Thailand 1813

     King Chulalongkorn the Great, whose royal name was Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua, was born in 1853. His father was “the King” in Anna and the King of Siam. He succeeded his father in 1868, and was crowned in 1873 after a seven year regency. He is regarded by the people of Thailand as their greatest king. Among his many achievements perhaps the greatest is that he was able to keep his country independent in the face of French, British and Portuguese colonizing in the area.
      He modernized and democratized the governmental structure, declared religious freedom, modernized the monetary and communications systems, and generally improved the life of his people.
     He is pictured on a medallion on a stamp issued in 1998 issued to commemorate the King’s first visit to Europe in 1897. The flags on both sides of the medallion are of the nations the King visited in 1897. In order from left to right: Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Monaco (the flag is upside down), Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain (bandera sin escudo) and Portugal. The map in the background is based on Mappe Monde Carte Universelle de La Terre Dressee Sur Les Nouvelles Observations de Mrs. de L’Academie Royale de Sciences, engraved by Pierre Bourgoin in 1770.