Si Votha
Encyclopedia
Si Votha (c. 1841 - 31 December 1891) was a Cambodia
n prince who was briefly a contender for the throne. He spent his entire life fighting his half brother King Norodom
for the throne, and died without coming close to toppling his half brother from the throne.
Si Votha was a grandson of King Ang Eng (1772–1796) and a son of King Ang Duong
, who ruled Cambodia from 1841 to 1860. His life accounts did not record whom he was married to but it did record that he had a daughter named Neak Ang Mechas (Princess) Ang Duong Rath Votha. Si Votha had two half-brothers, Norodom
and Sisowath
, with Norodom being the king's chosen heir. Upon King Ang Duong's death, a succession struggle ensued, with Si Votha attempting to take power. Norodom, although occupied with a rebellion, eventually gained the upper hand, and was backed by Sisowath.
During the 1870s, taking advantage of a new uprising against Norodom's authority, Si Votha swiflty returned to Cambodia from Thailand. Begging the pardon of the king of Siam for his unauthorized departure, Si Votha left Bangkok, swiftly passed through Battambang, and travelled onward to the higher region of the Mekong. He had little difficulty in quickly raising a large band of supporters and began to harry the officials loyal to King Norodom. He besieged the provincial capital at Kampong Thom and went through the turbulent province of Kampong Svai. Forces dispatched under Norodom's orders failed to apprehend him. As late as 1876, Si Votha remained in revolt, striking at an outpost of Norodom's government, and slipping back to his sanctuary among the Stiengs, one of the tribal groups on the fringes of Cambodian society. The French refused to help King Norodom put down Si Votha's revolt until the king concluded a treaty which advocated several reforms. By January 1877 the treaty was concluded and on January 15, King Norodom proclaimed a series of reforms under the new treaty. In return, the French now bent their efforts to defeating Si Votha's uprising. Si Votha's uprising lasted until 1885-1886. It was Norodom's prestige that ultimately brought Si Votha's resistance to an end. Si Votha, lurking on the northeastern boundaries of the kingdom, was a nuisance but nothing more.
After a lifetime of dissidence, Prince Si Votha died in December 1891. After the failure of his efforts in 1885-1886, his followers became fewer, dwindling to a few companions by the time he died. In the closing years of his life, Si Votha entered into hesitant and inconclusive negotiations with the French. Tired of long years of life in the jungle of northeastern Cambodia among the less civilised hilltribe people, Si Votha offered his submission to the French but, at all costs, refused to submit to his half brother, King Norodom. Almost totally abandoned by his followers and virtually without resources, he died on the last day of 1891. Si Votha's life of perpetual dissidence had never brought him within certain reach of toppling Norodom from the throne. Backed by the French, Norodom had always been able to resist Si Votha's uprisings, despite the latter's popular appeal or gift of oratory.
, who were attempting to expand their influence in Cambodia
at the time, were pleased by Si Votha's defeat, as he had been an outspoken critic of European colonialism in the area. Si Votha became something of a figurehead for resistance against the French. Si Votha's rebellion was largely unsuccessful, however, and in 1887, Cambodia was incorporated in the French-controlled Indochinese Union.
Si Votha came to symbolise the first fight against the French colonial rule in Cambodia. But his rebellion was largely born out of jealousy and animosity toward his half brother King Norodom, rather than a desire for the independence of his country from France. During his time he was never considered an independence fighter but rather a rebellious usurper of the Cambodian throne.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n prince who was briefly a contender for the throne. He spent his entire life fighting his half brother King Norodom
Norodom of Cambodia
Norodom I ruled as king of Cambodia from 1860 to 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, and half-brother of Prince Si Votha as well as the half-brother of King Sisowath. Norodom is cognate with Narottam in Sanskrit which means Best of men . Norodom was...
for the throne, and died without coming close to toppling his half brother from the throne.
Si Votha was a grandson of King Ang Eng (1772–1796) and a son of King Ang Duong
Ang Duong
Ang Duong was king of Cambodia.Ang Duong was younger son of king Ang Eng, who 1779-1797 was ruler of Cambodia at the then capital Oudong, by one of his Thai consorts, Ros, 'queen Vara' , whom he had taken as concubine in 1793 from Bangkok.He is regarded as the Great-King of Cambodia who...
, who ruled Cambodia from 1841 to 1860. His life accounts did not record whom he was married to but it did record that he had a daughter named Neak Ang Mechas (Princess) Ang Duong Rath Votha. Si Votha had two half-brothers, Norodom
Norodom of Cambodia
Norodom I ruled as king of Cambodia from 1860 to 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, and half-brother of Prince Si Votha as well as the half-brother of King Sisowath. Norodom is cognate with Narottam in Sanskrit which means Best of men . Norodom was...
and Sisowath
Sisowath of Cambodia
Sisowath I was king of Cambodia from 1904 to his death in 1927.Sisowath was born in Battambang in Cambodia. He was the son of King Ang Duong and half brother of Prince Si Votha and King Norodom....
, with Norodom being the king's chosen heir. Upon King Ang Duong's death, a succession struggle ensued, with Si Votha attempting to take power. Norodom, although occupied with a rebellion, eventually gained the upper hand, and was backed by Sisowath.
Rebellion
When Norodom was officially crowned king in 1864 in a joint coronation ceremony supervised by the French and Siamese officials, Si Votha once again made no secret of his intention to lay claim to the Cambodian throne. Norodom's throne would have been extremely precarious without French support. Sisowath would likely have adopted the same attitude as Si Votha if the Siamese king had allowed him to leave Bangkok. Si Votha's long history of opposition to Norodom, which led him to lead a life of discomfort in the most isolated regions of the kingdom, suggests some deep personal antagonism between the two princes.During the 1870s, taking advantage of a new uprising against Norodom's authority, Si Votha swiflty returned to Cambodia from Thailand. Begging the pardon of the king of Siam for his unauthorized departure, Si Votha left Bangkok, swiftly passed through Battambang, and travelled onward to the higher region of the Mekong. He had little difficulty in quickly raising a large band of supporters and began to harry the officials loyal to King Norodom. He besieged the provincial capital at Kampong Thom and went through the turbulent province of Kampong Svai. Forces dispatched under Norodom's orders failed to apprehend him. As late as 1876, Si Votha remained in revolt, striking at an outpost of Norodom's government, and slipping back to his sanctuary among the Stiengs, one of the tribal groups on the fringes of Cambodian society. The French refused to help King Norodom put down Si Votha's revolt until the king concluded a treaty which advocated several reforms. By January 1877 the treaty was concluded and on January 15, King Norodom proclaimed a series of reforms under the new treaty. In return, the French now bent their efforts to defeating Si Votha's uprising. Si Votha's uprising lasted until 1885-1886. It was Norodom's prestige that ultimately brought Si Votha's resistance to an end. Si Votha, lurking on the northeastern boundaries of the kingdom, was a nuisance but nothing more.
After a lifetime of dissidence, Prince Si Votha died in December 1891. After the failure of his efforts in 1885-1886, his followers became fewer, dwindling to a few companions by the time he died. In the closing years of his life, Si Votha entered into hesitant and inconclusive negotiations with the French. Tired of long years of life in the jungle of northeastern Cambodia among the less civilised hilltribe people, Si Votha offered his submission to the French but, at all costs, refused to submit to his half brother, King Norodom. Almost totally abandoned by his followers and virtually without resources, he died on the last day of 1891. Si Votha's life of perpetual dissidence had never brought him within certain reach of toppling Norodom from the throne. Backed by the French, Norodom had always been able to resist Si Votha's uprisings, despite the latter's popular appeal or gift of oratory.
Failure
The FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, who were attempting to expand their influence in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
at the time, were pleased by Si Votha's defeat, as he had been an outspoken critic of European colonialism in the area. Si Votha became something of a figurehead for resistance against the French. Si Votha's rebellion was largely unsuccessful, however, and in 1887, Cambodia was incorporated in the French-controlled Indochinese Union.
Si Votha came to symbolise the first fight against the French colonial rule in Cambodia. But his rebellion was largely born out of jealousy and animosity toward his half brother King Norodom, rather than a desire for the independence of his country from France. During his time he was never considered an independence fighter but rather a rebellious usurper of the Cambodian throne.