The French Protectorate of Cambodia formed part of the French Colonial Empire in Southeast Asia. It was established in 1867 when the Cambodian King Norodom requested the establishment of a French protectorate over his country, meanwhile Siam (modern Thailand) renounced suzerainty over Cambodia and officially recognized the French protectorate on Cambodia. Cambodia was integrated into the French Indochina union in 1887 along with the French colonies and protectorates in Vietnam (Cochinchina, Annam and Tonkin). In 1946, Cambodia was granted self-rule within the French Union and had its protectorate status abolished in 1949. Cambodia later gained its independence in 1953 through the Geneva Accords. During 19th century, the kingdom of Cambodia had been reduced into a
vassal state to the kingdom of Siam which had annexed its western
provinces, including Angkor and growing influence from the Vietnamese Nguyen Dynasty
threatened the eastern portion of the country. After the French
establishment of a colony in Cochinchina (present-day southern Vietnam)
in 1867, King Norodom of Cambodia requested a French protectorate over
his kingdom. At the time, Pierre-Paul de La Grandière, colonial governor
of Cochinchina, was carrying out plans to expand French rule over the
whole of Vietnam and viewed Cambodia as a buffer between French
possessions in Vietnam and Siam. On 5 July 1863, Norodom signed a treaty
acknowledging a French protectorate over his kingdom. Under the treaty,
the Cambodian monarchy was allowed to remain, but power was largely vested to a resident general to be housed in Phnom Penh.
France was also to be in charge of Cambodia's foreign and trade
relations as well as provide military protection. Siam later recognized
the protectorate after France ceded the Cambodian province of Battambang
and recognized Thai control of Angkor............................................................................................................................................
No comments:
Post a Comment