biography
| name: |
Chulalongkorn, Phra Paramindr Maha
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1853–1910)
|
| biography:
| King of Siam (1868–1910, as Rama V), born in Bangkok, Thailand. His father, Mongkut (Rama IV), was the model for the oscar-winning film The King and I (1956), drawn from the reminiscences of Chulalongkorn's governess, Anna Leonowens (1834–1914). He was educated by English teachers, acquiring Western linguistic and cultural skills, after which he went to a Buddhist monastery until he was 20. He completed the reforms Mongkut had begun to modernize Siam. He abolished slavery, proclaimed liberty of conscience, and introduced modern buildings, transport systems, and communications. He sent his crown prince to study in Britain, and ultimately paid for his Westernization by being forced to accept treaties with France and with Britain. |
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