Le Cambodge, Abrégé d'histoire et de géographie | Cambodia, History and Geography Textbook

Only the first twelve lessons in this manual are of interest for nowadays researchers of Angkorean history, the remaining sections dealing with Catholic missions, the administrative organization of colonized Cambodia, and with other parts of the French Empire in Southeast Asia.

• Ethnology: the textbook states that ​“Cambodia has been inhabited for two thousand years, its first inhabitants being the Chongs, the Sâmrês, the Kouys, the Phnongs, the Stiengs, the Rodês (…) Currently, the Chongs live in the vicinity of Pachim and Chhantaboun; the Sâmrês in the Siémréap region; the Kouys are south of the Dângrêk mountains ; the Pnongs, the Stiéngs and the Rodes in the Kratié and Steung Treng districts.”
• Royal chronology: tracing back the origin of the Cambodian dynasties to (1) Bavavarman — ​“who around 550 vanquished the Funan Empire and became the first king of Chenla’s Kampuchea people” –, the textbook develops the following chronology: (2) Rajendravarman (beginning of the 8th century), ​“who re-established the Khmer unity”; (3) Jayavarman II ( 802 – 869), ​“who terminated the Javanese influence over the Kingdom”; (4) Yâsôvarman (889−908), ​“conqueror and statesman”; (5) Sûryavarman I (1002−1049), ​“founder of the Angkor dynasty”; (6) Udayadityavarman (1049−1079); (7) Suryavarman II (1112−1162), ​“who conquered Champa and founded Angkor Véat”; (8) Jayavarman VII (1201−1221), ​“who conquered Champa again and pacified the Northern provinces”; after the Siamese invasions and the collapse of Angkor, (9) Ang-Chan I (1500−1555) ​“defeated the Siamese on land and sea, and established his capital in Lovek : (10) Barom Réachéa, ​“son and successor of Ang-Chan I”; (11) Chey Chetta I, ​“who, defeated by the Siamese in 1587, had to escape to Steung Treng where he died”; (12) Chey Chetta II, ​“who took the daughter of the Cochinchina King for spouse around 1620 and expanded his influence to the Saigon area”; (13) Chan II, ​“a son of Chey Chetta II who converted to Islam around 1642 but had to pay tribute to the Annamites”; (14) Preah Outey, ​“who around 1760 had to retroced Travinh and Soctrang to Annam”; (15) Ang Non II, ​“who ascended to the throne thanks to the support of the Siamese in 1775 and reigned only four years; (16) Ang-Eng (1779−1796), ​“proclaimed king at the age of 6, had to flee to Bangkok a few years later, then came back with a Siamese army to reclaim the throne”; (17) Ang-Chan III (1796−1834), ​“crowned in Bangkok in 1806, lost several provinces to the SIamese”; (18) Queen Ang-Mey (1835−1841), ​“under the influence of the Annam Empire, exiled to Hue”; (19) Ang-Duong (1815−1859), ​“brother of Ang-Chan III, crowned with the assent the Siam and Annam emperors”; (20) Norodom (1859−1904 ), ​‘who had to flee to Bangkok due to his brother Si-Vatha’s rebellion, leaving the royal emblems there which were restituted by the Siamese in 1864 only (…) and signed the Protectorate Treaty on August 11, 1863”; (21) Sisovath, ​“the Obbarach who had helped Norodom to quell several seditious attempts with the help of the French troops (…) and secured a long-lasting peace thanks to the French support”. 

Note: we have kept the original transliteration of Khmer words in the translation.