Norodom Sihanouk

King of Cambodia

31 October 1922 Phnom Penh, Cambodia, French Indochina

15 October 2012(2012-10-15) (89) Beijing, China

17 November 1961 – 13 February 1962

20th-century King of Cambodia In this Cambodian name, the surname is Norodom. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Sihanouk. King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk នរោត្ដម សីហនុ Norodom Sihanouk in 1983King of CambodiaFirst reign24 April 1941 – 2 March 1955 Coronation3 May 1941PredecessorSisowath MonivongSuccessorNorodom SuramaritPrime Ministers See list 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 reign24 September 1993 – 7 October 2004Coronation24 September 1993PredecessorSisowath KossamakSuccessorNorodom SihamoniPrime Ministers See list Norodom Ranariddh Hun Sen Ung Huot Born(1922-10-31 ) 31 October 1922 Phnom Penh, Cambodia, French IndochinaDied15 October 2012(2012-10-15) (aged 89) Beijing, ChinaBurial13 July 2014 (interment of ashes) Silver Pagoda, Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, CambodiaSpouse Norodom Monineath ​(m. 1955)​ See list Phat Kanhol (1942–46) Sisowath Pongsanmoni (1942–1951) Sisowath Monikessan (1944–1946) Norodom Thavet Norleak (1955–1968) Mam Manivan Phanivong (1949–1955) Issue14 See list Norodom Buppha Devi Norodom Yuvaneath Norodom Ranariddh Norodom Ravivong Norodom Chakrapong Norodom Naradipo Norodom Soriyaraingsey Norodom Kantha Bopha Norodom Khemanurakh Norodom Botumbopha Norodom Sucheatvateya Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Narindrapong Norodom Arunrasmy HouseNorodomFatherNorodom SuramaritMotherSisowath KossamakReligionTheravada Buddhism Prime Minister of CambodiaIn office 17 November 1961 – 13 February 1962Preceded by Penn NouthSucceeded by Nhiek Tioulong (acting)In office 10 July 1958 – 19 April 1960MonarchNorodom SuramaritPreceded by Sim VarSucceeded by Pho ProeungIn office 9 April 1957 – 7 July 1957MonarchNorodom SuramaritPreceded by San YunSucceeded by Sim VarIn office 15 September 1956 – 15 October 1956MonarchNorodom SuramaritPreceded by Khim TitSucceeded by San YunIn office 1 March 1956 – 24 March 1956MonarchNorodom SuramaritPreceded by Oum Chheang SunSucceeded by Khim TitIn office 3 October 1955 – 5 January 1956MonarchNorodom SuramaritPreceded by Leng NgethSucceeded by Oum Chheang SunIn office 7 April 1954 – 18 April 1954Preceded by Chan NakSucceeded by Penn NouthIn office 16 June 1952 – 24 January 1953Preceded by Huy KanthoulSucceeded by Penn NouthIn office 28 April 1950 – 30 May 1950Preceded by Yem SambaurSucceeded by Sisowath MonipongIn office 18 March 1945 – 13 August 1945Preceded by Position establishedSucceeded by Son Ngoc ThanhChief of State of CambodiaIn office 20 June 1960 – 18 March 1970MonarchSisowath KossamakPreceded by Chuop Hell (acting)Succeeded by Cheng HengIn office 14 June 1993 – 24 September 1993Preceded by Chea Sim as Chairman of the Council of StateSucceeded by Himself as KingLeader of SangkumIn office 22 March 1955 – 18 March 1970Preceded by Position establishedSucceeded by None (party dissolved)President of the State Presidium of Democratic KampucheaIn office 17 April 1975 – 2 April 1976Preceded by Sak Sutsakhan as Chairman of the Supreme CommitteeSucceeded by Khieu Samphan Personal detailsPolitical partyFUNCINPEC (1981–1991) EducationCavalry SchoolWebsiteOfficial website Signature Norodom Sihanouk (/ˈ s iː h ə n ʊ k / ; Khmer: នរោត្តម សីហនុ , Nôroŭtdám Seihănŭ ; 31 October 1922 – 15 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman and royal who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout his long career, most often as the King of Cambodia. In Cambodia, he is known as Samdech Euv (Khmer: សម្តេចឪ ; "King Father"). During his lifetime, Cambodia was variously called the French Protectorate of Cambodia (until 1953), the Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970), the Khmer Republic (1970–75), Democratic Kampuchea (1975–79), the People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979–93), and again the Kingdom of Cambodia (from 1993). Sihanouk became king during French colonial rule in 1941 upon the death of his maternal grandfather, King Monivong. 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 it under one-party rule, suppressed political dissent, and declared himself Head of State in 1960. Officially neutral in foreign relations, in practice he was closer to the communist bloc. The Cambodian coup of 1970 ousted him and he fled to China and North Korea, there forming a government-in-exile and resistance movement. 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 declined 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 United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) was established the following year. The UNTAC organized the 1993 Cambodian general elections, and a coalition government, jointly led by his son Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, was subsequently formed. He 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 Queen 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.