The English Governess at the Siamese Court

Description

Anna Harriette Leonowens had an offer made by Tan Kim Ching, the consul in Singapore and she gladly accepted it, to educate the wives and children of Mongkut, the King of Siam in the year 1862. The King wanted to give all his 39 wives, concubines, and 82 children the latest Western teachings on scientific worldly successions, which previous teachers have not taught. Leonowens got her daughter Avis to one of the schools in England, and she had her son Louis with her during her mission in Bangkok.

She worked at the Siamese Court for about six years, as a teacher and then later as a language secretary for the king, Mongkut. Though being a teacher made her highly respectable and even gained her a little political interest, she was not fully appeased with the rules and regulations of her duties and was described by the king as a “difficult woman and more difficult than generality”.

After that, Leonowens had her sick leave and flew back to England but immediately got back to the court in good relations when the king was sick and eventually died. Leonowens and her son were both legatees in the king’s will but they did not receive anything. Chulalongkorn, a young adult son of Mongkut became the new king of the Siamese court, he wrote a letter of gratitude for the employment of Leonowens. Though, he did not tell her to extend her services but they were communicating for years.

Anna Harriette Leonowens who was born as Anna Harriet Emma Edwards was an Anglo-Indian or Indian British travel author, teacher, and social activist.

The author was best known for her works of personal experiences and memoirs in Siam or Modern Thailand, starting with The English Governess at the Siamese Court.
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