About
Vajiravudh (Rama VI) was born in Bangkok in 1881, son of King Chulalongkorn. Educated in England (Oxford and Sandhurst), he became king in 1910. A modernizer, he introduced compulsory primary education, the Western calendar, surnames, and monogamy laws. He founded Chulalongkorn University in 1917 and brought Siam into World War I on the side of the Allies, leading to renegotiation of unequal treaties. A prolific writer, he composed or adapted over 120 plays and translated three Shakespeare plays into Thai. He died in 1925.
* 1881-01-01 — † 1925-11-25
Major works
- The Merchant of Venice (translation) (1914)translation
- As You Like It (translation)translation
- Romeo and Juliet (translation)translation
Key milestones
- 1910Becomes King of Siam on October 23.
- 1917Founds Chulalongkorn University, the first in Siam.
- 1917Brings Siam into World War I on the side of the Allies.
Themes
ModernizationEducationNationalismTheater and literatureSocial reform
Sources: britannica.com · thesiamsociety.org · chula.ac.th