Gerolamo Emilio Gerini

Who was Gerolamo Emilio Gerini?

Gerolamo Emilio Gerini was born in Cisano sul Neva, Province of Savona, Italy on March 1, 1860. He was the elder son of Carlo, Professor of Oenology at the University of Turin and Veronica Rosso.

After the primary studies he gets a scholarship for talented students and enters the Royal Military Academy of Modena. In August 1879 he graduated Second lieutenant of Infantry, and was assigned to the 13° Regiment “Pinerolo” in Perugia.

In September 1881 he moved to Bangkok, Thailand and joined the Siamese Army where he became a lieutenant.

In 1883 he left the Army to serve as the secretary of the Minister of the North, Maha Mala, uncle of Rama V, King Chulalongkorn, in such assignment he travels and visits most of the Country, acquiring a perfect mastery of Thai language and also of other local languages, such as Malay, Burmese, Mon, Khmer and many local dialects. Moreover mastered and deeply studied both Sanskrit and Pali, the language of the Buddhist sacred texts.