Jessadabodindra
Encyclopedia
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama III ( 31 March 1787 – 2 April 1851), 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. His succession was unusual according to the traditions because Jessadabodindra was a son of a concubine rather than a queen. He surpassed Prince Mongkut
, who was a legitimate son of Buddha Loetla Nabhalai born to Queen Srisuriyendra.
During Jessadabodindra's reign, military hegemony of Siam could be observed through a series of massive wars in Laos
, Cambodia
, and Vietnam
. Jessadabodindra was known for his affection of Chinese culture. As a young prince, he was also known as a great businessman who conducted profitable trades with China and enriched the royal treasury.
Jessadabodindra served his father in Krom Tha, or the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Affairs, where he developed his proficiency in foreign trades and grew his personal affection of Chinese culture. Temples later constructed by Jessabodindra was characterized by the Chinese influences in them.
Jessadabodindra finally accepted the throne and the coronation was held in 1824. His mother, Riam
, was raised to Princess Mother Srisuralai. Mongkut, upon perceiving the situation, decided to remain in his ecclesiastic status to avoid the intrigues of royal politics.
Phraya Chumporn ordered a forced migration
out of Mergui
(a common practice in Southeast Asia regarding the newly-conquered lands), which had been conquered by the British. The British were frustrated at Phraya Chumporn's actions and hostilities were heightened. Prince Jessadabodindra ordered the Siamese armies to leave to avoid conflicts.
In 1825, Henry Burney
arrived to negotiate peace agreements. The Burney Treaty
was signed as the first treaty with the West in the Rattanakosin period. Free trade was established in Siam and the taxation on foreign trading ships was greatly reduced.
in Vientiane
, Luang Prabang
, and Champasak
) became Siamese tributary state
s after Chao Phraya Maha Kshatriyaseuk
(King Rama I, Prince Jessadabodin's grandfather) had conquered them in 1778. Anouvong, the son of the king of Vientiene, was taken to Bangkok as a captive. He spent his time in Siam for nearly thirty years and joined the Siamese forces in wars with Burma. In 1805, Anouvong returned to Vientiane to be crowned as the king.
In 1824, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai died and, in the next year, Siam was dragged into conflicts with the British Empire
. Anouvong saw this as an opportunity to expose his power. In 1825, returning from the funeral of Buddha Loetla Nabhalai in Bangkok, Anouvong rallied a huge troops. After defeating major Bangkok's vassal principalities along the route, Anouvong captured Korat
, the main defensive stronghold of Siam in the northeast. He forced the city to be evacuated while heading down to Saraburi, approaching the capital Bangkok. However, the Korat captives rebelled - said to have been at the instigation of Lady Mo
, wife of a ruling noble of Korat - although this claim is countered by many historians who say Mo had no heroic role in the events at Tung Samrit, though a contemporary account did mention her action. As Bangkok began to move its counterstriking troops, Anouvong then decided to return to Vientiane after subsequently being defeated by Thai forces. When he was later captured at Lao-Vietnam border, Rama III had him tortured and publicly humiliated until he died.
Prince Jessadabodindra sent his brother Maha Sakdi Polsep
the Front Palace
and Sing Singhaseni (at the time style
d Phraya Rajsupawadi) to defeat the armies of Anouvong in Isan
. Anouvong was defeated and fled to Vietnam. The Siamese captured Vientiane and ordered the evacuation of the city.
In 1827, Prince Jessadabodindra ordered the total destruction
of Vientiane. Anouvong returned to Laos with Vietnamese forces. Rajsupawadi led the Siamese to fight and the engagements occurred at Nongkai. Anouvong was defeated again and, after an attempt to flee, was captured. Vientiane was razed to the ground, extinguishing her 200-year prosperity, and ceased to be a kingdom. Anouvong was imprisoned in an iron cage in front of the Suthaisawan Hall and died in 1829.
Jessadabodindra had sculpted two Buddha statues for his father and grandfather. He then named them after their respective Buddha statues. His grandfather was given the name "Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke" after his Buddha statue, and his father "Buddha Loetla Nabhalai". Yet Jessadabodindra left his own reign unnamed until his brother Mongkut named him as "Nangklao" and created a more systematic royal nomenclature.
of Malaysia now), without the presence of Siamese governors, a newphew of the Sultan of Kedah then staged a revolt. Jessadabodindra then sent Tat Bunnag down south to subjugate the rebellion quickly in 1838. Tat Bunnag then suggested the autonomy government of Kedah Sultanate. In 1839, Kedah was divided into four autonomous parts.
to flee to Bangkok. Otteyraja of Cambodia turned to Gia Long
of Vietnam for support against the opposing princes. However, this was perceived by Siam as treacherous as the two countries had fought for centuries over the domination of Cambodia.
In 1833, the Lê Văn Khôi revolt
against Minh Mạng
broke out in Vietnam. Lê Văn Khôi
, the rebel leader, sought Siamese helping hands. The possible war between the two countries had been commenced since Vietnamese influences in Cambodia increased. Jessadabodindra intended to take this opportunity to install a pro-Siamese monarch on the Cambodian throne.
Rajasupawadi, who had been promoted to Chao Phraya Bodindecha, was assigned the mission of the capture of Saigon, with Dis Bunnag the Minister of Krom Tha commanded the fleet - to be joined at Saigon. The two Cambodian princes, Ang Im and Ang Duong, also joined the expedition. Bodindecha took Udongk
and the fleet took Bantey Mas
. The fleet proceeded to Saigon but was repelled.
Bodindecha then took Phnom Penh
and again invaded Vietnam by land in 1842. In 1845, the Vietnamese recapture Phnom Penh but Bodindecha was able to defend Udongk. In 1847, due to Emperor Thiệu Trị
's policies on Christian missionaries, French forces invaded Vietnam. So the war front with Siam was negotiated. Ang Duong was installed as the Cambodian monarch with equal influences from both Siam and Vietnam, thus ending the war.
King Nangklao was famous for his Buddhist
faith. He fed the poor each day after becoming prince, and released animals every monastery day. More than 50 temples were built and repaired in his reign, including the first Chinese style temple at Rajaorasa, the highest stupa at Wat Arun
, the Golden Mountain at Wat Sraket, the metal temple at Wat Ratchanadda
, and Chetupol Temple or Wat Pho
. Wat Pho is the site of the first university
in Thailand.
arrived in 1832. Dan Beach Bradley
, an American physician, was the most prominent Western personality in his reign. He reformed the printing in Siam and introduced vaccination
.
Jessadabodindra died on 2 April 1851. Without having named a successor, the throne passed to his half-brother Prince Mongkut
. Jessadabodindra had many children including sons, but raised none of his consorts to queen.
Jessadabodindra stated on his deathbed that "Our wars with Burma and Vietnam were over, only the threats of the Westerners was left to us. We should study their innovations for our own benefits but not to the degree of obsession or worship." This vision coincided with intense Western intervention in Siam in the reign of Mongkut. He was able to predict but not see neighboring kingdoms of; Burma and Vietnam, fell to European colonial rule. His deathbed statement shows that he had foreseen the Western threats and also expresses his sympathy towards the Europeans contrasted to most Asian rulers of his time.
During his reign, trade between Siam and China became prosperous. The King kept his profits in red purses beside his bed, subsequently this money was known as "Red Purse Money". Jessadabodindra stipulated that the Red Purse Money which he had earned through his personal business acumen should be set aside as the State's emergency fund for the future "so that Siam would be able to buy the land back" if it might enter into a squabble with a foreign power. In the reign of his nephew Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn
, Siam indeed had to pay reparation to France for the 1893 Paknam Incident (Franco-Siamese War), and part of the money did come from Jessadabodin's Red Purse Money.
The picture of Jessadabodindra is depicted on the back of Thailand's 500-Baht banknote, with partial quotation of his deathbed statement
Buddha Loetla Nabhalai
Phra 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...
, as the King of Siam. His succession was unusual according to the traditions because Jessadabodindra was a son of a concubine rather than a queen. He surpassed Prince 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 was a legitimate son of Buddha Loetla Nabhalai born to Queen Srisuriyendra.
During Jessadabodindra's reign, military hegemony of Siam could be observed through a series of massive wars in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Jessadabodindra was known for his affection of Chinese culture. As a young prince, he was also known as a great businessman who conducted profitable trades with China and enriched the royal treasury.
Early life
Prince Tub was born in 1787 to Prince Isarasundhorn and one of his royal wives Chao Chom Manda Riam, who came from a Muslim noble family from the South. Following King Rama II's coronation in 1809, Prince Kshatriyanuchit, the surviving son of Taksin, revolted to reclaim his legitimacy. Prince Tub was assigned the task of suppressing the rebellion. He successfully accomplished his task and was praised by his father Buddha Loetla Nabhalai. Prince Tub was raised to Krom Muen Jessadabodindra and gained a great trust from the king to handle state affairs.Jessadabodindra served his father in Krom Tha, or the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Affairs, where he developed his proficiency in foreign trades and grew his personal affection of Chinese culture. Temples later constructed by Jessabodindra was characterized by the Chinese influences in them.
Succession
As Jessadabodindra was administrating the trade affairs, his half-brother Prince Mongkut pursued the way of religion. Prince Mongkut became a monk in 1824. In that year, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai died suddenly without naming a successor. According to the traditions of royal succession, Prince Mongkut as a son of the queen was expected to succeed the throne. However, the nobility considered Prince Jessadabodindra a more competent choice as he had served the king in Krom Tha for years. The supports came strongly from the high-ranking nobility including Chao Phraya Abhay Pudhorn the Samuha Nayoke and Dis Bunnag the Minister of Krom Tha along with the Bunnag family.Jessadabodindra finally accepted the throne and the coronation was held in 1824. His mother, Riam
Riam
Chao Chom Manda Riam , later Krom Somdet Phra Sri Sulalai , was a royal concubine of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, the king of Siam. Her family was Muslim from the Southern part of the Kingdom, and her very name is the shortened version of "Maryam" an Arabic name...
, was raised to Princess Mother Srisuralai. Mongkut, upon perceiving the situation, decided to remain in his ecclesiastic status to avoid the intrigues of royal politics.
The British
The First Anglo-Burmese War broke out in 1823. The British requested Siamese support in 1824. Jessadabodindra provided fleets and elephants to rush through Burmese forests. He also sent Siamese armies to participate in the invasion of Burma since the British promised Siam the conquered lands.Phraya Chumporn ordered a forced migration
Forced migration
Forced migration refers to the coerced movement of a person or persons away from their home or home region...
out of Mergui
Mergui
Myeik is a city in Tanintharyi Division in Myanmar , located in the extreme south of the country on the coast of an island on the Andaman Sea. the estimated population was over 209,000. The area inland from the city is a major smuggling corridor into Thailand.-History:Myeik was the southernmost...
(a common practice in Southeast Asia regarding the newly-conquered lands), which had been conquered by the British. The British were frustrated at Phraya Chumporn's actions and hostilities were heightened. Prince Jessadabodindra ordered the Siamese armies to leave to avoid conflicts.
In 1825, Henry Burney
Henry Burney
Henry Burney was a British commercial traveller and diplomat for the British East India Company. His parents were Richard Thomas Burney , headmaster of the Orphan School at Kidderpore, and Jane Burney , and he was a nephew of the English writer Frances Burney . On 30 June 1818 at St...
arrived to negotiate peace agreements. The Burney Treaty
Burney Treaty
The Burney Treaty, so named after Henry Burney, head emissary from the East India Company, and known in Siamese history as the Treaty of Amity and Commerce , was concluded with King Rama III in the latter part of 1826. This followed Dr...
was signed as the first treaty with the West in the Rattanakosin period. Free trade was established in Siam and the taxation on foreign trading ships was greatly reduced.
Insurgency of Anouvong
The three Laotian kingdoms (Lan XangLan Xang
The Lao kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Kao was established in 1354 by Fa Ngum.Exiled as an infant to Cambodia, Prince Fa Ngum of Xieng Dong Xieng Thong married a daughter of the Khmer king. In 1349 he set out from Angkor at the head of a 10,000-man army to establish his own country...
in Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
, Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang , is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about north of Vientiane. It is the capital of Luang Prabang Province...
, and Champasak
Kingdom of Champasak
The Kingdom of Champasak , in southern Laos, broke away from the Lan Xang kingdom in 1713. The Kingdom of Champasak prospered at the beginning the 18th century, but it was reduced to a vassal state of Siam before the century had passed. Under French rule the kingdom became an administrative block...
) became Siamese tributary state
Tributary state
The term tributary state refers to one of the two main ways in which a pre-modern state might be subordinate to a more powerful neighbour. The heart of the relationship was that the tributary would send a regular token of submission to the superior power...
s after Chao Phraya Maha Kshatriyaseuk
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...
(King Rama I, Prince Jessadabodin's grandfather) had conquered them in 1778. Anouvong, the son of the king of Vientiene, was taken to Bangkok as a captive. He spent his time in Siam for nearly thirty years and joined the Siamese forces in wars with Burma. In 1805, Anouvong returned to Vientiane to be crowned as the king.
In 1824, Buddha Loetla Nabhalai died and, in the next year, Siam was dragged into conflicts with the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Anouvong saw this as an opportunity to expose his power. In 1825, returning from the funeral of Buddha Loetla Nabhalai in Bangkok, Anouvong rallied a huge troops. After defeating major Bangkok's vassal principalities along the route, Anouvong captured Korat
Korat
Korats are a slate blue-grey shorthair domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Their bodies are semi-cobby, and surprisingly heavy for their size. They are intelligent, playful, active cats and form strong bonds with people. Among Korats' distinguishing...
, the main defensive stronghold of Siam in the northeast. He forced the city to be evacuated while heading down to Saraburi, approaching the capital Bangkok. However, the Korat captives rebelled - said to have been at the instigation of Lady Mo
Thao Suranari
Thao Suranari is the style of Lady Mo, Thao Suranari is the style (manner of address) of Lady Mo, Thao Suranari is the style (manner of address) of Lady Mo, (also known as Ya Mo (1771–1852), who was the wife of the deputy governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, the stronghold for Siamese...
, wife of a ruling noble of Korat - although this claim is countered by many historians who say Mo had no heroic role in the events at Tung Samrit, though a contemporary account did mention her action. As Bangkok began to move its counterstriking troops, Anouvong then decided to return to Vientiane after subsequently being defeated by Thai forces. When he was later captured at Lao-Vietnam border, Rama III had him tortured and publicly humiliated until he died.
Prince Jessadabodindra sent his brother Maha Sakdi Polsep
Maha Sakdi Polsep
Somdet Phra Bawornrajchao Maha Sakdi Polsep was the Front Palace appointed by Jessadabodindra as the titular heir to the throne as he was the uncle to the king.Prince Arunotai was the son of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai and his concubine Nuiyai...
the Front Palace
Front Palace
Krom Phra Rajawang Bovorn Sathan Mongkol ) or the Front Palace was a royal title granted by the Siamese monarchy until the nineteenth century. The holder of the title of Front Palace was considered the heir to the throne and second only to the King. The title originated in the Ayutthaya period and...
and Sing Singhaseni (at the time style
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
d Phraya Rajsupawadi) to defeat the armies of Anouvong in Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
. Anouvong was defeated and fled to Vietnam. The Siamese captured Vientiane and ordered the evacuation of the city.
In 1827, Prince Jessadabodindra ordered the total destruction
Debellatio
Debellatio designates the end of a war caused by complete destruction of a hostile state....
of Vientiane. Anouvong returned to Laos with Vietnamese forces. Rajsupawadi led the Siamese to fight and the engagements occurred at Nongkai. Anouvong was defeated again and, after an attempt to flee, was captured. Vientiane was razed to the ground, extinguishing her 200-year prosperity, and ceased to be a kingdom. Anouvong was imprisoned in an iron cage in front of the Suthaisawan Hall and died in 1829.
Naming of the reigns
Since the establishment of Bangkok as a kingdom, none of the monarchs of Siam had been named properly according to the royal tradition. The Siamese called Prince Jessadabodin's grandfather the "First Reign", his father the "Middle Reign", and Jessadabodindra himself the "Late Reign". The term "Late Reign" was considered inauspicious, therefore a new method of naming was created.Jessadabodindra had sculpted two Buddha statues for his father and grandfather. He then named them after their respective Buddha statues. His grandfather was given the name "Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke" after his Buddha statue, and his father "Buddha Loetla Nabhalai". Yet Jessadabodindra left his own reign unnamed until his brother Mongkut named him as "Nangklao" and created a more systematic royal nomenclature.
Revolt of Kedah
In 1837, Krom Somdet Phra Sri Suralai, mother of Jessadabodinra, died. All officials throughout the kingdom went to Bangkok to attend the funeral. At Syburi (KedahKedah
Kedah 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 and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
of Malaysia now), without the presence of Siamese governors, a newphew of the Sultan of Kedah then staged a revolt. Jessadabodindra then sent Tat Bunnag down south to subjugate the rebellion quickly in 1838. Tat Bunnag then suggested the autonomy government of Kedah Sultanate. In 1839, Kedah was divided into four autonomous parts.
Vietnam and Cambodia
In 1810, the internal conflicts between the Cambodian princes forced Ang Im and Ang DuongAng Duong
Ang Duong was king of Cambodia.Ang Duong was younger son of king Ang Eng, who 1779-1797 was ruler of Cambodia at the then capital Oudong, by one of his Thai consorts, Ros, 'queen Vara' , whom he had taken as concubine in 1793 from Bangkok.He is regarded as the Great-King of Cambodia who...
to flee to Bangkok. Otteyraja of Cambodia turned to Gia Long
Gia Long
Emperor Gia Long , born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh , was an emperor of Vietnam...
of Vietnam for support against the opposing princes. However, this was perceived by Siam as treacherous as the two countries had fought for centuries over the domination of Cambodia.
In 1833, the Lê Văn Khôi revolt
Le Van Khoi revolt
The Lê Văn Khôi revolt was an important revolt in 19th century Vietnam, in which southern Vietnamese, Vietnamese Catholics, French Catholic missionaries and Chinese settlers under the leadership of Lê Văn Khôi opposed the Imperial rule of Minh Mạng.-Origin:The revolt was spurred by the...
against Minh Mạng
Minh Mang
Minh Mạng was the second emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 14 February 1820 until 20 January 1841. He was a younger son of Emperor Gia Long, whose eldest son, Crown Prince Canh, had died in 1801...
broke out in Vietnam. Lê Văn Khôi
Le Van Khoi
Lê Văn Khôi was the adopted son of the Vietnamese general Lê Văn Duyệt. He led the 1833–1835 Lê Văn Khôi revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng, but died in 1834....
, the rebel leader, sought Siamese helping hands. The possible war between the two countries had been commenced since Vietnamese influences in Cambodia increased. Jessadabodindra intended to take this opportunity to install a pro-Siamese monarch on the Cambodian throne.
Rajasupawadi, who had been promoted to Chao Phraya Bodindecha, was assigned the mission of the capture of Saigon, with Dis Bunnag the Minister of Krom Tha commanded the fleet - to be joined at Saigon. The two Cambodian princes, Ang Im and Ang Duong, also joined the expedition. Bodindecha took Udongk
Oudong
Udong is a town in Cambodia, situated in the north-western part of Kandal Province. The town is located on top of the mountain Phnom Udong, about 40 km northwest of the capital Phnom Penh...
and the fleet took Bantey Mas
Banteay Meas District
Banteay Meas District is a district located in Kampot Province, in southern Cambodia.- References :...
. The fleet proceeded to Saigon but was repelled.
Bodindecha then took Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
and again invaded Vietnam by land in 1842. In 1845, the Vietnamese recapture Phnom Penh but Bodindecha was able to defend Udongk. In 1847, due to Emperor Thiệu Trị
Thieu Tri
Nguyễn Phúc Miên Tông was the third emperor of the Vietnamese Nguyễn Dynasty taking the era name of Thiệu Trị...
's policies on Christian missionaries, French forces invaded Vietnam. So the war front with Siam was negotiated. Ang Duong was installed as the Cambodian monarch with equal influences from both Siam and Vietnam, thus ending the war.
The Faithful King
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
faith. He fed the poor each day after becoming prince, and released animals every monastery day. More than 50 temples were built and repaired in his reign, including the first Chinese style temple at Rajaorasa, the highest stupa at Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun Rajwararam is a Buddhist temple in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The full name of the temple is Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan...
, the Golden Mountain at Wat Sraket, the metal temple at Wat Ratchanadda
Wat Ratchanadda
Wat Ratchanaddaram is a buddhist temple located at the intersection between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road, in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok....
, and Chetupol Temple or Wat Pho
Wat Pho
Wat Pho , is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchaworamahawihan...
. Wat Pho is the site of the first university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Thailand.
Death and legacy
Jessadabondin's reign saw the renewal of Western contacts. The first American mission of Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
arrived in 1832. Dan Beach Bradley
Dan Beach Bradley
Dan Beach Bradley M.D. was an American Protestant missionary to Siam from 1835 until his death. He is credited with numerous firsts, including bringing the first Thai-script printing press to Siam, publishing the first Thai newspaper and monolingual Thai dictionary, and introducing Western...
, an American physician, was the most prominent Western personality in his reign. He reformed the printing in Siam and introduced vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
.
Jessadabodindra died on 2 April 1851. Without having named a successor, the throne passed to his half-brother Prince 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...
. Jessadabodindra had many children including sons, but raised none of his consorts to queen.
Jessadabodindra stated on his deathbed that "Our wars with Burma and Vietnam were over, only the threats of the Westerners was left to us. We should study their innovations for our own benefits but not to the degree of obsession or worship." This vision coincided with intense Western intervention in Siam in the reign of Mongkut. He was able to predict but not see neighboring kingdoms of; Burma and Vietnam, fell to European colonial rule. His deathbed statement shows that he had foreseen the Western threats and also expresses his sympathy towards the Europeans contrasted to most Asian rulers of his time.
During his reign, trade between Siam and China became prosperous. The King kept his profits in red purses beside his bed, subsequently this money was known as "Red Purse Money". Jessadabodindra stipulated that the Red Purse Money which he had earned through his personal business acumen should be set aside as the State's emergency fund for the future "so that Siam would be able to buy the land back" if it might enter into a squabble with a foreign power. In the reign of his nephew Chulalongkorn 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...
, Siam indeed had to pay reparation to France for the 1893 Paknam Incident (Franco-Siamese War), and part of the money did come from Jessadabodin's Red Purse Money.
The picture of Jessadabodindra is depicted on the back of Thailand's 500-Baht banknote, with partial quotation of his deathbed statement
Titles and styles
- 1788-1824: Phra Chao Lukya Ther Phra Ong Chao Tub Krom Muen Jessadabondindra
- 1824 -1851: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua
Ancestry
External links
- http://www.thailandguidebook.com/provinces/bangkok.html