Rama (Kings of Thailand)

The kings of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand are called Rama (พระราม).

To distinguish it, the name is additionally provided with a Roman ordinal number between I. and X., thus: "Rama I." to "Rama X." The name Rama was adopted from the Hindu god Rama . The use of the Roman ordinal number is consistent with Thai custom of numbering the Thai kings of the current dynasty, but the translation of the name is imprecise. It could lead to the assumption that this is the name that the king took on at his coronation. The title can also be found for the earlier kings:

• Ramathibodi I (1314-1369), first king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Thailand
• Ramathibodi II (1472–1529), King of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Thailand

• Rama I. , Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (1782–1809)
• Rama II , Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai (1809-1824)
• Rama III. , Phra Nang Klao (1824-1851)
• Rama IV., Mongkut (1851–1868)
• Rama V., Chulalongkorn (1868–1910)
• Rama VI., Vajiravudh (1910-1925)
• Rama VII., Prajadhipok (1925–1935)
• Rama VIII., Ananda Mahidol (1935–1946)
• Rama IX., Bhumibol Adulyadej (1946-2016)
• Rama X., Maha Vajiralongkorn since 2016 (coronation in May 2019)

King Phra Mongkutklao (Vajiravudh)

In fact there is only one king in the dynasty who called himself Rama, it was King Phra Mongkutklao ( Vajiravudh ), the sixth king of Bangkok. His coronation title was Phra Mongkutklao Chaoyuhua , but on November 11, 1916, he announced a simplified system for naming the Chakri kings. They were all posthumously given the name Ramathibodi (plus number). An abbreviation to Rama was allowed. This is how King Vajiravudh Phra Ram thi hok ( พระรามที่ ๖ - "Rama VI.") Called himself . It is believed that while he was studying at Oxford, he was influenced by the European custom of numbering kings with similar names.

Use in Thailand

A similar practice is also common in Thailand. A Thai king's name is traditionally sacred and normally would not be pronounced. The people would call the King in other words - today, for example, as Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua ( ในหลวง or พระเจ้าอยู่หัว : both mean "king"). When Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok founded his dynasty, he was called Phaendin Ton ( แผ่นดิน ต้น - literally: "the first kingdom"). When his son inherited the throne, he was Phaendin Klang ( แผ่นดิน กลาง - literally: "the middle kingdom"). This designation became tricky when King Phra Nang Klao, the third king in the Bangkok dynasty, came to the throne. Because as a logical continuation it should have been called Phaendin Plai ( แผ่นดิน ปลาย - literally: "the last kingdom"), which understandably does not sound very promising. Instead he was called Rachakan thi sam ( รัชกาล ที่ ๓ , abbreviated ร. ๓ - literally: "the third reign").

Since then, all kings of the dynasty have been known by the unofficial name of Rachakan thi n. ("The n. Reign "). The current King Maha Vajiralongkorn is therefore Rachakan Ti Sip ("10th reign"). This designation was also transferred to the first two kings.

So when King Mongkutklao called himself "Rama VI" in English, the numbering matched the Thai Rachakan thi hok . It has been in use since those days, although no other king ever called himself Rama.

Ayutthaya

There were already some kings in the kingdom of Ayutthaya who officially bore the coronation name Ramathibodi (Thai: รามาธิบดี < Pali / Sk . : Rāma + adhi + pati >, literally: 'the great ruler Rama').

The kings of the Chakri dynasty

• Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok - Rama I the Great (1782–1809)
• Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai - Rama II. (1809-1824)
• Phra Nang Klao - Rama III. (1824-1851)
• Mongkut - Rama IV (1851–1868)
• Chulalongkorn - Rama V the Great (1868–1910)
• Vajiravudh - Rama VI. (1910-1925)
• Prajadhipok - Rama VII (1925-1935)
• Ananda Mahidol - Rama VIII. (1935-1946)
• Bhumibol Adulyadej - Rama IX. the great (1946–2016) (crowned 1950)
• Maha Vajiralongkorn - Rama X (* 1952)

swell

• Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Thailand: Lords Of Life, The Paternal Monarchy Of Bangkok . Alvin Redman Ltd., London 1960, no ISBN, History of the Chakri Dynasty, as viewed by a family member