Sisowath Monipong ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ មុនីពង្ស; 25 August 1912 – 31 August 1956) was the second son of the former

King of Cambodia The monarchy of Cambodia is the head of state of the Kingdom of Cambodia. In the contemporary period, the King's power has been limited to that of a symbolic figurehead. The monarchy had been in existence since at least 68 AD except during ...

Sisowath Monivong Sisowath Monivong ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ មុនីវង្ស, ;Headly, Robert K.; Chhor, Kylin; Lim, Lam Kheng; Kheang, Lim Hak; Chun, Chen. 1977. ''Cambodian-English Dictionary''. Bureau of Special Research in Modern Langua ...

and Princess Norodom Kanviman Norleak Tevi. He took part in Cambodian politics during and after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Biography

He began his studies in Cambodia, before being sent to France, in

Grasse Grasse (; Provençal oc, Grassa in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional it, Grassa) is the only subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region on the French Riviera. In 2017, the co ...

then in

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

, from 1927, under the control of the Governor of Indochina, François Marius Baudoin. Back to Cambodia in 1930, he spent a whole year at the monastery of Vatt Botum Vaddey in Phnom Penh. The year after, the prince went back to France, where he eventually entered the prestigious academy of

École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr The École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr (ESM, literally the "Special Military School of Saint-Cyr") is a French military academy, and is often referred to as Saint-Cyr (). It is located in Coëtquidan in Guer, Morbihan, Brittany. Its motto ...

Coëtquidan Camp Coëtquidan (''Camp de Coëtquidan'') is a French military educational facility located in the Morbihan department of Brittany in France. It forms a part of the commune of Guer and covers an area of approximately 64 km². It comprises: ...

. In 1939, he joined the French Air Force and took part in military operations until June 1940. After his father's death on 23 April 1941, his nephew, King

Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout hi ...

, nominated him as "Preah Ang Krom Luong" on 2 May 1941. From 1941 on, Prince Sisowath Monipong participated actively in Cambodian politics. He was appointed Royal Delegate for Health, Sports and Economy and in 1946, he was designated Minister of National Education in the government led by his eldest brother, Prince Samdech Krom Preah Sisowath Monireth. In May 1949, he was made Director General of Services in the Royal Palace and, in November 1949, represented Cambodia in Paris for the signature of the first treaty between France and Cambodia, as part of the Union Française. Eventually, in 1950, he was appointed Prime Minister (1 June 1950 – 3 March 1951). Stupa of King Sisowath Monivong in Oudong

Stupa of King Sisowath Monivong in Oudong

In 1955, after the abdication of

and the nomination of King

Norodom Suramarit Norodom Suramarit ( km, នរោត្តម សុរាម្រិត, ; 6 March 1896 – 3 April 1960) was King of Cambodia from 3 March 1955 until his death in 1960. He was the father of King Norodom Sihanouk and the grandfather of C ...

and of Her Majesty Samdech Preah Mahaksatriyani Queen

Sisowath Kosamak Sisowath Kossamak ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសមៈ; 9 April 1904 – 27 April 1975) was the queen consort of King Norodom Suramarit of Cambodia, who reigned from 1955 to 1960. After her husband's death in 1960, her son Norod ...

Nearirâth Serey Vatthana, his elder sister, prince Sisowath Monipong was appointed Ambassador of Cambodia in Paris, where he died of a heart attack on 31 August 1956. His funeral took place in Phnom Penh a couple of years after, following the ancient tradition of the Khmer monarchy. His ashes were deposited by his eldest son, Prince Sisowath Samyl Monipong in the

stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as '' śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumam ...

of king

, on the holy hill of Phnom Preah Reach Troap in

Oudong ( km, ឧដុង្គ; also romanized as Udong or Odong) is a former town of the post-Angkorian period (1618–1863) situated in present-day ''Phsar Daek'' Commune, Ponhea Lueu District, Kandal Province, Cambodia. Located at the foothill of t ...

Private life

Prince Sisowath Monipong had 5 wives and 13 children:"Etat nominatif des Membres de la Famille Royale du Cambodge", Registre du Palais Royal, Phnom Penh, 1967 * from Neak Moneang Andrée Lambert : ** Prince Sisowath Samyl Monipong (11 April 1941-2020) * from Neak Moneang Phit Sopheak Samosan Chhomya : ** Princess Sisowath Pongsirya (23 February 1942 – 1975) ** Prince Sisowath Monisisowath (20 January 1943 – 1975) ** Princess Sisowath Moniringsy (6 February 1944) * from Mam Duong Monirak Ous : ** Princess Sisowath Lysa (20 November 1942 – 1975) * from Neak Moneang Son Sunneary : ** Princess Sisowath Sovethvong (17 September 1945 – 1994) ** Princess Sisowath Pongneary (29 May 1947) ** Princess Sisowath Monisophea (1 June 1949 – 1975) ** Prince Sisowath Duong Daravong (10 August 1950 – 1974) * from Neak Moneang Chan Sorey : ** Prince Sisowath Reymoni (23 June 1952 - 1975) ** Princess Sisowath Siviman (8 May 1953 - 1975) ** Princess Sisowath Phuong Nara Sylvia (9 November 1954) ** Princess Sisowath Ponnirath (25 September 1956 - 1975)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sisowath, Monipong 1912 births 1956 deaths 20th-century Cambodian politicians Cambodian diplomats Cambodian expatriates in France Ambassadors of Cambodia to France People from Phnom Penh Prime Ministers of Cambodia Cambodian princes House of Sisowath French Air and Space Force personnel French military personnel of World War II Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion