Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, The Prince Bhanubandhu Vongsevoradej or His Royal Highness Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, Prince Uncle (11 January 1859 – 13 June 1928) () was a son of King

Mongkut Mongkut (18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth Monarchy of Thailand, king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IV. He reigned from 1851 until his death in 1868. The reign of Mongkut was marked by significant modernization ini ...

Siam Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

and Queen

Debsirindra Debsirindra (, , ), formerly Ramphoei Phamaraphirom (), born Ramphoei Siriwong (; 17 July 1834 – 9 September 1862), was the second consort of King Mongkut, and mother of King Chulalongkorn. Biography Princess Ramphoei was born in 1834 to Sir ...

. Although the Prince held a number of posts in the government of his elder brother, King

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...

, including the post of Commander-in-Chief of the

Royal Siamese Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA (; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's sovereignty. The army was formed in 187 ...

, he is best remembered as the founder of the Thai postal service and the first

Field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

during

King Vajiravudh Vajiravudh (1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama VI. He reigned from 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts to create and promote Siamese nationa ...

. His most famous son is the

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

racer, Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh, better known as

Prince Bira Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh (; ; 15 July 191423 December 1985), commonly known as Prince Bira of Siam or simply Prince Bira, was a member of the Thai royal family. Bira was also a racing driver, sailor and pilot, who competed in Formul ...

Early life and education

His Royal Highness Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse born on 11 January 1860 at the

Grand Palace The Grand Palace (, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. . ) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the officia ...

, Bangkok. He has 3 brothers and sisters, including

King Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...

, Princess Chandrmondol and Prince Chaturonrasmi. After 2 years, his mother died. Later, his father died when he was 10 years old. He was the scatterer of rice in the procession of the royal funeral of King Mongkut. When he was 12 years old King Chulalongkorn appointed him as Prince Brother, with a royal ceremony at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. When he was 13 years old he was ordained as a novice at

Wat Phra Kaew Wat Phra Kaew (, , ), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Wat, Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex consists of a number of buildings ...

with Supreme Patriarch Pavares Variyalongkorn as a preceptor then went out to

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara Wat Bowaniwet Wihan Ratchaworawihan (; , ) is a major Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. Being the residence of Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, the late Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, it is the final resting place of ...

. He began his studies in the school of female teachers and began to study by himself. After that, he studied the books of Khmer and Pali at the Bureau of Phraya Priyatthi Dhammada when he is ordained. After that, he studied military education at the Bureau of the

King's Guard The King's Guard are sentry postings at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, organised by the British Army's Household Division. The Household Division also mounts sentry postings at Horse Guards, known as the King's Life Guard. An in ...

since 1872 and learning the Thai language from Phraya Srisoonthorn Waham (Noi Ajarayangkul) including studying civil service traditions and royal traditions from Prince Mahamala, the Prince Bamrapporapak.

Careers

He carried out military service in a special officer rank, with a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

's uniform in Bureau of the King's Guard when King Chulalongkorn travelled to Singapore (2nd time) and Burma, parts of England throughout India including the rising districts of Siam along the western coast of Malaya. He held positions including Minister of the Council and Privy Council of King Chulalongkorn, Chancellor of the Ministry of Defense, The Privy Council of King Rama VI and the President and Privy Councilor in King Rama VII, Inspector General, Commander of the Navy Department and Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department.

Death

Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse died on 13 June 1928 aged 68 at Buraphaphirom Palace.

Issue

He had 16 children, 9 sons and 7 daughters:

Honours

National honours

* Knight of the Most Illustrious

Order of the Royal House of Chakri The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri (; ) was founded in 1882 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to commemorate the Bangkok Centennial. The order is awarded to members of the House of Chakri ...

(1882) * Knight of the Ancient and Auspicious

Order of the Nine Gems The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems (; ) was established in 1861 by King Mongkut (Rama IV) of the Thailand, Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand). The order is bestowed upon the members of the Chakri Dynasty, Thai royal family and disting ...

(1869) * Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Illustrious

Order of Chula Chom Klao The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao (; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to commemorate the 90th Jubilee of the Chakri Dynasty and bears his name (จุลจอมเกล� ...

(1900) *

Knight of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit (1912) * Order of Rama 1st Class ribbon

Knight Grand Commander ''(Senangapati)'' of the Honourable Order of Rama (1918) * Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted

Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (; ) is an order (decoration), order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Mongkut, Rama IV of the Thailand, Kingdom of Siam. Along with the Order of the Crown of Thailand, it is r ...

(1913) * Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) for Thais, the royal family, governmental employees, and foreign dignitaries for their outstanding serv ...

(1920) * Dushdi Mala Medal (1893) * Chakra Mala Medal (1893) * Chakrabarti Mala Medal (1898) * Saradul Mala Medal (1926) * Pushpa Mala Medal (1901) * King Rama IV Royal Cypher Medal, 2nd Class (1904) * King Rama V Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class (1901) * King Rama VI Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class (1910) * King Rama VII Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class (1926) * Rachada Bhisek Medal (1893) * Prabas Mala Medal ribbon

Prabas Mala Medal (1898) * Rajini Medal (1898) * Dvidha Bhisek Medal (1903) * Rajamangala Medal (1907) * Rajamangala Bhisek Medal (1908) * King Rama VI Coronation Medal (1911) * King Rama VII Coronation Medal (1925)

Foreign honours

* : **

AUT KuK Order of the Iron Crown 1st Class BAR

Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of the Iron Crown The Order of the Iron Crown () was an order of merit that was established on 5 June 1805 in the Kingdom of Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte under his title of Napoleon I, King of Italy. The order took its name from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombard ...

(1873) * : ** D-HAN-B-Order Henry Lion BAR

Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Lion (1909) * : ** Legion Honneur GC ribbon

Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (1921) * : ** The Royal Order of Kalakaua I Grand Cross

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kalākaua (1881) * : ** Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, a ...

(1895) ** Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for ...

(1881) * : ** JPN Toka-sho BAR

Grand Cordon with Paulownia Flowers of the

Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese honors system, Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge feat ...

(1890) * : ** Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (1878) * : ** PRU Roter Adlerorden BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Red Eagle The Order of the Red Eagle () was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, o ...

(1896) * : ** RUS Order White Eagle BAR

Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (1891) * : ** Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...

(1879)

Ancestry

References

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bhanurangsi Savangwongse Thai male Chao Fa 19th-century Chakri dynasty 20th-century Chakri dynasty Bhanubandh family Children of Mongkut Field marshals of Thailand Ministers of defence of Thailand Knights Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao Knights of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit Knights Grand Commander (Senangapati) of the Order of Rama Recipients of the Dushdi Mala Medal, Pin of Arts and Science Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia) 1859 births 1928 deaths Commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army Members of the Privy Council of Thailand 19th-century military history of Thailand Sons of kings