Answer
Mongkut was born on October 18, 1804. He was the fifth son of King Rama II and his second wife, Princess Soammaswadi. Mongkut's father died when he was just 15 years old, and his half-brother, King Rama III, ascended the throne. Mongkut was appointed as abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. He studied Buddhism and other subjects, and became a well-known scholar.