King+Mongkut

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King Mongkut
 * (born Oct. 18, 1804, Bangkok, Siam—died Oct. 15, 1868, Bangkok) King of Siam (Thailand; r. 1851–68). The 43rd child of King Rama II, he was a Buddhist monk and scholar before he ascended the throne. His reformed Buddhism grew into the Thammayut order, which today occupies the intellectual centre of Thai Buddhism. Mongkut's intellectual pursuits also brought him into contact with Western thought. As king, he fully opened Siam to Western commerce and combined tolerance and shrewdness to help ensure its survival as an independent nation. The reminiscences of an English governess employed in his household became the basis for the musical comedy //The King and I//.
 * King Maha Mongkut, also known as Rama IV, ruled Siam (now Thailand) from 1851 to 1868, during which time he successfully negotiated with Western powers, modernized his nation and served as the inspiration for the story //Anna and the King of Siam//. Mongkut ascended the throne upon the death of his half-brother, Jetta (Rama III), after spending 27 years as a [|Buddhist] monk. Educated and multi-lingual, Mongkut negotiated with the United States and European powers to open Siam to international trade. He also brought in missionaries to teach his concubines and children about modern science and culture. Among the missionaries was Mrs. Anna Leonowens, who left Siam after Mongkut died of malaria (1868) and then gained fame for her book //The English Governess at the Siamese Court//. Her story was turned into the popular book //Anna and the King of Siam// (1944) by Margaret Landon, and later became the subject of movies and a Broadway musical (//The King and I//).

**Early Life**
Until the age of nine, Prince, Mongkut lived at an old palace on the [|Thon Buri] side of the Chao Phraya River. He was given traditional education befitting a Siamese Crown Prince being groomed to be King. His studies included literature and poetry in Siamese and Pali, the ancient language of the Buddhist religion. He was also taught history and the ancient art of warfare, which included the use of many kinds of weapons and elephant - and horse - riding. He learned the precepts of Buddhism, including the Ten Perfections(//parami//), namely, alms--giving; morality; renunciation, or seclusion from sensual pleasures; wisdom; effort; patients-endurance; truthfulness; determination; kindness and equanimity. At the tender age of 12, Prince Mongkut was assigned by his royal father to take charge of the armed forces. Assisted by an uncle, he supervised the settlement of Mon refugees who had come into the Kingdom by way of Tak, Uthai and Kanchanaburi provinces. When he was 14, the Prince was ordained as a novice monk for seven months at Mahathat Temple just outside the Grand Palace. Then, when he was 20, he entered the monkhood at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Royal Temple, but later moved to a smaller and more peaceful temple at the edge of the city. The little known Samorai Temple was where he thought he could better pursue his study of Buddhism.

**In the Yellow Robe of a Buddhist Monk**
Two weeks after Prince Mongkut's ordination to the monkhood, His Majesty King Phra Buddha Lertla Naphalai passed away, and following Siamese tradition an assembly of princes and high officials met together to choose his successor. They elected Prince Chesdabodin as the next King. Ironically, it was his period in monkhood, which required him to take a vow of poverty and self-denial, that gave Prince Mongkut a good understanding of statecraft. It allowed him to meet people from all walks of life, from the humblest to the elite, Thais as well as foreigners. He traveled to various parts of the Kingdom, barefoot, depending on offerings of food and other necessities from the people. From the Thais, he gained an invaluable first-hand insight into their welfare and livelihood. From the foreigners, he obtained precious information about the outside world, especially about technology and and science.

**Accession to the Throne**
When His Majesty King Nang Klao (the name by which Prince Chesdabodin was known when he became King) passed away in 1851, the Accession Council elected Prince Mongkut as his successor. When told of the decision, Prince Mongkut said modestly that he would accept to avoid trouble, and left the monkhood. But once he became King, he immediately instituted reforms which would adapt the country to western ways. Soon after his coronation, it was customary for a king to appoint his deputy, or Uparaj, and King Mongkut chose his full brother, Prince Chutamani as Deputy King. By so doing, he returned to a tradition of the Ayutthaya Kingdom 250 years before and followed the example set by King Naresuan in appointing his younger brother as Deputy King, according him an almost equal status and a coronation of nearly the same splendor. Prince Chutamani thus became known as His Majesty King Pinklao; he was interested mainly in national defence, particularly the navy and the artillery. Since King Mogkut was already proficient in the English language, he was anxious that other members of the Court be likewise trained in this foreign language. Not long after he ascended the Throne in 1851, two missionaries, a Dr.Bradley and a Dr.Jones, received a letter from the Grand Chamberlain, telling them of His Majesty's wish that the ladies of the court be taught English, and asking their help to find teachers. The missionaries assigned their wives, Mrs.Bradley and Mrs.Jones, and a third woman, Mrs.Stephen Matton, to take turns going to the palace to give lessons. On August 13, 1851, a class was started for young ladies between the age of 16 and 21. They were soon joined by princesses from the court of King Rama II, and the class grew to 30. But after three years, the lessons were stopped as the students got bored of being taught only from religious texts and shown pictures from the Bible, in what was seen as an effort to convert them to Christianity. It was then that the King sent word to his Consul in Singapore to hire an English teacher on the condition that she would refrain from teaching religion. Thus, in 1892, Mrs.Anna Leonowens arrived in Bangkok to teach English to the Children of the King of Siam for four years.

**Events Leading to His Majesty's Death**
His Majesty King Mongkut was greatly interested in astronomy. He correctly calculated the time and place of a total eclipse of the sun, which occurred on August 18, 1868, and pinpointed a remote village in Prachuab Khiri Khan, on the west coast of the Gulf of Siam, as the place where it could be clearly seen. The King invited many dignitaries, including the Governor of Singapore, Henry Orde. The French Government sent a large party of scientists. In his letter of invitation, Sir Henry Orde, who came by sea, the King told him to come to the place at "East Greenwich longitude 99 degrees 42' and latitude North 11 degrees 39'." The total eclipse of the sun, which lasted six minutes and 46 seconds, occurred exactly as the King had predicted and the European scientists conceded that he was a brilliant mathematician and real astronomer. His Majesty's effort to learn English at an advanced age and become an expert in a western science, however, met a sad end. The King's pavilion for viewing the eclipse was built on low ground in a mosquito-infested spot. Soon after his return to Bangkok, His Majesty fell seriously ill from malaria caught at the site, and his eldest son, [|Prince Chulalongkorn], who had gone with him to watch the eclipse. His Majesty King Mongkut passed away on the night of October 18, 1868. It was 64th birthday.



Script: -King Mongkut was born on October 18th 1804; he was the 43rd child of King Rama II - He was also known as Rama IV.  -Until he was nine years old, Prince Mongkut lived in an old palace. He was given traditional education fit for a Prince being groomed to be King. -He studied literature and poetry in Siamese and Pali, the ancient language of the Buddhist religion. He was also taught history and the ancient art of warfare, which included the use of many kinds of weapons and elephant and horse riding. -When he was 12 his father put him in charge of the armed forces, under the supervision of his uncle. -At age 14 Mongkut was ordained a novice monk. Then, when he was 20, he entered the monkhood.  -It was Mongkut’s period in monkhood, which required him to take a vow of poverty and self-denial, which gave him a better understanding of statecraft. It allowed him to meet <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">people from all walks of life. -<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">He traveled all around the Kingdom, barefoot, depending on offerings of food from the people. He gained a priceless insight into the people’s welfare and daily lives.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">-Mongkut ascended the upon the death of his half-brother, Jetta (Rama III), after spending 27 years as a [|Buddhist] monk. Educated and multi-lingual, Mongkut negotiated with the United States and European powers to open Siam to international trade.

-<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">When Mongkut was offered the title of King he said modestly that he would accept to avoid trouble, and left the monkhood. But once he became King, the first thing he did was institute reforms which would adapt the country to more western ways. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"> -Mongkut spoke English and wanted the ladies of the court be taught English as well, and asked for help to find teachers. The missionaries assigned their wives to take turns going to the palace to give lessons. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">-He ruled Siam, what is now Thailand from 1851 to 1868 <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">- King Mongkut was very interested in astronomy. He correctly calculated the time and place of a total eclipse of the sun, which occurred on August 18, 1868, and pinpointed a remote village as the place where it could be clearly seen. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"> - The King's pavilion for viewing the eclipse was built in a mosquito-infested spot. Soon after his return to Bangkok, His Majesty fell seriously ill from malaria; and so did his eldest son, who had gone with him to watch the eclipse. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">-King Mongkut passed away on October 18, 1868. It was 64th birthday. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">-// Anna and the King of Siam // (1944) by Margaret Landon featured King Mongkut, and it later became the subject of movies and the Broadway musical // The King and I //.