Cambodia History Timeline

Cambodia, a country located in Southeast Asia, boasts a rich and complex history that spans over a millennium. From the rise of the ancient Khmer Empire and the construction of the iconic Angkor Wat, to its periods of colonization, independence, and the dark era of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia’s history is one of remarkable achievements as well as profound struggles. The country has overcome the traumas of war and genocide to rebuild itself in the modern era. This timeline provides an overview of Cambodia’s major historical events, from its early origins to the present day.

Early History and the Rise of the Khmer Empire (1st century CE – 1431 CE)

Pre-Angkorian Period and Early Kingdoms (1st century CE – 8th century CE)

• The earliest known civilization in Cambodia was the Funan Kingdom, which emerged around the 1st century CE in the Mekong Delta region. Funan was an important trading hub that connected China and India, and its culture was heavily influenced by Indian civilization, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism.
• By the 6th century CE, the Chenla Kingdom replaced Funan as the dominant power in the region. Chenla was located further inland and played a key role in the development of Khmer culture.
• During this period, the Khmer people began to form small city-states, and the foundations of the Khmer language and the region’s unique art and architecture were laid.

The Khmer Empire and the Golden Age of Angkor (802 CE – 1431 CE)

• In 802 CE, Jayavarman II declared himself the Chakravartin (universal ruler) and founded the Khmer Empire, marking the beginning of Cambodia’s golden age. He established the capital at Hariharalaya, near modern-day Siem Reap.
• The Khmer Empire, at its height, controlled much of mainland Southeast Asia, including parts of present-day Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. The empire was characterized by its advanced engineering, including vast irrigation systems and reservoirs known as barays, which supported agriculture.
• Suryavarman II (1113–1150 CE) constructed the magnificent Angkor Wat temple, originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It remains one of the largest religious monuments in the world and is a symbol of Cambodia’s architectural and cultural achievements.
• Jayavarman VII (1181–1218 CE), often considered the greatest Khmer king, expanded the empire further and built Angkor Thom and the Bayon Temple, which reflect the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in the Khmer Empire.
• The fall of Angkor began in the 13th century, partly due to internal strife and external invasions by the Siamese (Thai) from the west. In 1431 CE, the Siamese sacked Angkor, marking the end of the Khmer Empire’s dominance in the region.

Post-Angkor Period and the Dark Ages (1431 CE – 1863 CE)

Decline and Regional Conflict (15th century CE – 17th century CE)

• After the fall of Angkor, the Khmer capital was moved south to Longvek and later to Udong. Cambodia’s political power diminished as the kingdom faced pressure from neighboring Siam and Vietnam, both of which sought to expand their territories.
• The 15th to 17th centuries were marked by continuous wars with Siam and Vietnam, as Cambodia became a battleground for regional power struggles.
• During this period, Theravada Buddhism became the dominant religion in Cambodia, replacing Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism, which had been the dominant religions during the Angkorian period.

Vietnamese and Siamese Control (17th century CE – 19th century CE)

• By the 17th century, Cambodia became increasingly vulnerable to foreign influence. It oscillated between being a vassal state of Siam and Vietnam. Cambodian kings often sought protection from one power to resist the other, further weakening the kingdom.
• The Vietnamese gradually gained influence in Cambodia, particularly in the Mekong Delta, which was eventually annexed by Vietnam in the 18th century. This period saw large-scale Vietnamese settlement in the region, further eroding Cambodian sovereignty.
• In the late 18th century, the rise of the Tay Son Rebellion in Vietnam temporarily weakened Vietnamese control, allowing Cambodia to reassert some independence, but the kingdom remained under pressure from both Vietnam and Siam.

French Colonial Period (1863 CE – 1953 CE)

French Protectorate Over Cambodia (1863 CE – 1941 CE)

• In 1863, facing the threat of total annexation by Siam and Vietnam, King Norodom signed a treaty with France, placing Cambodia under French protection. This marked the beginning of the French colonial period in Cambodia.
• Under French rule, Cambodia became part of French Indochina, along with Vietnam and Laos. While the French preserved the Cambodian monarchy, they exercised significant control over the country’s administration, economy, and foreign policy.
• The French established infrastructure, including roads, schools, and administrative buildings, but much of the economic development benefited the colonial administration rather than the Cambodian people.
• Cambodian nationalism began to emerge in the early 20th century, driven by dissatisfaction with French rule and the growing desire for independence. Cambodian intellectuals and Buddhist monks played a key role in fostering a national identity.

Japanese Occupation and World War II (1941 CE – 1945 CE)

• During World War II, Cambodia was briefly occupied by Japan in 1941, though the French colonial administration remained nominally in control.
• In 1945, following Japan’s defeat, King Norodom Sihanouk declared Cambodia’s independence from France, though the French quickly reasserted control after the war.

The Road to Independence (1946 CE – 1953 CE)

• After World War II, a growing independence movement, coupled with the weakening of European colonial powers, put pressure on France to grant greater autonomy to its colonies.
• In 1946, Cambodia was granted self-rule within the French Union, and a new constitution was adopted in 1947. However, full independence was not achieved until 1953, after King Sihanouk launched a diplomatic campaign to demand Cambodia’s sovereignty.
• On November 9, 1953, Cambodia officially gained its independence from France, with Norodom Sihanouk as the head of state.

Post-Independence Cambodia (1953 CE – 1970 CE)

The Kingdom of Cambodia Under Sihanouk (1953 CE – 1970 CE)

• After gaining independence, Norodom Sihanouk became the central figure in Cambodian politics. He abdicated the throne in 1955 to pursue a political career, forming the Sangkum political movement and becoming Prime Minister.
• Sihanouk’s rule was marked by efforts to modernize the country, promote neutrality during the Cold War, and maintain Cambodia’s sovereignty amid growing regional instability due to the Vietnam War.
• In the 1960s, Sihanouk struggled to balance relations with both the United States and North Vietnam. Cambodia was increasingly drawn into the conflict, with North Vietnamese troops using Cambodian territory as a base for operations against South Vietnam.
• By the late 1960s, Cambodia faced growing internal dissent, economic problems, and the rise of leftist insurgent groups, including the Khmer Rouge, which would later play a pivotal role in the country’s history.

The Cambodian Coup and the Khmer Republic (1970 CE – 1975 CE)

• In 1970, while Sihanouk was abroad, General Lon Nol led a coup d’état that ousted Sihanouk and established the Khmer Republic. Lon Nol’s regime allied itself with the United States and South Vietnam in their fight against the communist forces in the region.
• The Khmer Republic, however, was weak and faced increasing attacks from both the North Vietnamese and the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist movement led by Pol Pot.
• Cambodia descended into civil war, with the Khmer Rouge gaining ground as the country became further engulfed in the broader conflict of the Vietnam War.

The Khmer Rouge Era and Genocide (1975 CE – 1979 CE)

The Rise of the Khmer Rouge (1970 CE – 1975 CE)

• The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, capitalized on the chaos of the civil war and the unpopularity of the Lon Nol regime. They promised to create an egalitarian society and gain support from rural peasants.
• On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, marking the fall of the Khmer Republic and the establishment of Democratic Kampuchea.

The Khmer Rouge Regime and Genocide (1975 CE – 1979 CE)

• Under Khmer Rouge rule, Cambodia experienced one of the most devastating genocides in modern history. The regime sought to transform the country into a Maoist agrarian utopia, abolishing money, markets, and religion.
• The Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated cities, sending millions of people into the countryside to work in collective farms. Intellectuals, professionals, religious figures, and anyone suspected of opposing the regime were systematically executed.
• It is estimated that 1.7 to 2 million Cambodians, roughly one-quarter of the population, died from starvation, overwork, disease, and executions during the Khmer Rouge’s rule.
• S-21 (Tuol Sleng), a former high school in Phnom Penh, became a notorious prison and torture center where thousands were imprisoned, tortured, and executed.

The Fall of the Khmer Rouge (1979 CE)

• In December 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia in response to border conflicts and human rights abuses committed by the Khmer Rouge. By January 1979, Vietnamese forces had captured Phnom Penh, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge regime.
• The Khmer Rouge retreated into the jungles near the Thai border, where they continued a guerrilla insurgency for several years. Meanwhile, a Vietnamese-backed government, the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, was installed in Phnom Penh.

Post-Khmer Rouge Period and Reconstruction (1979 CE – Present)

Vietnamese Occupation and Civil Conflict (1979 CE – 1991 CE)

• Vietnam’s occupation of Cambodia faced international condemnation, and the United Nations did not recognize the new government. The Khmer Rouge, along with other anti-Vietnamese factions, formed a coalition and continued fighting from bases along the Thai border.
• Throughout the 1980s, Cambodia remained mired in civil conflict, with international powers, including China, the United States, and the Soviet Union, backing different factions in the war.
• In 1989, Vietnam withdrew its troops from Cambodia, and the country was renamed the State of Cambodia. However, peace remained elusive until a peace agreement was reached in 1991.

The Paris Peace Accords and the United Nations (1991 CE – 1993 CE)

• The Paris Peace Accords were signed in October 1991, formally ending the Cambodian civil war. The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) was established to oversee the peace process, disarm factions, and organize elections.
• In 1993, Cambodia held its first free and fair elections under UNTAC’s supervision. Norodom Sihanouk was restored as King, and a new constitution was adopted, establishing Cambodia as a constitutional monarchy.
• The elections resulted in a coalition government between Prince Norodom Ranariddh (Sihanouk’s son) and Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge member who had defected and become a leading figure in the Vietnamese-backed government.

The Reign of Hun Sen and Modern Cambodia (1993 CE – Present)

• Hun Sen emerged as the dominant political figure in Cambodia, consolidating his power over the following decades. In 1997, he staged a coup against Prince Norodom Ranariddh and became Prime Minister.
• Under Hun Sen’s leadership, Cambodia has experienced significant economic growth and infrastructure development, though his government has been criticized for its authoritarian tendencies, including the suppression of political opposition, media censorship, and human rights abuses.
• In 2004, King Norodom Sihanouk abdicated the throne, and his son, Norodom Sihamoni, became King of Cambodia.
• Cambodia has integrated itself into the regional and global economy, joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1999 and experiencing a booming tourism sector, largely driven by visitors to Angkor Wat.

Khmer Rouge Trials and National Reconciliation (2000s – Present)

• In the 2000s, efforts were made to bring former Khmer Rouge leaders to justice. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), a UN-backed tribunal, was established to prosecute those responsible for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge era.
• Several senior Khmer Rouge leaders, including Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, were convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity, though many of the perpetrators escaped justice.
• Cambodia continues to deal with the legacy of the Khmer Rouge era, with efforts toward national reconciliation and healing for survivors of the genocide.