Si Votha

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Si Votha (Khmer: ស៊ីវត្ថា; also spelled Si Vattha; c. 1841 – 31 December 1891) was a Cambodian prince who was briefly a contender for the throne. He spent his entire life fighting his half brother King Norodom for the throne.

Si Votha was a grandson of King Ang Eng (reigning from 1772 to 1796) and a son of King Ang Duong. His biographical notes only record that he had a daughter named Neak Ang Mechas (Princess) Ang Duong Rath Votha. Si Votha^[1] had two half-brothers, Norodom and Sisowath of Cambodia, with Norodom being the king's chosen heir.^[2]

Succession struggle and 1861 rebellion

Upon King Ang Duong's death, a succession struggle ensued, with Si Votha attempting to take power while his half brother Norodom was occupied with a rebellion; eventually Norodom gained the upper hand when he gained the backing of

When Norodom was officially crowned king in 1864 in a joint coronation ceremony supervised by the

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. Having grown tired of living amongst the less civilized hill tribe people in the jungle of northeastern Cambodia, Si Votha eventually submitted to the French. However, he strongly emphasized his refusal to submit to his half-brother, King Norodom.

The French, who were attempting to expand their influence in

Defeat and death

Almost totally abandoned by his followers and virtually without resources, Prince Si Votha 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.

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.

Descendants

His descendants from his daughter Princess Rathvothea ANG live nowadays in France under the name of Yosvara family tree. Yosvara Daradevy, his great-great-granddaughter, was a member of the FUNCIPEC party and worked in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Samdech Kompreah Norodom Ranaridh from 1994 to 1997 in International Cooperation section. Following the 1997 coup d'état, she returned to France and led her life as a teacher.

Prince

Ditsawong and his family lived under the patronage of Damrong Rajanubhab until he died in 1903. He has five children from two wives as follows:[6]

• from Phuean (เผื่อน), his first wife
  • Thawin (ถวิล, daughter)
  • Wilat (วิลาศ, daughter)
• from Chan (จันทร์), his second wife
  • Phumriang (พุมเรียง, daughter)
  • Sangwian (สังเวียน, daughter)
  • Sarakham (สะราคำ, his only son)

Sarakham (1891-1969, 78 years old) worked as a judge in the Court of Justice of Thailand and had a noble title named "Phra Inthabenya" (พระอินทเบญญา). He used the surname "Wattha" (วัตถา) since 1914 following his grandfather's name "Si Votha", as suggested by Prince Svasti Sobhana.^[7] Phra Inthabenya (Sarakham Wattha) married with Phak Pinthatsathian (ภักดิ์ ปิ่นทัษเฐียร) and has three children: Thom (ธม, male), Thiat (เธียด, male) and Opal (โอปอ, female).^[8]

References