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.