Ang Chan I

Ang Chan I or Chan Reachea (Khmer: ចន្ទរាជា; 1476–1566) was the Cambodian king reigned from 1516 to 1566. He was regarded as one of the most illustrious Cambodian kings of the post-Angkor era.[1]

He was appointed the ouparach (heir apparent or viceroy) by Damkhat Sokonthor in 1507. As the 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 Lovek from Siamese, and built the new capital there.[1] In 1525, Ang Chan got his hand on firearms and cannons technology and started an attack on Sdach Korn, within 3 months, Ang Chan was able to kill Sdach Korn followers and cut off his head.

Portuguese missionary Gaspar da Cruz visited Lovek in 1556. He preached the gospel, but in the next year, he had to leave the country disappointedly because most of Cambodians were devout Buddhists and refused to convert to Roman Catholicism.[2]

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 Lovek. During the period of 1559–64, Ang Chan's I army attacked the nearby regions of Ayuttaya.[1]