Rama (King of Thailand)
Encyclopedia
The kings in the current Chakri dynasty of Thailand
are often referred to as Rama followed by Roman ordinal in English translation. The name Rama was adopted from the name of the Hindu
god Rama
, a reincarnation
of Vishnu
.
The use of the name Rama nth is in line with Thai practice of giving number to the king in the current dynasty. However, the translation was not exact and can give rise to some confusion as to whether this was actually the name adopted by the king on coronation.
or King Vajiravudh, who was the sixth to reign. His reigning title was Phra Mongkutklao Chaoyuhua; later in his reign, he preferred to style himself as Phra Ram thi Hok (พระรามที่หก lit. Rama VI). It was presumed that he was influenced by the European practice of numbering the rulers with similar names while he studied in England.
This quite conveniently coincided with another practice of the Thais. Traditionally, the name of the king is sacred and would not normally be said. Instead people would refer to the king by other words — these days Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua. When King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
founded the dynasty, he was commonly referred to as Phan Din Ton (แผ่นดินต้น lit. 'The First Kingdom'); and when his son inherited the throne, he was referred to as Phan Din Klang (แผ่นดินกลาง lit. 'the Middle Kingdom'). This then became awkward when Prince Jessadabodindra
became the third king, as the obvious referral would then be Phan Din Plai (แผ่นดินปลาย lit. 'the Last Kingdom') — which did not sound very auspicious. King Nangklao decided to give the names Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke and Buddha Loedla Nabhalai, after the names of two Buddha statues, to his two predecessors.
See Jessadabodindra
, "Naming of the reigns"
Later, his half-brother King Mongkut
, who succeeded him as king of Siam, posthumously gave the name "Nang Klao" to his predecessor and tried to establish more systematic royal nomenclature. King Nang Klao would be referred to by later historians as Ratchakan thi Saam (รัชกาลที่ 3 lit. 'the third reign'). This was probably becoming more prominent due to Western influences on Thailand during Mongkut's and later Chulalongkorn
's reigns. Since then, all the kings in the dynasty are also known unofficially as Ratchakan thi nth ('the nth Reign'). The present King is hence also known as Ratchakan thi kao ('the ninth reign'). This has also been extrapolated back to all the earlier kings of the dynasty as well.
Since King Vajiravudh called himself Rama VI in English, the name was seemingly equivalent to the Thais' Ratchakan thi hok. This rough translation is still in use these days, although no other king in the dynasty before him used the name "Rama" as such. However, there have been several kings in the Ayutthaya
and Thonburi
periods who officially used the reigning name of Ramathibodi (Rama + Athi + Bodi, lit. 'the great ruler Rama
'). The name Ayutthya itself was borrowed from the name of Rama's capital in the Ramayana
epic, Ayodhya
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
are often referred to as Rama followed by Roman ordinal in English translation. The name Rama was adopted from the name of the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
god Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, a reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
.
The use of the name Rama nth is in line with Thai practice of giving number to the king in the current dynasty. However, the translation was not exact and can give rise to some confusion as to whether this was actually the name adopted by the king on coronation.
History
In fact, the only king in the dynasty who called himself Rama was Phra MongkutklaoVajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
or King Vajiravudh, who was the sixth to reign. His reigning title was Phra Mongkutklao Chaoyuhua; later in his reign, he preferred to style himself as Phra Ram thi Hok (พระรามที่หก lit. Rama VI). It was presumed that he was influenced by the European practice of numbering the rulers with similar names while he studied in England.
This quite conveniently coincided with another practice of the Thais. Traditionally, the name of the king is sacred and would not normally be said. Instead people would refer to the king by other words — these days Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua. When King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chakri Borommanat Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke , posthumously titled "the Great", or Rama I , was the founder and the first monarch of the reigning House of Chakri of Siam . He ascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion which had deposed King...
founded the dynasty, he was commonly referred to as Phan Din Ton (แผ่นดินต้น lit. 'The First Kingdom'); and when his son inherited the throne, he was referred to as Phan Din Klang (แผ่นดินกลาง lit. 'the Middle Kingdom'). This then became awkward when Prince Jessadabodindra
Jessadabodindra
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama III , was the third monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 21 July 1824 to 2 April 1851. He succeeded his father, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, as the King of Siam...
became the third king, as the obvious referral would then be Phan Din Plai (แผ่นดินปลาย lit. 'the Last Kingdom') — which did not sound very auspicious. King Nangklao decided to give the names Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke and Buddha Loedla Nabhalai, after the names of two Buddha statues, to his two predecessors.
See Jessadabodindra
Jessadabodindra
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama III , was the third monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 21 July 1824 to 2 April 1851. He succeeded his father, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, as the King of Siam...
, "Naming of the reigns"
Later, his half-brother King Mongkut
Mongkut
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...
, who succeeded him as king of Siam, posthumously gave the name "Nang Klao" to his predecessor and tried to establish more systematic royal nomenclature. King Nang Klao would be referred to by later historians as Ratchakan thi Saam (รัชกาลที่ 3 lit. 'the third reign'). This was probably becoming more prominent due to Western influences on Thailand during Mongkut's and later Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
's reigns. Since then, all the kings in the dynasty are also known unofficially as Ratchakan thi nth ('the nth Reign'). The present King is hence also known as Ratchakan thi kao ('the ninth reign'). This has also been extrapolated back to all the earlier kings of the dynasty as well.
Since King Vajiravudh called himself Rama VI in English, the name was seemingly equivalent to the Thais' Ratchakan thi hok. This rough translation is still in use these days, although no other king in the dynasty before him used the name "Rama" as such. However, there have been several kings in the Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
and Thonburi
Thonburi
Thon Buri is an area of modern Bangkok. It was capital of Thailand from 1767 to 1782, during the reign of King Taksin, after the previous capital Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. It is located on the opposite bank of Chao Phraya River to Bangkok...
periods who officially used the reigning name of Ramathibodi (Rama + Athi + Bodi, lit. 'the great ruler Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
'). The name Ayutthya itself was borrowed from the name of Rama's capital in the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
epic, Ayodhya
Chakri Kings of Thailand
- Rama I, the Great (1782-1809), Buddha Yodfa ChulalokeBuddha Yodfa ChulalokePhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chakri Borommanat Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke , posthumously titled "the Great", or Rama I , was the founder and the first monarch of the reigning House of Chakri of Siam . He ascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion which had deposed King...
- Rama II (1809-1824), Buddha Loetla NabhalaiBuddha Loetla NabhalaiPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Isarasundhorn Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai , or Rama II , was the second monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1809-1824. In 1809, Isarasundhorn succeeded his father Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the founder of Chakri dynasty, as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai...
- Rama III (1824-1851), Nangklao
- Rama IV (1851-1868), MongkutMongkutPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...
- Rama V, the Great (1868-1910), ChulalongkornChulalongkornPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
- Rama VI (1910-1925), VajiravudhVajiravudhPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
- Rama VII (1925-1935), PrajadhipokPrajadhipokPhra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Prajadhipok Phra Pok Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VII was the seventh monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of the country. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to huge political...
- Rama VIII (1935-1946), Ananda MahidolAnanda MahidolAnanda Mahidol was the eighth monarch of Thailand under the House of Chakri. At the time he was recognized as king by the National Assembly, in March 1935, he was a nine-year-old boy living in Switzerland. He returned to Thailand in December 1945. Six months later, in June 1946, he was found shot...
- Rama IX, the Great (since 1946), Bhumibol AdulyadejBhumibol AdulyadejBhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...