Chey Chettha II
Encyclopedia
Chey Chettha II was a king of Cambodia who reigned from Oudong
, about 40 km northwest of modern-day Phnom Penh
, from 1618 to 1628. He was the son of King Borommaracha VIII (r. 1603-1618). He is noted for moving the royal capital from Srei Sonthor to Oudong, and for his cooperation with the Nguyễn Lords of Vietnam
against the Siamese, which led to the Vietnamese annexation of the Mekong Delta
, including the city of Prey Nokor—the precursor of modern-day Ho Chi Minh City
.
In order to balance the influence of the Siamese forces, which had devastated the previous capital at Lovek during the reign of his father, Chey Chettha approached the Nguyễn Dynasty for help. To cement the resulting alliance, Chey Chettha was married to Princess Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Vạn, a daughter of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, in 1618. In return, the king granted the Vietnamese the right to establish settlements in Mô Xoài (now Bà Rịa
), in the region of Prey Nokor—which they colloquially referred to
as Sài Gòn, and which later became Ho Chi Minh City
.
In 1623, Chey Chettha allowed the Vietnamese to set up a custom house
at Prey Nokor, in order to collect taxes. This settlement was the start of a major expansion by the Vietnamese beyond the borders established by Lê Thánh Tông
in 1471. The increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers which followed overwhelmed Chey Chettha II's kingdom—weakened as it was due to war with the Siamese—and slowly Vietnamized the Mekong Delta area, claiming it for their own in the 1690s.
The Dutch East India Company
established ties with Cambodia in 1620, during Chey Chettha's reign; in 1623, they established an outpost at Kompong Luong
, a riverside port near Oudong.
Oudong
Udong is a town in Cambodia, situated in the north-western part of Kandal Province. The town is located on top of the mountain Phnom Udong, about 40 km northwest of the capital Phnom Penh...
, about 40 km northwest of modern-day Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, from 1618 to 1628. He was the son of King Borommaracha VIII (r. 1603-1618). He is noted for moving the royal capital from Srei Sonthor to Oudong, and for his cooperation with the Nguyễn Lords of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
against the Siamese, which led to the Vietnamese annexation of the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
, including the city of Prey Nokor—the precursor of modern-day Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.
In order to balance the influence of the Siamese forces, which had devastated the previous capital at Lovek during the reign of his father, Chey Chettha approached the Nguyễn Dynasty for help. To cement the resulting alliance, Chey Chettha was married to Princess Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Vạn, a daughter of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, in 1618. In return, the king granted the Vietnamese the right to establish settlements in Mô Xoài (now Bà Rịa
Ba Ria
Bà Rịa is a town in Ba Ria–Vung Tau province in the southeast of Vietnam. Ba Ria is split from Vung Tau by a river crossed by Co May Bridge....
), in the region of Prey Nokor—which they colloquially referred to
Names of Ho Chi Minh City
The city now known as Ho Chi Minh City has gone by several different names during its history, reflecting settlement by different ethnic, cultural and political groups. Originally known as Prey Nokor while a part of the Khmer Empire, it came to be dubbed Sài Gòn informally by Vietnamese settlers...
as Sài Gòn, and which later became Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.
In 1623, Chey Chettha allowed the Vietnamese to set up a custom house
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Customs officials also collected customs duty on imported goods....
at Prey Nokor, in order to collect taxes. This settlement was the start of a major expansion by the Vietnamese beyond the borders established by Lê Thánh Tông
Lê Thánh Tông
Lê Thánh Tông was emperor of Đại Việt from 1460 until his death. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest emperors of Vietnamese history and the Vietnamese "Hammurabi."-Early years:...
in 1471. The increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers which followed overwhelmed Chey Chettha II's kingdom—weakened as it was due to war with the Siamese—and slowly Vietnamized the Mekong Delta area, claiming it for their own in the 1690s.
The Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
established ties with Cambodia in 1620, during Chey Chettha's reign; in 1623, they established an outpost at Kompong Luong
Kompong Luong
Kompong Luong is a large floating village north of Krakor, on Tonlé Sap Lake. Its distance from Krakor and NH5 may vary from 2 to 7 km, following the seasonal expansion and shrinking of the lake....
, a riverside port near Oudong.