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Pinklao
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Pinklao (Thai: ปิ่นเกล้า; 4 September 1808 – 7 January 1866) was the viceroy of Siam. He was the younger brother of Mongkut, King Rama IV, who crowned him as a monarch with equal honor to himself.

Key Information

Early life

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Prince Chutamani was born on 4 September 1808, as a son of Prince Itsarasunthon and Princess Bunrot at the Phra Racha Wang Derm or Thonburi Palace. Prince Chutamani also had an elder brother—Prince Mongkut—who was seven years older. In 1809, Prince Itsarasunthon was crowned as Rama II and his mother became Queen Sri Suriyendra. They all moved to the Grand Palace.

The government of Rama II, however, was dominated by Kromma Meun Chetsadabodin, his son with Sri Sulalai. In 1824, Mongkut became a monk according to Thai traditions. However, Rama II fell ill and died in the same year. The nobility, led by Chao Phraya Abhay Pudhorn, the Prime Minister, and Prayurawongse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, supported Chetsadabodin for the throne as he proved competent to rule. Chetsadabodin was crowned as Rama III.

Prince Mongkut then stayed in his monkhood to avoid political intrigues. Prince Chutamani, however, entered the government under Nangklao and was awarded the title "Kromma Khun Isaret-rangsant". Kromma Khun Isaret moved to the Thonburi Palace, where he lived with his mother Queen Sri Suriyendra until her death in 1836.

The young prince was, as was his elder brother, well disposed towards foreigners. In 1833 at age 25 and known to diplomatist Edmund Roberts as Chow-Phoi-Noi or Mom-fa-Noi, the prince secretly visited the mission house during Roberts' negotiations for the Siamese–American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, the United States' first treaty with Thailand. The prince was pleased and gratified with a nighttime visit to the man-of-war Peacock, during which the men mustered to quarters for naval exercises. Roberts stated that the prince spoke and wrote the English language with considerable fluency, and his pronunciation was correct.[2][3]

Reign with Mongkut

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Statue of Phra Pinklao, viceroy of King Mongkut, near National Theatre

Nangklao died in 1851. Kromma Khun Isaret was at the time the heir presumptive to the throne, but the return and claim of his brother Prince Mongkut was stronger. Mongkut was then crowned on 25 May 1851, with the support of the nobility. Concurrently Prince Isaret was crowned as Uparaja Pinklao with equal honor to Mongkut. In practice, Pinklao held the title of Lord of the Front Palace. The popular legend holds that Mongkut's own astrological calculations stated that his brother Prince Isaret also held the "fate to become a king". As a result, he gave Pinklao the same styles and title normally reserved for a King such as Phrabat Somdet and Chao Yu Hua: Phrabat Somdet Phra Pinklao Chao Yu Hua. David Wyatt considers his appointment a way of Mongkut's to prevent Pinklao from challenging his own position.[4] Nevertheless, the relationship between the brothers remained peaceful and good throughout Mongkut's reign.

The government under Mongkut was, however, in the strong hands of Prayurawongse and Pichaiyat, the former as Chief Minister of Siam. Interference from both King and Vice King was therefore minimal. Expanding his interests to foreign affairs Pinklao, who was known for his fluency in the English language was able to respond to the letters of John Bowring. In the letters, he referred himself as the Second king and his brother as the First king. As a result, Pinklao was able to play a great role in the negotiation of the Bowring Treaty of 1855, as well as a role in the subsequent negotiation of the Harris Treaty of 1856 that updated the Roberts treaty of 1833.

As the second monarch and Front Palace lord, Pinklao maintained his own private army, and a navy of several modern ships. It was during this time that the power of the Front Palace greatly expanded. Apart from state affairs, Pinklao was interested in both western and Lao culture, speaking English, drilling his troops in European fashion, singing, dancing, and playing the khene to mor lam music.

Pinklao died on 7 January 1866, predeceasing his brother by two years. His nephew the 15-year-old Chulalongkorn (son of Mongkut), succeeded to the throne in 1868 and Regent Somdet Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse arranged the title of Front Palace lord to be succeeded by Pinklao's son with Princess Aim, Prince Yingyot, later Wichaichan.

Standard of Pinklao, the Second King of Siam
Personal seals of Pinklao, the Second King of Siam

Ancestry

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References

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Pinklao

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Pinklao (Thai: ปิ่นเกล้า; 4 September 1808 – 7 January 1866) was the viceroy and Second King of Siam, appointed by his elder brother King (Rama IV) to share equal ceremonial and honorary status as co-monarch from 1851 until his death. Born in as Prince Chutamani during the reign of , Pinklao rose through royal ranks and was formally titled Phrabat Somdet Phra Pinklao upon his elevation, a unique position intended to assist in governance and prepare for potential succession. In this role, Pinklao commanded key military units, including the artillery corps, Kaew Chinda department, and vanguard regiments, contributing to Siam's defense amid regional pressures. He supported modernization initiatives under , fostering advancements in palace arts, sciences, and traditions while engaging with Western influences to strengthen the kingdom's sovereignty. Pinklao's tenure as Second King exemplified the Chakri dynasty's adaptive strategies during a period of diplomatic maneuvering with colonial powers, though he predeceased without ascending to the primary throne. His eldest son, Prince Yod Yingyos, later inherited aspects of the Front Palace lineage.

Early Life

Birth and Ancestry

Prince Pinklao was born on 4 September 1808 in as Prince Chutamani, informally known as Somdet Chao Fa Noi, the second surviving son of King (Phutthaloetla Naphalai) and his principal queen consort, . His father, reigning from 1809 to 1824, was the second monarch of the , which had established the Rattanakosin Kingdom in 1782 following the fall of Ayutthaya. , originally Princess Boonrod, hailed from a noble family and served as the official queen mother, bearing two notable royal sons amid the extensive system of the Siamese court. As the younger full brother of Prince Mongkut (born 1804, later King Rama IV), Pinklao shared direct maternal and paternal lineage with the , distinguishing him from numerous half-siblings in a polygamous royal household where fathered at least 73 children across multiple consorts. He ranked as the 27th son overall, reflecting the dynasty's emphasis on prolific reproduction to secure political alliances and continuity, though hierarchical dynamics favored children of higher-ranking mothers like for proximity to power. This ancestry positioned Pinklao within the core Chakri line, with his early years spent in the Grand Palace environment that reinforced royal privileges and sibling rivalries based on and maternal status.

Education and Formative Influences

As a member of the , Pinklao underwent traditional Siamese royal centered on Buddhist scriptures, classical poetry, and administrative principles derived from Eastern philosophical traditions, which emphasized moral governance and cultural preservation. This , customary for princes in early 19th-century Siam, also included in , music, and martial disciplines such as weapons handling, wrestling, and riding elephants and horses, fostering skills essential for courtly and ceremonial roles. In contrast to his elder brother Mongkut's prolonged monastic immersion in texts and astronomy under scholarly monks, Pinklao's formative years involved direct engagement with emerging Western ideas through palace-based interactions rather than seclusion. Appointed a high-ranking prince at age 12 under King , he cultivated proficiency in English via self-directed study and tutelage from foreign missionaries, beginning around 1828 with merchant Robert Hunter and advancing through lessons from Rev. Jacob Tomlin in 1830, who provided biblical texts, and Rev. J.T. Jones, who instructed in reading, arithmetic, and basic astronomy by the early 1830s. By this period, Pinklao spoke English intelligibly enough to collaborate on an English-Siamese dictionary with Rev. in 1840, enabling early experiments in and drills modeled on European practices. These influences blended Siamese conservatism—evident in his lifelong role preserving royal rituals and temple restorations—with practical curiosity toward Western sciences, including chemistry and , which he pursued independently amid limited formal schooling options for royals. This dual exposure, prioritizing applied knowledge over abstract , distinguished Pinklao's intellectual path and equipped him for administrative duties without the doctrinal rigidity that characterized Mongkut's pre-ascension studies.

Ascension and Role as Second King

Appointment under Mongkut

Following the death of King (Nangklao) on June 3, 1850, and after defrocking from monastic life, ascended the throne as Rama IV in early 1851. To secure political stability and forestall succession conflicts, he promptly elevated his younger full brother, Prince Chutamani (born September 4, 1808), to the position of Second King, conferring the title Phra Bat Somdet Phra Pinklao Chao Yu Hua in 1851. This arrangement revived and augmented the traditional Maha Uparat role, granting Pinklao equivalent ceremonial honors and royal regalia to himself, modeled after King Naresuan's 16th-century elevation of his brother Ekathotsarot. The dual kingship deviated from strict by prioritizing Pinklao's personal merits, including his unwavering loyalty to during the latter's long monastic tenure and his self-taught proficiency in Western languages such as English, which positioned him as a trusted aide in diplomatic modernization efforts. Historical precedents for the viceregal office traced to the Ayutthaya period, where the Maha Uparat governed from the Front Palace (Wang Na) as a deputy with semi-autonomous status, often a to balance factions. At , the appointment endowed Pinklao with co-rulership privileges surpassing prior viceroys, encompassing an independent household, , and administrative over select domains, including elements of northern oversight, while maintaining subordination in ultimate authority to the First . This structure aimed to harness familial alliance for regime consolidation amid internal power dynamics and external colonial threats.

Administrative Powers and Responsibilities

Pinklao's appointment as Second King in April 1851 established a deliberate division of monarchical authority with his brother, , fostering a of dual that allocated distinct spheres of influence to enhance administrative efficiency and mitigate risks of centralized failure. While concentrated on core state reforms, scientific pursuits, and direct oversight of the Grand Palace's inner bureaucracy, Pinklao administered the Front Palace as an autonomous parallel hub, maintaining its own cadre of officials, clerks, and resources to handle supplementary executive functions. This structure, rooted in Ayutthayan precedents for the uparaja , ensured non-overlapping operations, with Pinklao's domain emphasizing operational execution over policy formulation. Central to Pinklao's responsibilities was the oversight of forces, including command of the Royal Navy, which he leveraged from prior engagements in Siamese campaigns against neighboring states during Mongkut's monastic . Archival correspondence and naval records from the period document his direct involvement in fleet maintenance and strategic deployments, providing empirical demonstration of his operational autonomy in defense matters without encroaching on Mongkut's ultimate strategic prerogative. This purview extended to coordinating provincial levies and fortifications in outer territories, contributing to Siam's defensive posture amid regional instabilities. The Front Palace under Pinklao functioned as a self-sustaining administrative entity, encompassing tax collection mechanisms for peripheral provinces and of disputes within designated jurisdictions, as inferred from the parallel departmental structures (krom) mirroring those of the Grand Palace. Historical accounts of Siamese highlight how this setup enabled Pinklao to manage extensive household and bureaucratic logistics—evidenced by the palace's documented operations in sustaining a large —while processing revenue streams and local edicts independently. Such autonomy is substantiated by the absence of reported jurisdictional conflicts with , underscoring the system's causal efficacy in distributing workload across dual centers of power.

Activities and Contributions

Diplomatic and Foreign Relations Efforts

Pinklao's proficiency in English enabled him to serve as a crucial advisor during the negotiations of the with , signed on 18 April 1855, where he helped convey Siamese demands for equitable trade terms amid pressures from colonial expansion. His familiarity with Western customs and language facilitated direct communication with British envoy Sir , ensuring that Siam's assertions of sovereignty were articulated without yielding to demands for territorial concessions or full capitulatory rights. This involvement extended to subsequent diplomatic exchanges, including the 1856 treaty with , modeled on the Bowring agreement, where his linguistic skills similarly supported efforts to liberalize commerce while preserving autonomy against French Indochinese ambitions. Following the , Pinklao maintained ongoing correspondence with Bowring and his son Edgar, exchanging letters from 1853 to 1868 that addressed implementation details, such as tariff adjustments and provisions, demonstrating pragmatic adaptation to Western legal frameworks without ideological capitulation. One such letter, dated 31 1857, bore Pinklao's personal seal and reflected his role in fostering bilateral goodwill through substantive dialogue on modernization initiatives, including and legal reforms aimed at bolstering Siamese . These interactions underscored a of selective , prioritizing causal mechanisms like technological adoption to counter colonial threats rather than isolation. In , Pinklao hosted and engaged foreign envoys during their visits, leveraging his Western-influenced court to exemplify Siam's compatibility with international norms, as seen in receptions that highlighted shared interests in science and . This approach, evident in his advisory capacity for negotiations, contributed to Siam's unique evasion of partition by European powers, with treaties granting most-favored-nation status but retaining core controls.

Military and Domestic Governance Roles

As in charge of the King's , Pinklao introduced English-style drill procedures and uniforms to Siamese forces, marking early efforts to modernize during the reign of and continuing into Rama IV's era. In 1841, he translated an English military manual into Siamese, providing a foundational text for standardized that influenced subsequent practices. Pinklao commanded artillery units and foreign contingents, devising Western-style drills and organizing artillery science to bolster defensive capabilities against potential incursions from neighboring powers like and . His naval initiatives included constructing Siam's first square-rigged ship, Royal Adelaide, in 1832; establishing the kingdom's initial in 1844; installing a in 1846; and overseeing the launch of Siam's first steamship by 1848 for operations. These developments equipped Siam with rudimentary modern naval assets, aiding deterrence of regional threats and supporting internal stability through enhanced royal control over waterways. Upon his appointment as Second King in , Pinklao maintained a and a comprising several modern ships, which reinforced the dual monarchy's structure and helped prevent fragmentation amid external pressures. This parallel military apparatus under his direct oversight contributed to domestic order by balancing power dynamics within the court and provinces, though he generally deferred to King on broader political administration.

Intellectual and Cultural Pursuits

Pinklao cultivated a deep appreciation for traditional Siamese artistic forms, encompassing , , and , which he pursued as personal avocations. Proficient in performing Northeastern folk songs and skilled at playing the khan—a traditional reed organ—he embodied a commitment to regional cultural expressions rooted in Siamese heritage. His patronage extended to the , where he supported royal dance troupes and contributed to the codification of dance techniques through associated treatises, ensuring the continuity of classical forms amid modernization pressures. Pinklao positioned himself as a preserver of Siamese , integrating Eastern philosophical principles—drawn from Buddhist and indigenous traditions—into cultural practices, thereby resisting wholesale Western emulation while selectively engaging foreign influences, such as appointing a German music instructor to his in 1867. These endeavors highlighted Pinklao's role as a cultural steward, prioritizing empirical fidelity to ancestral knowledge systems over speculative reforms, which informed his broader advocacy for measured adaptation in Siamese society.

Personal Life

Family and Descendants

Pinklao maintained marital arrangements consistent with Siamese royal , which facilitated extensive progeny to support dynastic continuity and administrative staffing in the . He fathered 63 children through multiple consorts, a reproductive emblematic of the era's elite households where large families offset high mortality risks from and limited medical knowledge. Of these offspring, only 30 reached adulthood—a survival rate of approximately 47.6%—comprising 16 sons and 14 daughters, underscoring the demographic pressures of 19th-century Siam where infant and child mortality often exceeded 50% in royal and noble circles due to endemic illnesses and nutritional constraints. Many surviving sons assumed roles in the palace administration and provincial governance, perpetuating family influence within the Chakri court's hierarchical structure. Pinklao's eldest son, Prince Yingyot (also known as Yod Yingyos or Bavorn Vichaichai), born on 6 September 1838, inherited the Front Palace viceregal title upon his father's death, becoming Maha Uparaja in 1867 and thereby channeling familial titles and properties into post-1866 court dynamics. This transfer of authority positioned Yingyot as a key figure in viceregal succession, with his lineage asserting quasi-heir presumptive status derived from Pinklao's unique Second King role. The progeny collectively spawned 11 distinct royal houses, embedding Pinklao's descendants deeply into Siamese nobility and ensuring long-term inheritance of estates, honors, and bureaucratic sinecures that shaped elite networks beyond the immediate reign. Such proliferation via polygamous unions not only secured paternal genetic and political legacy but also distributed resources across a broad web, mitigating risks of lineal while amplifying familial leverage in .

Health and Daily Affairs

Pinklao resided in the Front Palace, known as Wang Na, where he upheld a parallel court to the Grand Palace, conducting daily rituals including merit-making and adherence to Buddhist practices designated for the vice-regal establishment. These observances formed the core of his routine, intertwining ceremonial duties with administrative oversight in a manner consistent with Siamese royal protocol during the mid-19th century. Leisure activities, such as scholarly pursuits or family interactions, remained subordinate to these structured obligations, ensuring alignment with his position's expectations. His household was notably extensive, encompassing 63 children born to various consorts, though only 30 reached adulthood—16 sons and 14 daughters—amid the era's high rates. Pinklao managed this large family without documented excesses, integrating paternal responsibilities into his broader schedule while delegating aspects of upbringing to attendants and educators, thereby preserving focus on public roles. From onward, Pinklao experienced a progressive decline in due to chronic ailments that sapped his vitality and curtailed his engagements, as noted in historical records of the period. He never fully recovered, succumbing on January 7, 1866, at age 57, with the illness likely exacerbated by environmental factors common in tropical Siam, though precise —potentially involving respiratory or infectious conditions—lacks definitive contemporary .

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Demise

Pinklao experienced declining health beginning in 1861, which persisted for the final five years of his life and limited his active involvement in governance. He succumbed to illness on 7 January 1866 at the age of 57 in Bangkok. His death occurred two years prior to that of his brother, King Mongkut, on 1 October 1868. Funeral proceedings adhered to traditional Siamese royal protocols for a of his stature, including the of a funeral meru—a towering pyramidal structure symbolizing —north of the Grand Palace to house his urn prior to . The rites took place in January 1866, documented photographically by John Thomson, with mourning observances extending up to a year as customary for monarchs, underscoring the ceremonial significance of the dual kingship system. In the immediate aftermath, administrative functions associated with the Second King's role transitioned smoothly to deputies and senior courtiers under King Mongkut's oversight, with figures like Chao Phraya Sri Suriyawongse assuming greater influence; contemporary records indicate no significant disruptions to Siamese governance or foreign relations. The vacancy in the viceregal position persisted until Mongkut's own death, after which the institution was not immediately revived.

Historical Evaluation and Long-Term Impact

Pinklao's tenure as Second King exemplified a pragmatic division of authority that enhanced Siam's internal cohesion and external maneuvering amid 19th-century colonial encroachments. Appointed in 1851 by King with honors equivalent to the itself, Pinklao served as a counterweight to entrenched noble clans like the Bunnags, whose dominance had historically threatened royal primacy; this arrangement forestalled factional upheavals, allowing to prioritize diplomatic and administrative innovations without domestic sabotage. By leveraging his command of foreign languages and relational acumen, Pinklao complemented 's efforts in treaties such as the 1855 Bowring Agreement with Britain, which secured extraterritorial rights while averting outright subjugation, and the 1867 pact with that delimited borders and preserved core sovereignty. Historians assess this dyadic rule as causally pivotal to Siam's evasion of partition, a feat unmatched by neighboring states, through calibrated concessions that bought time for endogenous strengthening rather than reactive . Yet, conservative critiques highlight how the system's rootedness in hereditary hierarchies may have deferred deeper structural overhauls, such as comprehensive bureaucratic rationalization, potentially prolonging inefficiencies in revenue collection and provincial control until Chulalongkorn's ascendancy. Empirical evidence, however, underscores verifiable successes: Siam's fiscal stability improved under their joint oversight, with trade volumes rising post-1855 without forfeiting , contrasting with the absorptions of , , and . In the , Pinklao's legacy manifests in institutional templates for power equilibrium that informed Chulalongkorn's centralization post-1868, obviating regency vacuums and enabling reforms like slavery's phased abolition by 1905. His model's emphasis on , though discontinued after his 1866 death to consolidate monarchical authority, empirically buffered Siam's transition to modernity, as territorial losses were confined to peripheral concessions (e.g., to France in 1867) rather than capitulation. Descendants' subsequent integrations into the administrative elite further perpetuated this stabilizing ethos, though outcomes hinged more on diplomatic precedents than lineage alone.

References

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