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NANG KLAO
[ Rama III ] 1824 - 1851
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He born in Bangkok
on March 31, 1788 the future King Rama III was the son of
King
Rama II by a junior wife, Chao Chom Riem. At
the time of the death of King Rama II his supposed heir,
Prince
Mongkut, had entered a monastery as a monk and Prince
Chesda Bondindra, as he was then styled, was chosen
as king by the Accession Council [ at the age of 37 and
reigned for 27 years ]. He proved an able ruler and during
his reign trade prospered and territorial advances were
made as the vassal states of the north and east came more
firmly under the rule of Bangkok. During his rule, in 1833,
the first treaty with the United States was signed. King
Rama III had no queen and thus had no children of Chao Fa
rank, and so, on his death, on April 2, 1851 [ at the age
of 65 ]. The succession passed to his half-brother, who
became King Mongkut [ Rama IV ]. Although he had no son
who was King it is an interesting genealogical fact that
among his descendantes were five future Kings for his granddaughter,
Queen Debsirindra, was the mother of
King Chulalongkorn [ Rama V ]
-thus every descendant
of King Chulalongkorn has a lineal descent from King Rama
III.