Norodom Sihanouk

Norodom Sihanouk
Sihanouk in 1983
King of Cambodia
First reign	24 April 1941 – 2 March 1955
Coronation	3 May 1941
Predecessor	Sisowath Monivong
Successor	Norodom Suramarit
Prime ministers	See list Himself Son Ngoc Thanh Sisowath Monireth Sisowath Youtevong Sisowath Watchayavong Chhean Vam Penn Nouth Yem Sambaur Ieu Koeus Sisowath Monipong Oum Chheang Sun Huy Kanthoul Chan Nak Leng Ngeth
Second reign	24 September 1993 – 7 October 2004
Predecessor	Monarchy restored; Himself as Chief of State
Successor	Norodom Sihamoni
Prime ministers	See list Norodom Ranariddh Hun Sen Ung Huot
Chief of State of Cambodia
First rule	20 June 1960 – 18 March 1970
Predecessor	Chuop Hell (acting)
Successor	Cheng Heng (acting)
Queen	Sisowath Kossamak
Second rule	14 June – 24 September 1993
Predecessor	Chea Sim as President of the Council of State
Successor	Himself as King
President of the State Presidium
Presidency	17 April 1975 – 2 April 1976
Predecessor	Sak Sutsakhan as Chairman of the Supreme Committee
Successor	Khieu Samphan as Chairman of the State Presidium
Prime Minister	Penn Nouth
Born	(1922-10-31)31 October 1922 Phnom Penh, Cambodia, French Indochina
Died	15 October 2012(2012-10-15) (aged 89) Beijing, China
Burial	13 July 2014 Silver Pagoda, Royal Palace of Cambodia (interment of ashes)
Spouse	See list Phat Kanhol ​ ​ (m. 1942; div. 1946)​ Sisowath Pongsanmoni ​ ​ (m. 1942; div. 1951)​ Sisowath Monikessan ​ ​ (m. 1944; died 1946)​ Mam Manivan Phanivong ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1955)​ Norodom Thavet Norleak ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1968)​ Norodom Monineath​ ​ ​ (m. 1955)​
Issue Detail	See list Princess Buppha Devi Prince Yuvaneath Prince Ranariddh Prince Ravivong Prince Chakrapong Prince Naradipo Princess Sorya Roeungsi Princess Kantha Bopha Prince Khemanourak Princess Botum Bopha Princess Sujata King Norodom Sihamoni Prince Narindrapong Princess Arunrasmy
House	Norodom
Father	Norodom Suramarit
Mother	Sisowath Kossamak
Religion	Theravada Buddhism
Education	Cavalry School
Occupations	Composer (see § Music) film director politician
Political party	Independent (1945–1955) Sangkum (1955–1970) Independent (1970–1981) FUNCINPEC (1981–1991)
Website	www.norodomsihanouk.info
Signature
Other offices President of the Council of Kingdom In office October 1955 – January 1956 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by Penn Nouth Succeeded by Sim Var Prime Minister of Cambodia In office 17 November 1961 – 13 February 1962 President Himself as Chief of State Preceded by Penn Nouth Succeeded by Nhiek Tioulong (acting) In office 10 July 1958 – 19 April 1960 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by Sim Var Succeeded by Pho Proeung In office 9 April 1957 – 7 July 1957 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by San Yun Succeeded by Sim Var In office 15 September 1956 – 15 October 1956 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by Khim Tit Succeeded by San Yun In office 1 March 1956 – 24 March 1956 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by Oum Chheang Sun Succeeded by Khim Tit In office 3 October 1955 – 5 January 1956 Monarch Norodom Suramarit Preceded by Leng Ngeth Succeeded by Oum Chheang Sun In office 7 April 1954 – 18 April 1954 Monarch Himself Preceded by Chan Nak Succeeded by Penn Nouth In office 16 June 1952 – 24 January 1953 Monarch Himself Preceded by Huy Kanthoul Succeeded by Penn Nouth In office 28 April 1950 – 30 May 1950 Monarch Himself Preceded by Yem Sambaur Succeeded by Sisowath Monipong In office 18 March 1945 – 13 August 1945 Monarch Himself Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Son Ngoc Thanh

Norodom Sihanouk^[a][b] (/ˈsiːhənʊk/; 31 October 1922 – 15 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout his long career, most often as both King and Prime Minister of Cambodia. In Cambodia, he is known as Samdech Euv^[c] (meaning "King Father"). During his lifetime, Cambodia was under various regimes, from French colonial rule (until 1953), a Japanese puppet state (1945), an independent kingdom (1953–1970), a military republic (1970–1975), the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979), a Vietnamese-backed communist regime (1979–1989), a transitional communist regime (1989–1993) to eventually another kingdom (since 1993).

Sihanouk was the only child of Prince Norodom Suramarit and Princess Sisowath Kossamak, daughter of King Sisowath Monivong. When his grandfather Monivong died in 1941, Sihanouk became king amidst French colonial rule. After the Japanese occupation of Cambodia during World War II, he secured Cambodian independence from France in 1953. He abdicated in 1955 and was succeeded by his father, Suramarit, so as to directly participate in politics. Sihanouk's political organization Sangkum won the general elections that year, and he became prime minister of Cambodia. He governed the country under one-party rule and suppressed political dissent. After his father died in 1960, Sihanouk assumed a new position as Chief of State of Cambodia.

Officially neutral in foreign relations, Sihanouk was closer to the communist bloc in practice. The 1970 Cambodian coup d'état ousted him, and he fled to China and North Korea, forming a government-in-exile and a resistance movement there. He encouraged Cambodians to fight the new government and backed the Khmer Rouge during the Cambodian Civil War. He returned as figurehead head of state after the Khmer Rouge's victory in 1975. His relations with the new government soured, and in 1976 he resigned. He was placed under house arrest until Vietnamese forces overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979.

Sihanouk went into exile again and in 1981 formed FUNCINPEC, a resistance party. The following year, he became president of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), a broad coalition of anti-Vietnamese resistance factions which retained Cambodia's seat at the United Nations, making him Cambodia's internationally recognized head of state. In the late 1980s, informal talks were carried out to end hostilities between the Vietnam-supported People's Republic of Kampuchea and the CGDK. In 1990, the Supreme National Council of Cambodia was formed as a transitional body to oversee Cambodia's sovereign matters, with Sihanouk as its president. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords were signed, and the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) was established the following year. The UNTAC organized the general elections in 1993, and a coalition government, jointly led by his son Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, was subsequently formed. Sihanouk was reinstated as Cambodia's king. He abdicated again in 2004, and the Royal Council of the Throne chose his son Sihamoni as his successor. Sihanouk died in Beijing in 2012.

Between 1941 and 2006, Sihanouk produced and directed 50 films, some of which he acted in. The films, later described as being of low quality, often featured nationalistic elements, as did a number of the songs he wrote. Some of his songs were about his wife Monique, the nations neighboring Cambodia, and the communist leaders who supported him in his exile. In the 1980s, Sihanouk held concerts for diplomats in New York City. He also participated in concerts at his palace during his second reign. Sihanouk is remembered for his role in shaping modern Cambodia, particularly in leading the country to independence, although his reputation was damaged by his association with the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.

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