The All-Women Guard of The King of Siam

“Exceedingly warlike.” “Warrior queen, castle defender or besieger, pirate, or street duelist.” “Chivalrous or cruel.” These are only a few phrases that Jessica Salmonson uses to describe the female Amazons of world history. And once upon a time, an esoteric group of such fierce women pervaded over the Kingdom of Thailand. This group was the all-women bodyguard of the King of Siam. The establishment replaced 600 European mercenaries and Christian samurai troops in 1688, and was responsible for safeguarding the entire royal family and crown grounds. Salmonson, the author of The Encyclopedia of Amazons , calls them the best-trained force in all of Siam. King Chulalongkorn and the royal family Called the Krome Klone, this group consisted of 400 women. These were divided into four battalions of 100 guards each. The battalions were captained by women as well. The passing of the baton from one captain to the other was undertaken after a meticulous process of selection under King Chulalongkorn’s direct purview. Each woman would admit herself at the age of 13, and join the army by 25. From then on they became a part of the royal guard. Upon entering the palace Amazons, the women took a vow of chastity. This was a non-negotiable clause of the job, unless of course, the King took a liking to any of the female guards. Every candidate was robust and beautiful as a prerequisite, and roamed in fine uniform after selection. She would be clad in a knee-length woollen robe embroidered in gold, and would wear a gilt casque on the head. Their weapon on State occasions was a lance, but they otherwise carried a musket and were trained in using pistols as well. Their skills were exceptional, and had to be, for they trained in the grounds near the city twice every week. The female guards of King Chulalongkorn The King and his brother oversaw the training of these women by visiting their sessions once a month.