to a new class of employed labourers not regulated by the government, while many noblemen continued to hold sway over large numbers of . Chulalongkorn needed more effective control of manpower to undo the power of nobility. After the establishment of the monthon system, Chulalongkorn instituted a census to count all men available to the government. The ''Employment Act
The Employment Act of 1946 ch. 33, section 2, 60 Stat. 23, codified as , is a United States federal law. Its main purpose was to lay the responsibility of economic stability of inflation and unemployment onto the federal government. The Act stated: ...
'' of 1900 required that all workers be paid, not forced to work.
Establishment of a modern army and modern land ownership
Chulalongkorn had established a defence ministry in 1887. The ending of the corvée system necessitated the beginning of military conscription, thus the '' Conscription Act'' of 1905 in Siam. This was followed in 1907 by the first act providing for invoking martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
, which seven years later was changed to its modern form by his son and successor, King Vajiravudh.
The Royal Thai Survey Department
The Royal Thai Survey Department ( th, กรมแผนที่ทหาร) is a Special Services Group of Headquarters, Royal Thai Armed Forces () tasked to conduct land and aerial survey, geodesy and geophysics works in Thailand. The headqu ...
, a Special Services Group of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, engaged in cadastral survey
Cadastral surveying is the sub-field of cadastre and surveying that specialises in the establishment and re-establishment of real property boundaries. It involves the physical delineation of property boundaries and determination of dimensions, a ...
, which is the survey of specific land parcels to define ownership for land registration, and for equitable tax
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or n ...
ation. Land title deed
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
s are issued using the Torrens title
Torrens title is a land registration and land transfer system, in which a state creates and maintains a register of land holdings, which serves as the conclusive evidence (termed " indefeasibility") of title of the person recorded on the regist ...
system, though it was not until the year 1901 that the first–fruits of this survey were obtained.
Abolition of prostration
In 1873, the ''Royal Siamese Government Gazette'' published an announcement on the abolition of prostration
Prostration is the gesture of placing one's body in a reverentially or submissively prone position. Typically prostration is distinguished from the lesser acts of bowing or kneeling by involving a part of the body above the knee, especiall ...
. In it, King Chulalongkorn declared, "The practice of prostration in Siam is severely oppressive. The subordinates have been forced to prostrate in order to elevate the dignity of the ''phu yai''. I do not see how the practice of prostration will render any benefit to Siam. The subordinates find the performance of prostration a harsh physical practice. They have to go down on their knees for a long time until their business with the ''phu yai'' ends. They will then be allowed to stand up and retreat. This kind of practice is the source of oppression. Therefore, I want to abolish it." The ''Gazette'' directed that, "From now on, Siamese are permitted to stand up before the dignitaries. To display an act of respect, the Siamese may take a bow instead. Taking a bow will be regarded as a new form of paying respect."
Civic works
The construction of railways in Siam had a political motivation: to connect all of the country so as to better maintain control of it.
In 1901, the first railway was opened from Bangkok to Korat
The Korat cat ( th, โคราช, มาเลศ, สีสวาด, ) is a silver-tipped blue-grey, short-haired breed of domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Its body is semi-cobby, and unusually hea ...
. In the same year, the first power plant of Siam produced electricity and electric lights first illuminated roadways.
In 1906 King Chulalongkorn adopted a Semang
The Semang are an ethnic-minority group of the Malay Peninsula. They live in mountainous and isolated forest regions of Perak, Pahang, Kelantan and Kedah of Malaysia and the southern provinces of Thailand. The Semang are among the different eth ...
orphan boy named Khanung.
In 1907 he founded the royal rice varieties competition, at first only for the Tung Luang and Rangsit Canal
The Rangsit Canal ( th, คลองรังสิต; ), is a canal in the eastern part of the Chao Phraya valley, central Thailand. The name of the canal was given by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in honour of his son, Rangsit, Prince of Chai N ...
districts. The next year it was held at Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat Thepwararam ( th, วัดสุทัศนเทพวราราม, ) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a royal temple of the first grade, one of ten such temples in Bangkok (23 in Thailand). Construction was begun ...
and since then has been held at various locations around the kingdom, by Chulalongkorn and his descendants.
Relations with the British Empire
Siamese authorities had exercised substantial control over Malay sultanates since Ayutthaya times. The sultans sought British support as a counterweight to Siamese influence. In 1909, the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was agreed. Four sultanates (Kedah
Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman and historically as Queda, is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km2, and it consists of the mainland ...
, Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in th ...
, Terengganu
Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith" ...
and Perlis
Perlis, ( Northern Malay: ''Peghelih''), also known by its honorific title Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it borders the Thai provinces ...
) were brought under British influence in exchange for Siamese legal rights and a loan to construct railways in southern Siam.
Family
King Chulalongkorn was a prolific producer of children. He had 92 consorts during his lifetime who produced 77 surviving children.
Death and legacy
Chulalongkorn had visited Europe twice, in 1897 and 1907. In 1897 he travelled widely through Europe, learning all he could on many subjects to benefit the Siamese people. He travelled and visited many European royal families. He spent much time in Britain and was inspired, among other things, to improve the health of his people by creating public health, or sanitary districts. In Sweden he studied the Forestry system. In 1907 he visited his son's school in Britain and consulted with European doctors in pursuit of a cure for his kidney disease.
King Chulalongkorn died on 23 October 1910 of kidney disease at the Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall
The Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall or the Ambara Villa ( th, พระที่นั่งอัมพรสถาน: ''Phra Thinang Amphorn Sathan'') is a royal mansion situated inside Bangkok's Dusit Palace. It served as the primary residence ...
in the Dusit Palace
Dusit Palace ( th, พระราชวังดุสิต, RTGS: ''Phra Ratcha Wang Dusit'') is a compound of royal residences in Bangkok, Thailand. Constructed over a large area north of Rattanakosin Island between 1897 and 1901 by King C ...
, and was succeeded by his son Vajiravudh (King Rama VI).
The royal was finished in 1908 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the king's reign. It was cast in bronze by a Parisian metallurgist.
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...
, founded in 1917 as the first university in Thailand, was named in his honour. On the campus stand the statues of Rama V and his son, Rama VI.
In 1997 a memorial pavilion was raised in honour of King Chulalongkorn in Ragunda
Ragunda Municipality ( ) is a municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is in Hammarstrand.
The present municipality was formed in 1974, when "old" Ragunda Municipality was amalgamated with the municipalities of Fors and Stug ...
, Sweden. This was done to commemorate King Chulalongkorn's visit to Sweden in 1897 when he also visited the World's Fair in Brussels. During the time when Swedish–Norwegian king Oscar II
Oscar II (Oscar Fredrik; 21 January 1829 – 8 December 1907) was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death in 1907 and King of Norway from 1872 to 1905.
Oscar was the son of King Oscar I and Queen Josephine. He inherited the Swedish and Norweg ...
travelled to Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
for a council, Chulalongkorn went up north to study forestry. Beginning in Härnösand
Härnösand () is a locality and the seat of Härnösand Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 17,556 inhabitants in 2010. It is called "the gate to the High Coast" because of the world heritage landscape just a few miles north of H ...
and travelling via Sollefteå and Ragunda
Ragunda Municipality ( ) is a municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is in Hammarstrand.
The present municipality was formed in 1974, when "old" Ragunda Municipality was amalgamated with the municipalities of Fors and Stug ...
he mounted a boat in the small village of Utanede in order to take him back through Sundsvall to Stockholm. His passage through Utanede left a mark on the village as one street was named after the king. The pavilion is erected next to that road.
The old 100 baht banknote of Series 14, circulated from 1994 to 2004, bears the statues of Rama V and Rama VI on its reverse. In 2005, the 100 baht banknote was revised to depict King Chulalongkorn in naval uniform and, in the background, abolishing slavery.
The 1,000 baht banknote of Series 16, issued in 2015, depicts the King Chulalongkorn monument, Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall, and the abolition of slavery.
Chulalongkorn was one of twenty "Most Influential Asians of the Century" for the 20th Century by Time Asia Magazine in 1999.
Honours
Military ranks
* Field marshal (Thailand), Field Marshal of the Royal Thai Army, Royal Siamese Army
* List of admirals of the fleet (Thailand), Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Thai Navy, Royal Siamese Navy
National honours
1882 -
Founder and Sovereign of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri,
1868 -
Sovereign Knight of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems, with Collar
1900 -
Founder and Sovereign of the Order of Chula Chom Klao, Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao,
1909 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
1869 - Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
1882 -
Dushdi Mala Medal Pin of Arts and Science
1882 - Dushdi Mala Medal Pin the government in His Majesty
1882 - Chakra Mala Medal
1904 -
Mongkut, King Mongkut's Royal Cypher Medal 1st
1901 -
King Chulalongkorn's Royal Cypher Medal 1st
1897 -
King Chulalongkorn's Rajaruchi Medal
Foreign honours
* Grand Cross of the Order of St. Stephen of Hungary, Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, ''1868'' (Austria-Hungary)
*
Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, ''5 August 1871''; with Collar, ''16 October 1897'' (Restoration (Spain), Spain)
*
Honorary Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, ''3 August 1878'' (United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
)[Shaw, Wm. A. (1906) ''The Knights of England'', I, London]
p. 338
/ref>
* Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, ''1881'' (Kingdom of Hawaii)
*
Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, ''23 November 1884'' (Sweden-Norway)
*
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, ''11 July 1887'' (Sweden-Norway)
* Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, ''6 October 1887'' (Empire of Japan)
* Knight of the Order of the Elephant, ''8 January 1892'' (Denmark)
*
Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, ''1887'' (Kingdom of Italy)
* Knight of the Order of St. Andrew, Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-called, ''1891'' (Russian Empire)
*
Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, ''24 December 1891'' (Kingdom of Italy)
*
Grand Cross of the Sash of the Three Orders, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Portugal)
*
Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Prussia)
* Knight of the Order of the Rue Crown, ''1897'' (Kingdom of Saxony)
*
Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, ''7 October 1897'' (Grand Duchy of Hesse)
*
Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, ''1897'' (Grand Duchy of Baden)
*
Knight of the Order of Saint Hubert, ''1906'' (Kingdom of Bavaria)
*
Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Lion, ''1907'' (Duchy of Brunswick)[''Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig für das Jahr 1908''. Braunschweig 1908. Meyer. p. 9]
Ancestry
See also
* List of children of Mongkut
* List of consorts and children of Chulalongkorn
* List of people with the most children
* Ananda Mahidol, King Ananda Mahidol
* Bhumibol Adulyadej, King Bhumibol Adulyadej
References
External links
Chulalongkorn – Definition of Chulalongkorn
King Chulalongkorn Day
at Chiang Mai Best
A clip of King Chulalongkorns 1897 visit to Sweden
Investiture of His Majesty Somdetch Pra Paramindr Maha Chulalonkorn, King of Siam, with the Ensigns of a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Diaries and Travel Writings of King Chulalongkorn of Siam , Southeast Asia Digital Library
{{Authority control
Chulalongkorn,
Monarchs of Thailand
19th-century Chakri dynasty
20th-century Chakri dynasty
19th-century monarchs in Asia
19th-century Thai monarchs
20th-century Thai monarchs
Child rulers from Asia
1853 births
1910 deaths
People from Bangkok
Deaths from kidney disease
Rama V period
Thai male Chao Fa
Children of Mongkut
Knights Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal), 3
Grand Crosses of the Order of Aviz, 3
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint James of the Sword, 3
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary