Savang Vadhana

Savang Vadhana
Queen consort of Siam
Born	(1862-09-10)10 September 1862 Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam
Died	17 December 1955(1955-12-17) (aged 93) Sa Pathum Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
Burial	22 April 1956 Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok, Thailand
Spouse	Chulalongkorn (Rama V)
Issue	Maha Vajirunhis Isariyalongkorn Vichitra Chiraprabha Sommatiwongse Varodaya Valaya Alongkorn Sirabhorn Sobhon Mahidol Adulyadej
House	Chakri Dynasty
Father	Mongkut (Rama IV)
Mother	Piam Sucharitakul

The Four Consorts of King Chulalongkorn
Sunanda Kumariratana Sukhumala Marasri Savang Vadhana Saovabha Phongsri

Queen Savang Vadhana of Siam (Thai: สว่างวัฒนา; RTGS: Sawang Watthana, 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955) was a consort and half-sister of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Her full name and title was Queen Sri Savarindira (Thai: ศรีสวรินทิรา; RTGS: Si Sawarinthira) – but she was not the Rajini or the highest ranked consort. After her first grandson's accession to power in 1935, she became known as Somdetch Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao (สมเด็จพระพันวัสสาอัยยิกาเจ้า; RTGS: Somdet Phra Phan Watsa Ai-yika Chao; "the Queen Grandmother").^[1] All her children died before her, so she lived to see her grandsons Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej take the throne.

Life

She was the 27th daughter of King Rama IV (King Mongkut or Rama IV) and Princess Consort Piam and thus her husband's half-sister. Her marriage to Chulalongkorn produced the following children:

• Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis (27 June 1878 – 4 January 1894)
• Prince Isariyalongkorn (4 September 1879 – 25 September 1879)
• Princess Vichitra Chiraprabha (21 April 1881 – 15 August 1881)
• Prince Sommatiwongse Varodaya, the Prince of Sri Dharmaraj (9 June 1882 – 17 June 1899)
• Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the Princess of Phetchaburi (16 April 1884 – 15 February 1938)
• Princess Sirabhorn Sobhon (19 July 1888 – 24 May 1898)
• Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla, (posthumously The Prince Father of Thailand; 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929) father of Princess Galyani Vadhana, King Rama VIII, and King Rama IX.
• Princess (unnamed)

In addition, the queen also adopted several of her husband's children and raised them as her own children:

• Prabha Bannabilaya, (13 August 1885 – 8 September 1948) first child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom.
• Yaovabha Bongsanid, (28 August 1884 – 13 June 1934) first child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs.
• Rangsit Prayurasakdi, the Prince of Chainat, (12 November 1885 - 7 March 1951) second child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs, later served briefly as Regent of Siam for his nephew King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
• Vapi Busbakara, (25 June 1891 – 15 December 1982) fourth child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom.

All of her Biological children died before her. She saw two of her sons first-in-line to the throne, Vajirunhis and Mahidol.

When King Prajadhipok (or Rama VII) abdicated in 1935, the son of Queen Savang Vadhana's youngest son, Prince Ananda Mahidol, acceded to the throne as King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). She received the title of Queen Grandmother, having been renamed Sri Savarindira by King Prajadhipok while she was Queen Aunt.

Queen Sri Savarindira was also the grandmother of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Although her son, Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis did not survive to become king she lived to see two of her grandsons become king.

Death

Queen Savang Vadhana in 1938, with her grandchildren, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej (later King Rama IX). Photographed by Prince Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of Chainat

She died on 17 December 1955, at the age of 93. Her ashes were interred in the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok. A residence of the queen can be seen at the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace. She resided in latter years at Sa Pathum Palace, The Royal Private Residence, located behind Siam Paragon Shopping center in downtown Bangkok, where a museum dedicated to her is being constructed at the Tamnak Yai Mansion (Grand mansion) inside Sa Pathum Palace.

Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation was founded on 27 October 2005 under the aegis of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, her great-granddaughter.

Titles and Styles

• 1862–1878 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana
• 1878–1880 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, the Princess Consort
• 1880–1910 : Her Majesty The Queen of Siam
• 1910–1925 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana, The Queen Aunt
• 1925-1934 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Aunt
• 1934–1955 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother

Thai Royal Decorations

• The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
• The Ancient and Auspicious of Order of the Nine Gems
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• Dame of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• King Rama IV Royal Cypher Medal (Second Class)
• King Rama V Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama VI Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama VII Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama VIII Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)

Issue

See also

• King Ananda Mahidol
• King Bhumibol Adulyadej

References

• Biography of Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Queen Savang Vadhana.

• The Thai Redcross Society