| Time in office: | Apr. 25, 1941–Mar. 2, 1955 (King) Mar. 2, 1955–June 5, 1960 (Prime Minister under the kingship of his father) June 5, 1960–Mar. 18, 1970 ("Head of State" under the queenship of his mother) Aug. 19, 1975–Apr. 2, 1976 (Head of State) Nov. 14, 1991–Sept. 24, 1993 (Head of State) Sept. 24, 1993–Oct. 7, 2004 (King, Khmer: Preahmâhaksat) Oct. 20, 2004–present ("King-Father", Khmer: Preahmâhaviraksat) |
| Predecessor: | Sisowath Monivong (till 1941); Chea Sim (till 1991) |
| Successor: | Norodom Suramarit (in 1955); Norodom Sihamoni (in 2004) |
| Date of Birth: | October 31, 1922 |
| Place of Birth: | Phnom Penh |
| Cambodia |
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King-Father Norodom Sihanouk (Khmer: Mul script
; regular script
; born October 31, 1922), King of Cambodia until his abdication on October 7, 2004, is now "King-Father (Khmer: Preahmâhaviraksat, see Names and titles section below) of Cambodia," a position in which he retains many of his former prerogatives as constitutional king. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Preah Bat Sisowath Monivong ( Khmer: ព្រះបាទ ស៊ីសុវតិ្ថ មុនីវង្ស (born 1875 died 1941 was the king of Cambodia Chea Sim (born November 15 1932 in Romeas Hek district Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia) is a Cambodian Politician. Norodom Sihamoni (នរោត្តម សីហមុនី born 14 May 1953 is the King of Cambodia. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Phnom Penh ( Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ official Romanization Phnum Pénh; pʰnum pɯɲ is the Capital The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East The politics of Cambodia formally takes place according to the nation's Constitution (enacted in 1993 in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic The current title of the Head of State of Cambodia is King.This is a complete list of all Heads of States of Cambodia, both Presidents, Norodom Sihamoni (នរោត្តម សីហមុនី born 14 May 1953 is the King of Cambodia. List of Heads of Government of Cambodia (1945-Present Protectorate of Cambodia (1945-1949 King Norodom Sihanouk ( 18 March Hun Sen (ហ៊ុន សែន (born April 4 1951 or August 5 1952) is the Prime Minister of Cambodia. Parliament has two chambers. The National Assembly of Cambodia ( Radhsphea ney Preah Recheanachakr Kampuchea) has 122 members elected for a The Senate ( Sénat) is one of the chambers of Parliament of Cambodia. The National Assembly of Cambodia ( Radhsphea ney Preah Recheanachakr Kampuchea) is one of two chambers of the Cambodian Parliament. A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain Ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power usually Cambodian People's Party ( Cambodian: Kanakpak Pracheachon Kâmpuchéa, KPK) is the current ruling party of Cambodia. Funcinpec ( គណបក្ស ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច) is a royalist political party in Cambodia. Sam Rainsy Party ( Pak Sam Rainsy or Kanakpak Sam Raeangsee) is a personalist and more or less liberal party in Cambodia. Elections in Cambodia gives information on Election and election results in Cambodia. General elections were held in Cambodia on 27 July, 2003. They were won by Hun Sen 's Cambodian People's Party, who claimed an A parliamentary election was held in Cambodia on 27 July 2008. There are several types of administrative divisions of Cambodia. This is a list of Cambodia 's 171 districts (srŏk and 14 sections (khan organized by province or municipality. The Human rights situation in Cambodia is facing growing criticisms both within the country and an increasingly alarmed international community The Royal Cambodian Government (RGC has established diplomatic relations with most countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. The Khmer script (អក្ខរក្រមខេមរភាសា âkkhârâkrâm khémârâ phéasa informally aksar Khmer អក្សរខ្មែរ is used to write the The Khmer script (អក្ខរក្រមខេមរភាសា âkkhârâkrâm khémârâ phéasa informally aksar Khmer អក្សរខ្មែរ is used to write the Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The current title of the Head of State of Cambodia is King.This is a complete list of all Heads of States of Cambodia, both Presidents, Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
The son of King Norodom Suramarit and Queen Sisowath Kossamak, Sihanouk has held so many positions since 1941 that the Guinness Book of World Records identifies him as the politician who has occupied the world's greatest variety of political offices. Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person These included two terms as king, two as sovereign prince, one as president, two as prime minister, and one as Cambodia's non-titled head of state, as well as numerous positions as leader of various governments-in-exile. List of Heads of Government of Cambodia (1945-Present Protectorate of Cambodia (1945-1949 King Norodom Sihanouk ( 18 March Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power and instead resides in a foreign
Most of these positions were only honorific, including the last position as constitutional king of Cambodia. Norodom Sihanouk's actual period of effective rule over Cambodia was from November 9, 1953 (full independence granted to Cambodia) to March 18, 1970 (Lon Nol and the National Assembly depose Sihanouk). Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lon Nol ( November 13, 1913 - November 17, 1985) was a Cambodian Politician and Soldier who served as Prime
He is also well credited as a film director directing films such as An Ambition Reduced to Ashes and The Last Days of Colonel Savath (1995) . A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. An Ambition Reduced to Ashes is a 1995 Cambodian Short film Drama directed by Norodom Sihanouk. The Last Days of Colonel Savath is a 1995 Cambodian Short film drama directed by Norodom Sihanouk.
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Since his abdication, Sihanouk's official Cambodian title (short version, the most-widely used) is:
Preah Karuna Preah Bat Sâmdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preahmâhaviraksat
In Khmer:
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The literal translation of the title :
The word "father" does not appear in the Cambodian title, but in western languages his title is translated as "his Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk," to distinguish from the title of his son the new king, which is "his Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni. "
Despite the great ritualism surrounding the Cambodian monarchy, Sihanouk has always favored informal relations with the Cambodian people, and when addressing him, or talking about him, they most often call him
, Sâmdech Euv, which literally means "Prince Dad," "My Lord Dad" (French: Monseigneur Papa).
Norodom Sihanouk received his primary education in a Phnom Penh primary school, the École François Baudoin. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Phnom Penh ( Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ official Romanization Phnum Pénh; pʰnum pɯɲ is the Capital He pursued his secondary education in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam at "Lycée Chasseloup Laubat" until his coronation and then later attended Cavalry military school in Saumur, France. Australia See also Education Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Saumur is a town and commune in the Maine-et-Loire département of France on the Loire River at, with an approximate This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. When his maternal grandfather, King Sisowath Monivong, died on April 23, 1941, the Crown Council selected Prince Sihanouk as king of Cambodia. Preah Bat Sisowath Monivong ( Khmer: ព្រះបាទ ស៊ីសុវតិ្ថ មុនីវង្ស (born 1875 died 1941 was the king of Cambodia
His coronation took place on September 1941. Rumors abounded during this period that the influence of France (the regional colonial power) accounted for his accession. Norodom Sihanouk is well-known for leading what some have termed an extravagant lifestyle, and being an unabashed "ladies' man. " He married his sixth wife, Monique Izzi, a young woman of French, Italian, and Cambodian ancestry, in 1952.
After World War II and into the early 1950s, King Sihanouk's politics became more nationalistic and he began demanding that the French grant the country independence and depart, echoing the sentiments of the other nations of Indochina, Vietnam and Laos. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma He went into exile in Thailand in May of 1953 and refused to return until independence was granted. He returned when his overtures met with success and Cambodia became independent on November 9, 1953. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On March 2, 1955, King Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his father, taking the post of prime minister a few months later. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) List of Heads of Government of Cambodia (1945-Present Protectorate of Cambodia (1945-1949 King Norodom Sihanouk ( 18 March Following his father's death in 1960, he gained election as head of state, but received the title of prince rather than king. In 1963, he forced a change in the constitution that made him head of state for life. While he had officially abdicated as king, he had created a constitutional office for himself that was exactly equal to that of the former kingship.
While the Vietnam War raged, Sihanouk promoted policies he claimed would preserve Cambodia's neutrality. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Alternately taking sides with the People's Republic of China, supporting the United States and espousing Third Way policies. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In the spring of 1965, he made a deal with China and North Vietnam to allow the presence of permanent North Vietnamese bases in eastern Cambodia and to allow military supplies from China to reach Vietnam by Cambodian ports. Cambodia and Cambodian individuals were compensated by Chinese purchases of the Cambodian rice crop by China at inflated prices. He also at this time made any number of speeches calling the triumph of Communism in Southeast Asia inevitable and suggesting Maoist ideas were worthy of emulation. In 1966 and 1967, Sihanouk unleashed a wave of political repression that drove many on the left out of mainstream politics. His policy of friendship with China collapsed due to the extreme attitudes in China at the peak of the Cultural Revolution. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into The combination of political repression and problems with China made his balancing act impossible to sustain. He had alienated the left, allowed the North Vietnamese to establish bases within Cambodia and staked everything on China's good will. On March 18, 1970, while he was travelling out of the country, Lon Nol, the prime minister, convened the National Assembly which voted to depose Sihanouk as head of state and give emergency powers to Lon Nol. Lon Nol ( November 13, 1913 - November 17, 1985) was a Cambodian Politician and Soldier who served as Prime Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, a royal prince who, in 1941, had been passed over by the French government in favor of his cousin Norodom Sihanouk's leadership role, retained his post as Deputy Prime Minister. Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak ( January 22 1914 &mdash April 21 1975) was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and was a Prince Sihanouk fled to Beijing and began to support the Khmer Rouge in their struggle to overthrow the Lon Nol government in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh ( Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ official Romanization Phnum Pénh; pʰnum pɯɲ is the Capital After Sihanouk showed his support for the Khmer Rouge by visiting them in the field, their ranks swelled from 6000 to 50,000 fighters. Many of these new recruits for the Khmer Rouge were apolitical peasants who fought in support of the king, not for communism, of which they had little understanding. When the Khmer Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Prince Sihanouk became the symbolic head of state of the new régime while Pol Pot remained in power. The Cambodian coup of 1970 refers to the removal of Prince Norodom Sihanouk and the subsequent elevation of Prime Minister Lon Nol as head of state under the The Khmer Rouge (ខ្មែរក្រហម Kmae Krɑhɑɑm was the Communist ruling political party of Cambodia &mdashwhich it renamed Saloth Sar ( May 19, 1925 – April 15, 1998) also known as Pol Pot, was leader of the Communist movement known as The next year, on April 4, 1976, the Khmer Rouge forced Sihanouk out of office again and into political retirement. During the Vietnamese invasion, he was sent to New York to speak against Vietnam before the United Nations. After his speech, he sought refuge in China and in North Korea. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia,
The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in December 1978 ousted the Khmer Rouge. Although claiming to be wary of the Khmer Rouge, Prince Sihanouk was more than willing to again join forces with them in order to provide a united front against the Vietnamese. In 1982, he became president of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), which consisted of his own Funcinpec party, Son Sann's KPNLF, and the Khmer Rouge. The Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK was a coalition government in exile composed of Norodom Sihanouk's FUNCINPEC party the Party of Democratic Kampuchea Funcinpec ( គណបក្ស ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច) is a royalist political party in Cambodia. Son Sann (1911-2000 was a Cambodian politician born in Phnom Penh on October 5 1911 The Vietnamese withdrew in 1989, leaving behind a pro-Vietnamese government under ex-Khmer Rouge cadre Hun Sen to run the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). Hun Sen (ហ៊ុន សែន (born April 4 1951 or August 5 1952) is the Prime Minister of Cambodia. History The PRK was established in January 1979 in line with the broad revolutionary program set forth by the Kampuchean (or Khmer National United Front for National Salvation
Peace negotiations between the CGDK and the PRK commenced shortly thereafter and continued until 1991 when all sides agreed to a comprehensive settlement which they signed in Paris. Prince Sihanouk returned once more to Cambodia on November 14, 1991 after thirteen years in exile. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar.
In 1993, Sihanouk once again became king of Cambodia. During the restoration, however, he suffered from ill health and traveled repeatedly to Beijing for medical treatment.
Sihanouk's leisure interests include music (he has composed songs in Khmer, French, and English) and film. He has become a prodigious filmmaker over the years, directing many movies and orchestrating musical compositions. A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. He became one of the first heads of state in the region to have a personal website, which has proven a cult hit. It draws more than a thousand visitors a day, which constitutes a substantial portion of his nation's Internet users. Royal statements are posted there daily.
King Sihanouk went into self-imposed exile in January 2004, taking up residence in Pyongyang, North Korea and later in Beijing, China. Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Citing reasons of ill health, he announced his abdication of the throne on October 7, 2004. Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning renouncing from ab, away from and dicare, to declare to proclaim as not belonging to one Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The constitution of Cambodia made no provision for such a move. Chea Sim, the President of the Senate assumed the title of acting Head of State (a title he has held many times before), until the throne council met on October 14 and appointed Norodom Sihamoni, one of Sihanouk's sons, as the new king. Chea Sim (born November 15 1932 in Romeas Hek district Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia) is a Cambodian Politician. The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer speaker or chairman of a Senate. Acting is the work of an Actor or Actress, which is a person in Theatre, Television, Film, or any other Storytelling Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Norodom Sihamoni (នរោត្តម សីហមុនី born 14 May 1953 is the King of Cambodia.
In his lifetime, King Norodom Sihanouk reportedly has had several wives and concubines, producing at least fourteen children in a period of eleven years. According to Time magazine (30 June 1956), however, his only legal wives have been Princess Samdech Norleak (married 1955) and Paule Monique Izzi (married 1955), who is a granddaughter of HRH Prince Norodom Duongchak of Cambodia and the younger daughter of Pomme Peang and her second husband, Jean-François Izzi, a banker. A profile of Sihanouk in The New York Times (4 June 1993, page A8) stated that the king met Monique Izzi in 1951, when he awarded her a prize in a beauty pageant.
According to Royal Ark's genealogy of the Cambodian royal family, however, Sihanouk has been married seven times, his consorts being:[1]
(1) Neak Moneang Phat Kanhol (1920-1969, a member of the Royal Cambodian Ballet; married 1942, later divorced)
(2) HRH Princess Sisowath Pongsanmoni (1929-1974; married 1942, divorced 1951)
(3) Anak Munang Thach (married 1943)
(4) HRH Princess Sisowath Monikessan (née HRH Princess Sisowath Naralaksha Munikesara, 1929-1946; married 1944)
(5) HRH Princess Samdech Preah Reach Kanitha Norodom Norleak (née Princess Devisa Naralakshmi, born 1927; married 1946 and "more formally" on 4 March 1955)
(6) Mam Manivan Phanivong (née Mam Munivarni Barni Varman, 1934-1975; married 1949)
(7) HM Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk (née Paule Monique Izzi, born 18 June 1936; married 12 April 1952 and "more formally" on 5 March 1955)
| Preceded by Sisowath Monivong |
King of Cambodia 1941-1955 |
Succeeded by Norodom Suramarit |
| Preceded by None |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1945 |
Succeeded by Son Ngoc Thanh |
| Preceded by Yem Sambaur |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1950 |
Succeeded by Krom Luong Sisowath Monipong |
| Preceded by Huy Kanthoul |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1952–1953 |
Succeeded by Penn Nouth |
| Preceded by Chan Nak |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1954 |
Succeeded by Penn Nouth |
| Preceded by Leng Ngeth |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1955–1956 |
Succeeded by Oum Chheang Sun |
| Preceded by Oum Chheang Sun |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1956 |
Succeeded by Khim Tit |
| Preceded by Khim Tit |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1956 |
Succeeded by San Yun |
| Preceded by San Yun |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1957 |
Succeeded by Sim Var |
| Preceded by Sim Var |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1958–1960 |
Succeeded by Pho Proeung |
| Preceded by Norodom Suramarit |
Head of State of Cambodia 1960-1970 |
Succeeded by Cheng Heng |
| Preceded by Penn Nouth |
Prime Minister of Cambodia 1961–1962 |
Succeeded by Nhiek Tioulong |
| Preceded by Lon Nol |
Head of State of Cambodia 1975–1976 |
Succeeded by Khieu Samphan |
| Preceded by Chea Sim (Chairman of the Council of State) |
King of Cambodia 1993-2004 |
Succeeded by Norodom Sihamoni |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sihanouk, Norodom |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | King of Cambodia |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 31, 1922 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| DATE OF DEATH | living |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |