Ang Chan I
Ang Chan I, also known as Chan Reachea the Great was a Cambodian king who reigned from 1516 to 1566. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, he was one of the most illustrious Cambodian kings of the post-Angkor period. He was appointed the ouparach by in 1507. As viceroy, he ruled the region of Phnom Penh and the eastern provinces.
He was ousted by a pretender named Sdach Korn in 1512. He fled to Siam and returned with a Siamese army in 1516. In the same year, he was crowned at Pursat after putting down several rebellions inspired by Neay Kan. He regained the city of Longvek from the Siamese and built the new capital there. In 1525, Ang Chan used firearms and cannons when attacking Sdach Korn. Within 3 months, Ang Chan was able to kill Sdach Korn and his followers and decapitated him.
Portuguese missionary Gaspar da Cruz visited Longvek in 1556 during Ang Chan's reign and preached the gospel. The next year, disappointed, he left the country, since most Cambodians were devout Buddhists and refused to convert to Roman Catholicism.
Since 1547, Siam was at war with Burma. Seizing the opportunity, the Cambodian army launched a counter-offensive. Angkor was regained from the Siamese. In 1553, he was crowned again in Longvek. During the period of 1559–1564, Ang Chan's army led a number of border raids on the nearby regions of Ayuttaya.
Early life
Chan Reachea was born in Chaktomuk in 1486. He was the second son of King Dharma Rechea II, who was the half-brother of Princess Srei Sokuntbot, who reigned in Tuol Basan. Kampong Cham. Chan Reachea, known as Chao Ponhea Chan Reachea, the governor of Chaktomuk district at the age of 24, was forced to leave Chaktomuk by deportation in 1509 at the request of Srei Sokuntbot, who dreamed of two dragons flying to bite his royal umbrella, which he thought of as a threat to his throne, the other being a king as Sdach Korn. The daily life of Chan Reachea in the Khmer-Siamese border area, he disguised himself as a kramak in attracting elephants to the Siamese king, named "Ramathibodi II".In 1512, Sdach Korn raised an army to conquer the capital of Tuol Basan and victoriously expelled Sokuntbot from the capital to set up a fort in Stung Sen district, Kampong Thom province. Srei Sokuntbot sent ra oyal message to inform Chan Reachea about the director's revolt and announced the appointment of Chan Reachea as Grand Viceroy to return to help him. The return Chan Reach lent 5,000 Siamese troops with the negotiation of the offering by offering 100 elephants and 5,000 soldiers to the Siamese king. Chan Reachea arrived in Battambang province, the district chief named "Ponhea Nou" donated 10,000 troops and 100 food carts to Chan Reachea, and he continued his journey to Pursat province and met with the district chief.
The name of Mern Pich, who holds 40,000 troops in "Banteay Mernchey", the arrival of Chan Reachea with the preparation of a military strategy to help "Srei Sokuntbot" late lasted for 2 years. Seeing the late military preparations of Chan Reachea, that is, in 1514 AD, Sdach Korn raised his navy with artillery to attack Stung Sen Fortress, Kampong Thom Province, in the middle of the night and assassinated Srei Sokuntbot. After Sdach Korn assassinated "Preah Srei Sokuntbot" at Banteay Stung Sen, the five crowns disappeared at the same time, so the official ascension of the director was postponed for two years to wait for the new five crowns. Finally, Sdach Korn officially declared his throne in 1516 AD, which was named "Srei Chetha Thiraj Reamea Thipadei" and it was time for the two dragons to compete for influence, as the Chan Reachea King of the Western Empire and King Korn, King of the Eastern Empire, divided the Mekong River into two parts along a stream that lasted a decade.
Cambodian Civil War (1516-1525)
Battle of Tuol Basan
After Srei Chetha ascended the throne in Tuol Basan for three months, Chan Reachea raised 30,000 troops and besieged King Korn from Tuol Basan in 1516 King Korn and his army fled to the east to set up a new fort between Kampong Cham and Prey Veng province in Tbong Khmum district and established a new capital called "Sralop Dountei Pichey Prey Nokor". The first two are equal to and have a height of 15 cubits, equal to the height and have a total length, which is a strong fortress that is not easy to break. One year after King Korn returned to Chan Reachea and set fire to the capital Tuol Basan in 1517 AD, Chan Reachea and his army withdrew to Banteay Mernchey in the same year. The two opened peace talks to allow time to gather food and increase the army, which suspended the war for three years until 1520 AD, when the King Korn army launched an attack on Chan Reachea in Kampong Chhnang province.Battle of Kampong Chhnang
After the end of the three-year war, King Korn mobilized 120,000 troops and divided them into two divisions, the first division of which was 20,000 led by the chief. "Chao Ponhea Lumpaing" troops to set up strongholds in Samrong Tong district and the second division of 30,000 led by the mighty commander of King Korn "Ponhea Kao" to cast Fortress in Chey Sour village. After gathering a huge army of 20,000 King Korn troops led by General "Chao Ponhea Lumpaing" left Samrong Tong to launch a pre-attack on Chan Reachea in Kampong Chhnang Province. Chan Reacha, named "Oknha Chakrei Keo" and "Oknha Vongsa Akka Reach", led 20,000 troops to fight fiercely with the sound of arrows, swords, spears and artillery roaring throughout the battle of Kampong Chhnang. The help of Chan Reachea, who was hiding in the forest, another 10,000 plus 140 elephant warriors behind the army "Chao Ponhea Lumpeang" of King Korn rushed out to attack the army. King Korn was defeated and fled to build a fort at Chaktomuk.Battle of Chaktomuk
One year after the war in Kampong Chhnang, Chan Reachea ordered two commanders, "Oknha Chakrei Keo" and "Oknha Vongsa Akka Reach", to lead 30,000 troops to attack Chaktomuk Fortress. 10,000 army of King Korn stood guard to protect the area, led by General "Chao Ponhea Lumpaing". Chan Reachea's army, more than twice the number of King Korn's army, defeated the Chaktomuk Battlefield in 1521 AD, and Chan Reachea's army marched on Bati district. Chan Reachea later announced that all district governors in the Kampuchea Krom area must keep their troops neutral, otherwise he would fight to the death in this war.Battle on the Four Rivers
After King Korn discovered that his nephew "Chao Ponhea Lumpaing" was killed in Chaktomuk Fortress by the army of Chan Reachea, he became very angry and sent a wrath to his general "Ponhea Kao" who threw troops in Chey Sour village, Kandal province, to mobilize for immediate revenge. In 1522 AD, 30,000 Ponhea Kao troops crossed the river to the west. The first 15,000 divisions were infantry, led by "Ponhea Sral" and "Javea Viang", and stationed at Boeung Pong Peay, north of Phnom Penh, while Ponhea Kao himself led the 2nd Battalion. 15,000 with 60 warships stormed the port of Chan Reachea at Chroy Ponlea. Ponhea Kao's navy was so strong that it chased Chan Reach's navy, led by "Vibol Reach" and "Protous Reach", to Prek Pnov, then Chan Reachea general "Ponhea Mern Pich" who set up a fort in Prek Taten came out to help the "Vibol Reach" and "Prothous Reach" troops. Seeing this, Ponhea Kao also used the trick of losing and retreating so that "Ponhea Mern Pich" could chase after his army. "Ponhea Sral" and "Javea Viang" embedded in Boeung Pong Peay, north of Phnom Penh fight from behind at the lastly Ponhea Mern Pich was kill in Chatomuk river and the Chaktomuk rivers were called "the Bloody river" by the locals.Battle of Kampong Cham (AD 1523)
After "Ponhea Kao" won the river in front of the four troops, many days without food and tired, decided to set up camp in Kampong Siem district, Kampong Cham province, with only 10,000 troops left. On the other hand, Chan Reachea, who received the news of the death of "Ponhea Mern Pich", was shocked and very sad. He then appointed "Oknha Khleang Moeung" as the Chief of Army Staff, replacing Oknha Khleang Moeung, who was well known for his war tactics and military leadership. In 1523 AD, Chan Reach divided his army into two divisions, the first division led by himself, set out on a battleship named "Saray Andet" and 300 other warships to gather troops in the province Santuk with 55,000 and the second group of 50,000 led by "Duke Khleang Moeung" went out to attack the army "Ponhea Kao" In Kampong Siem district, Kampong Cham province, at the same time.The news of Chan Reachea's declaration of war reached King Korn. He mobilized the remaining 80,000 troops into five divisions, the first division led by "Ponhea Prom Vieng" with 15,000 as the front line army, the second division led by "Ponhea Penh" has 10,000, the third division led by "Ponhea Nuon" has 10,000 The 4th Brigade led by "Ponhea Tun" has 10,000 as the rearline army and the 5th Brigade led by "Ponhea Phat Sral" and "Ponhea Vibol Reach" has 20,000 with 300 warships as navy to defend the fort in Kampong Siem district, the site of the battle of Kampong Cham. King Korn directly commanded 20,000 royal troops and assigned 20,000 generals "Ponhea Kao" and "Javea Viang" to lead the army, plus the royal army. 40,000 guarding the "Sralop Pichey" fort in Tbong Khmum district, the total number of troops defending King Korn's Kampong Siem district was 65,000. Finally, more than 100,000 of Chan Reach's troops attacked the Kampong Siem district fort of Kampong Cham in 1523.