Editing Norodom Sihanouk (section)

==Legacy==
[[File:KingSihanouk&QueenMonineath_-_Copy.jpg|thumb|right|King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen [[Norodom Monineath]] on the 100,000 [[Cambodian riel|riel]]]]
Sihanouk was at the forefront of Cambodian public life for more than 60 years, serving in various capacities and was one of the most consequential leaders in modern Cambodian history.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3722474.stm|title=Profile: Norodom Sihanouk|work=BBC News|date=14 October 2004|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref name=com>{{cite web|last1=Osborne|first1=Milton|title=The Complex Legacy of Norodom Sihanouk|url=https://archive.lowyinstitute.org/publications/complex-legacy-norodom-sihanouk|work=Lowy institute|date=17 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022|archive-date=25 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625090539/https://archive.lowyinstitute.org/publications/complex-legacy-norodom-sihanouk|url-status=dead}}</ref> Indeed, as noted journalist [[Martin Woollacott]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' said, "No monarch in modern times has embodied the life and fate of his country so completely as Norodom Sihanouk."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Woollacott |first1=Martin |title=King Norodom Sihanouk obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/15/king-norodom-sihanouk |work=The Guardian |date=15 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref>

This was reflected in him being the [[Guinness World Record]] holder for "Most state roles held by a modern royal." In chronological order of positions held, Sihanouk served in the following roles: king, prime minister, head (chief) of state, regent, head of the government-in-exile, president, president-in-exile, head of the government-in-exile, president of the Supreme National Council, head of state, king.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-state-roles-held-by-a-modern-royal|title=Most state roles held by a modern royal|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |year=1993|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref>

Credited as one of the 'great survivors' of contemporary Asian politics and described as a charismatic, albeit mercurial figure,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/sihanouk-great-survivor-turns-89|title=Sihanouk: The great survivor turns 89|publisher=Lowy institute|date=31 October 2011|access-date=7 May 2022|archive-date=26 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626110155/https://archive.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/sihanouk-great-survivor-turns-89|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/norodom-sihanouk-dies-at-89-former-cambodian-king-led-country-through-decades-of-strife/2012/10/14/95dd23fa-d616-11df-8694-5a653f4d5a7a_story.html|title=Norodom Sihanouk dies at 89; former king led Cambodia through decades of strife|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=15 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/idss/1920-norodom-sihanouk-his-mercuria/|title=CO13030 – Norodom Sihanouk: His Mercurial Art of Preserving a Small State|publisher=S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies|date=9 September 2014|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newmandala.org/norodom-sihanouks-wonderful-horrible-life/|title=Norodom Sihanouk's wonderful, horrible life|work=New Mandala|date=30 January 2013|access-date=8 July 2022}}</ref> observers viewed Sihanouk's legacy as a complex one that is difficult to adequately quantify with precision with both achievements and failings in near equal measure. Sihanouk himself once referenced [[William Shakespeare]] as a means to do 'literary justice' to his legacy. [[David P. Chandler|David Chandler]] and [[Milton Osborne]], leading scholars on Cambodia, reflected on this notion, acknowledging that on one hand, as the father of [[Independence Day of Cambodia|Cambodian independence]] during the [[French protectorate of Cambodia|French protectorate]] era, he deserves great praise for his instrumental efforts that resulted in a self-governing [[Cambodia (1953–1970)|Cambodia]]. On the other hand, his brief alignment with the [[Khmer Rouge]] after his ousting in the [[1970 Cambodian coup d'état]] by [[Lon Nol]] tainted his reputation, although it was believed Sihanouk was not aware of the [[Cambodian genocide|genocidal intentions]] of the Khmer Rouge, as he too, was impacted by the regime, with his house arrest and the deaths of several of his family members. Sihanouk would later formally condemn the regime and its worst excesses.<ref name=com/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chandler|first1=David|title=Norodom Sihanouk, a Cambodian life |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/norodom-sihanouk-cambodian-life/ |work=[[OpenDemocracy]] |date=19 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19943965|title=Obituary: Norodom Sihanouk, former king of Cambodia|work=BBC News |date=15 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1988/07/25/sihanouk-warns-against-return-of-khmer-rouge/93bbfa4c-0b84-41e8-8009-217f67eab753/|title=Sihanouk Warns Against Return of Khmer Rouge|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=25 July 1988|access-date=11 May 2022}}</ref>

[[File:02-King_Norodom_Sihanouk_Statue_Neak_Banh_Tuek_Park_Phnom_Penh-nX-2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Norodom Sihanouk Memorial]] in Phnom Penh]]
However, as [[Martin Woollacott|Woollacott]] noted, given the context of the country's tumultuous history, "to Cambodians, Sihanouk represented continuity when so much in their country had been destroyed. They valued his warmth and his evident concern for his people, while recognising that he had made many mistakes."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Woollacott |first1=Martin |title=King Norodom Sihanouk obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/15/king-norodom-sihanouk |work=The Guardian| date=15 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13006539|title=Cambodia country profile|work=BBC News |date=20 July 2018|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref> Indeed, Sihanouk's own tumultuous life is sometimes described as mirroring that of his country and he also expressed regret at some of his shortcomings during his time at the helm of Cambodia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1061473/cambodias-ex-king-norodom-sihanouk-dies-beijing|title=Cambodia's ex-king Norodom Sihanouk dies in Beijing|work=South China Morning Post |date=15 October 2012|access-date=11 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-norodom-sihanouk-20121015-story.html|title=Norodom Sihanouk dies at 89; former king of Cambodia|work=Los Angeles Times |date=15 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref> [[David P. Chandler|Chandler]] and [[Milton Osborne|Osborne]] observed that despite his flaws, he was devoted to his country.<ref name=com/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chandler|first1=David|title=Norodom Sihanouk, a Cambodian life |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/norodom-sihanouk-cambodian-life/ |work=OpenDemocracy |date=19 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref> Moreover, this perspective is echoed by [[Jamie Metzl]], a former Executive Vice President of the [[Asia Society]], who commended Sihanouk's patriotism and remarked that "the totality of his life's work demonstrates an unflappable commitment" to Cambodia, notwithstanding the aforementioned reputational blight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/photos-remembering-king-norodom-sihanouk-cambodia-1922-2012|title=Photos: Remembering King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, 1922–2012|work=Asia Society |date=15 October 2012|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref>

To that end, he commanded the deep loyalty and respect of Cambodians who "throughout coups, wars, regime changes and famine - even a full-scale genocide", found in Sihanouk, whom they considered as a "[[God king]]", as "the one stable influence in their otherwise turbulent lives", which is also underscored by his status as the overarching unifying figure of the country.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/last-khmer-god-king|title=The last Khmer god-king|work=The Phnom Penh Post |date=23 October 2012|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref> This was evident in opinion polling data released by the Cambodian Information Centre for the period between 1986 and 1997, which revealed he was the most popular leader in the country, with an approval rating ranging from a low of 56% to a high of 72% among respondents who were surveyed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.phnompenhpost.com/national/cic-surveys-say-hun-sen-and-cpp-lead-pack|title=CIC surveys say Hun Sen and CPP lead the pack|work=The Phnom Penh Post |date=17 July 1998|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref> According to [[Henri Locard]], a historian specializing in Cambodia, he believes Sihanouk's stature in the overall national consciousness is on the same level as the foremost [[National symbols of Cambodia|symbols of Cambodia]], such as [[Angkor]] and the [[Flag of Cambodia|national flag]], calling him as "the symbol of the country."<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Huge crowds mourn Cambodia's former king|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzwSqSuwDWk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/mzwSqSuwDWk |archive-date=22 December 2021 |url-status=live| publisher=Al Jazeera | via=YouTube | access-date=7 May 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref>