Vajirunhis

Vajirunhis
วาจิรุ ณ หิศ
Vajirunhis; วาจิรุ ณ หิศ
King Rama VI
Siamese Emperor
Tenure	5 November 1918 - 22 February 1930
Proclamation	5 November 1918
Predecessor	Monarchy established
Successor	Kraisee (Rama VII)
King of Siam
Tenure	23 October 1910 - 22 February 1930
Coronation	15 November 1910
Predecessor	Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
Successor	Kraisee (Rama VII)
Born	27 June 1878; Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam
Died	22 February 1930 (aged 51); Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam
Burial	Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Siamese Empire
Spouse	Rochana Honghannarong (m. 1900)
Issue	Kraisee (Rama VII)
House	Chakri Dynasty
Father	Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
Mother	Savang Vadhana
Religion	Buddhism

Vajirunhis, also known as King Rama VI (Thai: วาจิรุ ณ หิศ; RTGS: Wachirunhis; 27 June 1878 - 22 February 1930) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri Dynasty, ruling from 1910 to 1930, and the first Siamese Emperor from 1918 until his death. Having succeeded his father King Chulalongkorn upon the former's death in 1910, Vajirunhis presided over Siam's involvement in the First World War which saw the kingdom victoriously reclaiming its lost territories from France in Indochina. Soon after, he was proclaimed Siamese Emperor of a united Siam. As emperor, he further continued his father's reforms in modernising the new Siamese Empire, culminating in the creation of its very first constitution in 1920. Nevertheless, during the final year of his reign, Siam first felt the brunt of the Great Depression, which he addressed with some success. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son, Kraisee.

Early Life

Vajirunhis was born on June 27th, 1878 as the eldest son of King Chulalongkorn and Queen Savang Vadhana, whom was also the king's half-sister. As the eldest child of a reigning king, Vajirunhis was made Crown Prince of Siam following the death of Prince Bovorn Wichaichan, Vajirunhis's younger cousin in 1885.

Crown Prince of Siam

As heir apparent to his father, Vajirunhis, in line with the pro-Western approach adopted by King Chulalongkorn, received a mostly European style of education, meant to prepare the future king for his role while ensuring the continuation of Siam's modernisation. In particular, Vajirunhis was taught in the liberal arts, which he generally excelled in.

Life in Europe

In 1891, a thirteen year old Vajirunhis was sent to the United Kingdom alongside his mother where by the courtesy of Queen Victoria, the Siamese royals and their entourage were allowed to reside in the Sandringham House in Norfolk. Subsequently, Vajirunhis enlisted in the prestigious Eton College, where he spent most of his school days until he was approximately eighteen years old.

By his father's suggestion, Vajirunhis furthered his education at the Royal Military College in Sandhurst, where he was subsequently commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the British Army. After having initially being exempted from participating in the Boxer Rebellion in China and the Boer War in South Africa, Vajirunhis was allowed to see his first military experience when he was commissioned to India as part of the Mahsud Waziri blockade, which he partook in under the 1st Sikh Regiment. Having distinguished himself in battle with his bravery and professionalism, Vajirunhis was soon moved over to Germany instead, where he enlisted at the Prussian Staff College for further experience in the arts of warfare. His subsequent success there proved to be a massive joy back in Siam, whose people were much entertained at the prospect of having a militaristic king. Nevertheless, in 1908, Vajirunhis returned to Siam where he began taking up his official duties as Crown Prince of Siam, representing his father at official functions while at the same time, undertaking several tasks delegated to him by the former.

Reign

Upon the death of King Chulalongkorn in 1910, Vajirunhis succeeded his father as King Rama VI. His coronation was held on November 15th of the same year.

Having become the new King of Siam, Vajirunhis further continued his father's ambitious reforms in modernising Siam. With the help of his advisors inherited from his father's reign, Vajirunhis further updated the Siamese bureaucracy whilst also devoting his time into modernising the military on both the British and Prussian models.

First World War

On July 28th 1914, the opposing Allied and Central Powers factions went to war following Austria-Hungary's declaration of war towards the Kingdom of Serbia. Almost immediately, Vajirunhis declared Siam to be a neutral belligerent, due to its surroundings being composed entirely of Allied colonies. Nevertheless, in order to reap benefits from the surrounding war, Vajirunhis was able to successfully secure economical deals with the neighbouring Allied countries whom Siam began exporting mineral resources to for the first half of the war.

Nevertheless, by the year 1917, despite the initial pro-Allied stance adopted by the Siamese government, Vajirunhis began to face pressure from some of his advisers whom had begun pressing the king to instead adopt a more favourable stance towards the Central Powers following likely signs of an Allied defeat. Initially, Vajirunhis himself was reasonably reluctant to adopt such a radical shift in allegiance, fearing an overwhelming armed invasion from the surrounding Allied colonies. Nevertheless, in August 1917, the Siamese government officially declared war on the Allies, though in its official declaration text, by Vajirunhis's insistence, the United Kingdom in particular was specifically excluded from the list of enemy belligerents.