King Mongkut

King Mongkut was the fourth king of the Chakri dynasty and reigned from 1 April 1851 – 1 October 1868. He is famous as the king who invited Anna Leonowens to teach English to his children and concubines. Anna Leonowens wrote various books about her time in Siam, the authenticity of which is questioned by many scholars. In her books, she claimed that King Mongkut would vary between a despotic madman and a kind and compassionate ruler. Under his rule, westerners gained valuable trading agreements with Siam, though he had a notoriously bad relationship with the French. He was a king with one foot in the future and one foot in the past, unlike his successor - Rama V - who was to abolish prostration and open the flood gates of westernization. King Mongkut also served as a Buddhist monk for 27 years - before becoming king - and dedicated his time to scholarly pursuits. He was known for his excellent command of English and could also speak Sanskrit.