Monarchy of Cambodia
Please note that many dates are approximate (marked 'c' - circa) and even certain rulers and reigns remain unconfirmed. We have compiled our list after consulting numerous historical and archeological sources but still lay no claims to 100% accuracy.
Early Funan kings, in our opinion, involve too much conjecture to be worth noting while the 8th-century period between Jayadevi and Jayavarman II is a very grey and unverified period, as is the post-Jayavarman VII 13th-century era.
We've done our best!
Kingdom of Funan (1st century CE–c.550)
Funan was the Chinese name for a polity that existed from approximately the 1st through to 6th-centuries CE in the Mekong Delta region of modern-day Cambodia and Vietnam. The principal port was sited at Oc Eo and the capital, Vyadhapura (?) is considered to have been located at today's Angkor Borei. The last confirmed monarch was Rudravarman, before assimilation by Chenla in the mid to late 6th-century. Apart from that little is known and even the state's ethnic make-up is debated. DNA testing hints that at least the ruling classes may have been ethnic Malay (or Cham) with the bulk of the population Khmer.
In our opinion, a more comprehensive list of monarchs than below would be too much in the realm of conjecture.
| Royal name | Other/Posthumous names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Jayavarman Kaundinya | c.484-514 | |
| Gunavarman | 514-514 | |
| Rudravarman | 514-550 |
Kingdom of Chenla (550–802)
Chenla seems to have begun life as a Khmer city-state located in the region of today's Wat Phu in southern Laos. Whether the area was under the control of Funan or Champa is not clear but independence and expansion took place from the mid-6th-century onwards. Attempts were made to unify disparate early Khmer kingdoms in what is today northeastern Thailand and northern Cambodia along with the absorption of former Funan areas in the south, leading to the founding of Bhavapura, later Isanapura, in the region of Sambor Prei Kuk.
By the late 7th-century, the focus seems to have moved to the Siem Reap area (West Baray) although considerable internal and external threats are apparent until consolidation by Jayavarman II in the early 9th-century. Early rulers at Wat Phu remain conjectural while much of the 8th-century is historically hazy.
| Royal name | Other/Posthumous names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Bhavavarman I | 560-c.600 | |
| Mahendravarman | Citrasena (Chitrasena) | 600-c.612 |
| Isanavarman I | Ishanavarman I | c.612-c.628 |
| Interregnum | c.628-638/39 | |
| Bhavavarman II | 638/39-656 | |
| Jayavarman I | c.657-680 | |
| Nripatindravarman I(?) | c.680-690/700 | |
| Jayadevi | c.690/700-713 | |
| Pushkaraksha (?) | Pushkara | c.713-c.725/30 |
| Rajendravarman I | ?-c.760 | |
| Mahipativarman (?) | c.760-790 |
Khmer Empire (802–1431)
Although there's no obvious discontinuity with the late Chenla period, the Angkor period is considered to have begun in 802 with Jayavarman II's self-proclamation as 'universal monarch'. The capital was moved from Phnom Kulen Mahendraparvata to Rolous Hariharalaya where it remained until the late 9th-century with the establishment of a new capital, Yasodharapura, around Prasat Phnom Bakheng, on the present-day site of Angkor.
Apart from a brief Koh Ker interlude and a late 12th-century conquest of the city by Chams, the capital was to remain in this area until the early 15th-century when a probable combination of ecological issues and pressure from the Siamese forced the court to move to the present-day Phnom Penh area.
| Royal Name | Other/Posthumous Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Jayavarman II | Parameshvara | 802-835 |
| Jayavarman III | Vishnuloka | 835-c.877 |
| Indravarman I | Isvaraloka | c.877-889 |
| Yasovarman I | Parasivaloka | 889-900 |
| Harshavarman I | Rudraloka | 900-923 |
| Isanavarman II | Paramarudraloka | 923-928 |
| Jayavarman IV | Paramashivapada | 928-941 |
| Harshavarman II | Brahmaloka | 941-944 |
| Rajendravarman I | Shivaloka | 944-968 |
| Jayavarman V | Paramaviraloka | 968-1001 |
| Udayadityavarman I | (unknown) | 1001-1002 |
| Jayaviravarman | (unknown) | 1002-1006 |
| Suryavarman I | Paramanirvanapada | 1006-1050 |
| Udayadityavarman II | (unknown) | 1050-1066 |
| Harshavarman III | Sadashivapada | 1066-1080/02 |
| Jayavarman VI | Paramakaivalyapada | 1080/02-1107 |
| Dharanindravarman I | Paramaniskalapada | 1107-1113 |
| Suryavarman II | Paramavishnuloka | 1113-1150 |
| Dharanindravarman II | Mahaparamanirvanapada | 1150-1156 |
| Yasovarman II | (unknown) | 1156-1165 |
| Tribhuvanadityavarman | (unknown) | 1165-1177 |
| Cham Occupation | c.1177-1181 | |
| Jayavarman VII | Mahaparamasaugatapada | 1181-1218/20 |
| Indravarman II | (unknown) | 1220-1243 |
| Jayavarman VIII | Jayavarmma Parameshvara | 1243-1295 |
| Indravarman III | Sri Indravarman | 1295-1308 |
| Injayaravarman | Sri Indrajayvarman | 1308-1327 |
| Jayavarman IX | Parameshwara | 1327-1336 |
| Trasak Paem | Ponhea Chey | 1336-1340 |
| Nippean Bat | Ponhea Kreak | 1340-1346 |
| Sithean Reachea | Sidhanta Raja | 1346-1347 |
| Lompeng Reachea | 1347-1352 | |
| Siamese Occupation | 1352-1357 | |
| Basat | Bakrasat | 1356-1359 |
| Soryavong | 1357-1363 | |
| Borom Reachea I | Borommarama | 1363-1373 |
| Thomma Saok | 1373-1393 | |
| In Reachea | Nakhonin | 1394-1421 |
| Ponhea Prek | 1421 | |
| Barom Reachea II | Ponhea Yat | c.1421-1431 |
Kingdom of Cambodia (1431–present day)
Chaktomuk Era (1431-1525)
As a result of repeated incursions by the neighbouring Siamese (as well as widely cited environmental issues at Angkor), Ponhea Yat moved his court to the Phnom Penh area in the early-15th-century. Chaktomuk is Sanskrit for 4-faces, traditionally referring to Brahma, although in this case undoubtedly to the 4 rivers which converged at the new capital as well. The area had been occupied for many centuries but was probably only a small regional centre or river port.
The capital was to remain here for some 80 years until a move to nearby Longvek.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Ponhea Yat | 1431-1463 | |
| Noreay Reameathiptei | Noreay Reachea | 1463-1469 |
| Reachea Reameathiptei | Srei Reachea | 1469-1475 |
| Srei Soriyotei II (?) | Rajadhiraja | 1472-1475 |
| Thommo Reachea I | Dharmarajadhiraja | 1476-1504 |
| Srei Sukonthor | Damkhat Sukonthor | 1504-1512 |
Longvek Era (1525-1594)
King Ang Chan I is said to have been the ruler responsible for moving the capital some 50kms north to a site adjacent to the later capital of Oudong, on the banks of the Tonle Sap River. (We're not certain why but we're sure someone can enlighten us.) The area is not particularly defensible and suffers extensive annual flooding and was sacked by King Naresuan of Ayutthaya in 1594.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Srei Chettha | Sdach Korn | 1512-1521 |
| Ang Chan I | Ponhea Chan | 1516-1566 |
| Barom Reachea I | Satha Mahindharaja | 1566-1576 |
| Satha I | Barom Reachea IV | 1576-1584 |
| Chey Chettha I | Chey Chettha | 1584-1594 |
Srei Sathor (1594-1620)
After the sacking of Longvek by Ayuthaya in 1594, a series of short-lived monarchs seem to have established themselves at the location of Srei Sathor, (or Santhor) a short distance east of Longvek but on the south banks of the Mekong instead of the west bank of the Tonle Sap.
Independence during this period is only nominal and the much-reduced Khmer kingdom found itself, not for the last time, as a pawn in the power struggle between Thailand and Vietnam.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Preah Ram I | Reamea Cheung Prey | 1594-1596 |
| Preah Ram II | Keo Ban On | 1596-1597 |
| Barom Reachea II | Ponhea Ton | 1597-1599 |
| Barom Reachea III | Ponhea An | 1599-1600 |
| Kaev Hua I | Ponhea Nhom | 1600-1603 |
| Barom Reachea IV | Srei Soriyopor | 1603-1618 |
Oudong Era (1618-1863)
The royal capital was moved once again in the early 17th-century - back to the area of Longvek at the foot of Phnom Oudong - although it was to remain at this site for some 250 years until the arrival of the French. Again this represents a period of limited autonomy under alternate pressure from both of its powerful neighbours.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Chey Chettha II | 1618-1628 | |
| Outey Reachea I | Outey | 1628-1642 |
| Thommo Reachea II | Ponhea To | 1628-1631 |
| Ang Tong Reachea | Ponhea Nou | 1631-1640 |
| Batom Reachea | Ang Non | 1640-1642 |
| Reameathiptei I | Ponhea Chan | 1642-1658 |
| Barom Reachea V | Ang So | 1658-1672 |
| Chey Chettha III | 1672-1673 | |
| Preah Keo II | Ang Chee | 1674-1674 |
| Batom Reachea III | Ang Nan | 1674 |
| Chey Chettha IV | Ang Sor | 1675-1695, 1696-1699, 1700-1706 |
| Outey I | Ang Yong | 1695-1696 |
| Barom Reameathiptei | Ang Em | 1699-1700, 1710-1722 |
| Thommo Reachea III | Ang Tham | 1706-1709, 1736-1747 |
| Satha II | Ang Chey | 1722-1736, 1749 |
| Thommo Reachea IV | Ang Em | 1747 |
| Reameathiptei III | Ang Tong | 1748–1749, 1755–1758 |
| Chey Chettha V | Ang Snguon | 1749–1755 |
| Outey Reachea II | Ang Ton | 1758–1775 |
| Ream Reachea | Ang Non II | 1775–1779 |
| Neareay Reachea III | Ang Eng | 1779 – 1782, 1794 – 1796 |
| Regency period | Ang Chan | 1796 – 1806 |
| Outey Reachea III | Ang Chan | 1806–1834 |
| Ang Mey | Ksat Trey | 1834–1841 |
| Harihak Reamea Issarathiptei | Ang Duong | 1841–1860 |
French Protectorate (1860-1953)
The establishment of Cambodia as a French protectorate in 1860 saw the capital return south to Phnom Penh, which the new rulers apparently saw as a more practical location for commerce and communications. The period includes some of Cambodia's most prestigious monarchs of recent times, such as Kings Norodom and Sisowath although autonomy was again purely nominal and Cambodia was in reality fully absorbed into French Indochine.
It has to be noted that, despite all the negative aspects, the French protectorate did ensure the survival of Cambodia as a kingdom and without it, there's a strong chance that today the country would comprise merely of a collection of Thai and Vietnamese provinces.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Norodom | 1860-1904 | |
| Sisowath | 1904-1927 | |
| Sisowath Monivong | 1927-1941 | |
| Norodom Sihanouk | 1941-1955 |
Sangkum Reastr Niyum (1953-1970)
This covers the sadly brief period between independence from France in 1953 and the declaration of a Khmer Republic in 1970. King Sihanouk abdicated in favour of his father in 1955 in order to devote himself to a political role. Upon the death of his father Norodom, his mother Sisowath Kossamak became regent with Sihanouk as de facto head of state. The queen was placed under house arrest after Lon Nol's coup created the Cambodian Republic and died in exile in China in 1975, 10 days after the Khmer Rouge took power.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Norodom Suramarit | 1955-1960 | |
| Sisowath Kossamak | 1960-1970 |
Modern Cambodia (1993-present day)
After a long career in politics, including years as de facto head of state plus a (to say the least) chequered role during the Khmer Rouge and civil war periods, Sihanouk was finally reinstated as regent in 1993 at the time of the UN organized Cambodian elections. He then remained king until his second abdication (this time for health reasons) in 2004 and died in 2012 whereupon the royal council unanimously elected his eldest son, Sihamoni to the throne where he remains to the present day.
| Royal Name | Other Names | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Norodom Sihanouk | 1993-2004 | |
| Norodom Sihamoni | 2004-Present |