The evening world. Newspaper, August 29, 1922, Page 14

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hi ea | | alee eeeneeeeeineeeentiieeeeie pene eee 4 7 aioe o THE EVENING WORLD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1922. , Could Have1000 Wives -Wants Only ONE! Why Rama VI., Siam’s Bachelor ‘‘King,”’ Whose Father Had 600 Wives, Spurned Offer of 1,000 Selected Brides, Broke One Engagement, and Now Has Married “The Most Beautiful Girl in Siam.’’ By J. B. Calvo. etre ew York ¥ bitshing Ce Copyright, by Vem) AJIRAVUDH, His Ma Westy Rama VI, King of Siam, married on Sunday last Princes Lakshmi Lavan. King Rama, forty-two, has 3 been one of the world's most famous bachelors, and his bride will be his only wife, he arkable, because says. This is re his father had 600 wives and seme ‘ Kings of Siam have had as many 4s £70. Indeed, when tho present King re turned from Oxford, where he was educated, illustrious parent had feady and waiting for him 12 brides Be ed from the prettie Siam belles. These were designed to sut floe him until he had ascended the throne, when he was expected to take additional wives to a number com- mensurate with his exalted rank But Vajiravudh had not been edu cated in England without acquiring an Occidental viewpoint. Polye was distasteful to him and he would have none of marri: without love He made himself clear on that point to his father, King Chulalongkorn, who shrugged his shoulders—perhaps fm the wisdom gained from his own 00 marriages. So Vajiravudh remained a bachelor, while all his future subjects thought {t strange. He was a bachelor still when, in 1902, he paid a visit to the United States. Some said the then Grewn Prince had hopes of finding an American or British wife, but he only smiled when questioned and said that American and English girls were very lovely, but he liked his own People best. When his father died after a golden reign of fifty years, and Vajiravudh became King Rama VI., on October 22, 1910, the Siamese, who liked their talented and affable new monarch very much, said to each other: “See, now His Majesty will follow the Siamese custom."’ Those who were anxious to curry his favor and enjoy the distinction ef being connected with the royal househéld, hastened to present hin with their most beautiful daughters to wife, and in his first month upon the throne he was offered 1,000 brides. It was then that the new monarch scandalized his subjects, He refused every proffer of a wife or of wives, and told his subjects he would be guided in thoughts of matrimony only by the dictates of his own heart, and Rot by distasteful eustom. King Rama has been true to that Promise, and for twelve years has ecoupied the Siamese throne without PRINCESS single consort, despite the artitices of his Ministers and the murmurings of LAKSHM1 Ris people. In 1917 the Siatnese thrilled LA’ to the announcement that he was ‘ VAN. engaged to his cousin, Princess Val- labha Deri, but the wedding v Poned again and again and something of a mystery. It became even a greater mystery when official announcement was made about a y ago that the engagement was broken, due to the princess's “‘nervousness.”* The shattering of that romance never has been explained, but de- spatches from Bangkok state that now there 1s general rejoicing at the King’s Siam, He paid two visits to Europe elaborate wedding to the Princess and wanted to come to the United Lakshm! Lavan, who is sung as the States, but other matters interfered most beautiful young woman in all and he sent the then Crown Prince Siam. There is reason for such high in his place. He treed the slaves of Praise, too, for the Princess would be Siam, abolished many of the old cus ©onsidered a beauty in any country. toms that were holding he King Rama is a remarkable man— country, imported the first automo as remarkable as his father, who was bile Siam ever had seen, adopted the most enlightened monarch Siam scores of European customs and h@d er had. King Chulalo: born in 1852, one of old @ighty-four children. the throne when 15, and uired his something approaching $20,000,000 first wives when still the Crown year Prince. He had my PRA-PHOTO orn was Official American advisers, all of ing Phra's which helped to improve his country scended and increase his annual revenues to daughters It was because of his respect for the 134 sons by these wives, but progress of the New World that h those children who were born gof the sent his principal sons to prinoipal wives, of whom there were an education, — Indeed about a dozen, were privileges of royal rank. His half. another sister, Queen Sowaya Pongsi, daugh. Czar ter of his own father but of another grad mother, was his favorite and the of- in Eng and one of his accorded the sons served in the German Army as an official under the the palace in Petro. Mt King, in his years expecially Eton ficially recognized Queen, and she was Colle Oxford, learned to the mother of Vajiravudh speak lish with the fluency of King Chulalongkorn was the first Briton, and he was well qualified to Biamese monarch to journey outside take up the task of modernizing Shan, Royal Barge of Solid Gold Lacquer Manned by 60 Paddles KING RAMA VI. AS AN OXFORD STUDENT .; & AND AS HE 1S TODAY + Se ay x ) 5 = RG) |} ae Pw oy OF D KY RIOT ENS nds of the WAT PHRA KEO the most beautiful Temple in Bangkok. vhere his left off eason Siam to-day bousts fine strects, tramways, railways, and other mod ern conveniences The King of Siam ts perhaps the most absolute monarch in t yrld today. He not only has sovereignty over but actually owns every yard of thas the power father composed of six these serve only and a legislature, and upper house; but these, too, must please the King, who can nullity the Ia they Majesty King Sirisindr M Klao, Chao Yu-hua, King the North and the S the depend of Luotiens, of M ais, of Kar lant of t pat God Bud Arbiter Ebb and Fl Brother father, f example d but one son which is known the Moon, of the and w he » automatic ul Sun and Owner of F nd‘ Twenty retired as Que I © is divided into Golden Umbrellas. It was the present who was the at onee an outer n inner residence King who abandoned most of these got the place and was Those wl in the outer palace , retaining only that of King , It wa not allowed in the nd and Commander in Chief of the grace to those who serve in the or never 1d navy om a dozen allude to it. Tt is very bad taste to ise of his Europegn views, Vajiravudh is refer to the inner palace, where the Rama has dropped most of tt King Ie his most private life, a irious customs ‘rat once surrounded ery t imese hold this sacred. | No the Siamese court, not the least of ¢ Guencat zs if uropean cver has entered it : 5 ° Queenship may be used by ; ; vhich wus that of the wedding cere- prosent King, to please nie poplin The pa ction of build- meny. In former duys fami et In the old days when a wife had won mg Beene (endl the nner pels uside infant daughters to be Nang- tn. king's fuvor and he wished r of is built in uams (forbidden lad to be tre Rie ka oe roots, 1s royal concubines, The Nang-huins guy NEAwAue Mane Manes \ ‘ effect European had ® place inferior to thet of the a Itatlo furnitu Ned vg Chula sfinelaal And their children hag MOPY senerally lasted three d c orr of immense value and the principal wives and theip chiléren 18d @he first two days were of indifferent f r no part in the Governm AMA ee hat en eg oat baa lS TUL of the royal chambers Selection of princip: ives Awas } lia date 2 feasting, were purchased in London at a coat eworks, theatricals ane her oF hal eneaoila y made t care from amusements, during which the les LA lee ER On aksunn ts ant jusements, ue 1 the One of the most costly and curious oHE Jy wives danced and entertained tle t coutrements of the royal a noble with a beautiful and + of 8 shter offered her to t lace 4 Ass yacht which floats in Se eee ee area he morning of the third day ¥ 1 pal lake. It is designed for shines Snes, and aie hee soneumed 1n6l ng on the pric the King’s « rt in the severe heat CT Daa eee ia’ Bar Mitt roboms1 nd umbrella of Bangh cht is constructed ¢ : che ig ,. other paraphernalia of the priestho rreat sheets of glass and lace sho eventually was to ¢ h the: place’ shi i a own ability @8d this was important because the when not in use it floats upon the sur- cupy depended upon her oF! ing: ie head of the ohuroh and: his ¢ { the water, When the King to win the Ki favor, Even then 4 1 of importance in it. Y to re from the heat he it might be H nt k n net of ¢ bers are filled The first wife of the ated water with water and the yacht sinks to the hottom of 4 vl It is, in effect lected to that Pothing r Jess than a luxurious ME i 1 The insignia of the King of Slam { the Queen about five minutes, } i SPlh agent iene wanes 5 je “ uns to a poin . 2 His robes of state are ers, trumpeters and drummers. Queen then was conducted to a presiaue ’ ’ fondu Wears jeweled slippers, behind a big screen whi rdand carries a jewele? wives took off her wet attire and s 3 far s under a species of donned the royal garments of siik, io’ treblocatagled? aclachceme 1d 1 with costly jewels, From jroidered, white silk that time until her death or removal | n the past the King he was con: ed Queen. Lakshmi Li only on a white elepha © pretty Princes: \ on the shoulders of muy have this mony at her el since the advent of auto tion, although part taken for- mobiles white motor car usually is me 1 esser wives will have to be te performed by other ladies of the court to all this luxury that the win She will inherit one of the world’s » Princess Lakshmi Lavan is to - tions of jewels, and evated with her jage to King a that her husband's Rama See Sgee can bestow from o ve ' 0,000 ayonr. first Q Pn ———ed » revelling in only wife of the sovereign. & \

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