Saovabha Bongsri

Saovabha Bongsri Queen Regent of Siam Queen consort of Siam Tenure 1878 – 23 October 1910 (&1000000000000003200000032 years, &10000000000000327000000327 days) Spouse King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) Issue Princess Bahurat Manimay Vajiravudh (Rama VI) Prince Tribejrudhamrong Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath Prince Siriraj Kakudhabhand Prince Asdang Dejavudh Prince Chudadhut Dharadilok Prajadhipok (Rama VII) House Chakri Dynasty Father Mongkut (Rama IV]) Mother Princess Piyamavadi Born 1 January 1864(1864-01-01) Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam Died 20 October 1919(1919-10-20) (aged 58) Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam

The Four Consorts of King Chulalongkorn Sunandha Sukumalmarsri Savang Vadhana Saovabha

Queen Saovabha Bongsri (Thai: เสาวภาผ่องศรี; RTGS: Saowapha Phongsi) was a half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Prajadhipok (Rama VII). As in accordance with Thai royal tradition, King Vajiravudh later bestowed on his mother the tile of "Queen Mother Sri Bajrindra" (Thai: ศรีพัชรินทรา; RTGS: Si Phatcharinthra).

Life

As Queen Mother of Siam.

Saovabha was born as a Princess of Siam by King Mongkut (or Rama IV) and Princess Consort Piyamavadi (Piam Sucharitakul). She was the youngest sister of the future Queen Sunandha Kumariratana and Queen Savang Vadhana. Saovabha became the consort of her half brother King Chulalongkorn sometime in 1878. She gave him 9 children, 5 would survive to adulthood (one died in infancy), two would eventually become King of Siam.

In 1897, Queen Saovabha became the first female Regent of Siam, when her husband went on a tour of Europe. When he returned he bestowed upon her the title of Somdet Phra Nang Chao Saovabha Bongsi Praborommarachininat (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าเสาวภาผ่องศรี พระบรมราชินีนาถ) (roughly equivalent to H.M. the Queen Regent). During her time as queen she took many interests especially in the issues concerning women. In 1904 she established the first school for girls in Siam; the "Rajini School" or Queen's School in Bangkok.

She died in 1919 at the age of 57, She was given a grand Royal Funeral, attended by all members of the Siamese Royal Family, the ceremony was presided by her son King Vajiravudh. She plays a prominent posthumous role in the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, in which her son King Vajiravudh stipulated that her children would take precedent among all others over the line of succession. This guaranteed the accession of her youngest son Prince Prajadhipok to the throne in 1925, despite there being more senior and learned sons of Chulalongkorn. The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute was named after her.

Children

She had 9 children with King Chulalongkorn:

1. Princess Bahurada Manimaya (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าพาหุรัดมณีมัย กรมพระเทพนารีรัตน์) (1878–1887)
2. Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh, (later King Vajiravudh) (Thai: พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว) (1880–1925)
3. Prince Tribejrudhamrong (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าตรีเพ็ชรุตม์ธำรง) (1881–1887)
4. Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, Prince of Bisnulok (Thai: จอมพล สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าจักรพงษ์ภูวนาถ กรมหลวงพิษณุโลกประชานาถ) (1882–1920)
5. Prince Siriraj Kakudhabhandu (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าศิริราชกกุธภัณฑ์) (1885–1887)
6. Princess (unnamed) (1884)
7. Prince Asdang Dejavudh, Prince of Nakhon Rajasima (Thai: พลเรือเอก สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าอัษฎางค์เดชาวุธ กรมหลวงนครราชสีมา) (1889–1924)
8. Prince Chudadhut Dharadilok, Prince of Bejrapurana (Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าจุฑาธุชธราดิลก กรมขุนเพ็ชรบูรณ์อินทราชัย) (1892–1923)
9. Prince Prajadhipok Sakdidej, Prince of Sukhothai, (later King Prajadhipok) (Thai: พระบาทสมเด็จพระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว) (1893–1941)

Queen Saovabha and her sons, circa 1900 (from left to right: Prince Asdang, Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh, Prince Chakrabongse, Queen Saovabha, Prince Prajadhipok, and Prince Chudadhut)

See also

• 1924 Palace Law of Succession
• Savang Vadhana
• Chulalongkorn
• Vajiravudh
• Prajadhipok

External links

• The Thai Redcross Society
• The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute

Saovabha Bongsri Chakri Dynasty Born: 1 January 1864 Died: 20 October 1919
Regnal titles
Preceded by Princess Rampoei Siriwongse	Queen Consort of Siam 1878–1910	Succeeded by Prabai Sucharitakul