Mahidol Adulyadej
Mahitala Dhibesra Adulyadej Vikrom, the Prince Father (Thai: สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศร อดุลยเดชวิกรม พระบรมราชชนก RTGS: Somdet Phra Mahitalathibet Adunyadetwikrom Phra Borommaratchachanok, 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929), formerly Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkla (Thai: สมเด็จเจ้าฟ้ามหิดลอดุลยเดช กรมหลวงสงขลานครินทร์) or Mahidol Songkla, was the father of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand, and the paternal grandfather of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X). He was also regarded as the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand. He also founded the House of Mahidol or the present Royal Family of Thailand. His two sons reigned for more than eight decades, longer than the Ibn Saud siblings of Saudi Arabia, and the Nahyan siblings of Abu Dhabi.
| Mahidol Adulyadej มหิดลอดุลยเดช | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Songkla | |||||||||
| Born | 1 January 1892 Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam | ||||||||
| Died | 24 September 1929 (aged 37) Sa Pathum Palace, Bangkok, Siam | ||||||||
| Burial | 16 March 1930 Royal Crematorium, Sanam Luang, Bangkok, Siam | ||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||
| Issue | Galyani Vadhana, Princess of Naradhiwas Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) | ||||||||
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| House | Mahidol (Chakri dynasty) | ||||||||
| Father | Chulalongkorn (Rama V) | ||||||||
| Mother | Savang Vadhana | ||||||||
| Religion | Theravada | ||||||||
| Signature | |||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance | Siam | ||||||||
| Service/ | Royal Siamese Army Royal Siamese Navy | ||||||||
| Years of service | 1908–1914 | ||||||||
| Rank | Senior Colonel Captain Admiral of the Fleet (promoted posthumously) | ||||||||
Prince Mahidol was the 69th child of King Chulalongkorn and the 7th of Queen Savang Vadhana. His mother also adopted four other royal princes whose commoner mother (Chao Chom Manda) had died; among them was Prince Rangsit Prayulsak, later Prince of Chainat, who became a very close friend of Prince Mahidol during his childhood. Later in their lives, Prince Rangsit would play a pivotal role in Mahidol's career, and would later be appointed regent to one of Mahidol's sons, Bhumibol.