Cambodian–Spanish War Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Cambodian–Spanish War

Date	1593–1597
Location	Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Result	Cambodian victory

Belligerents

Cambodia

Spanish Empire

Commanders and leaders

Preah Ram I †

Preah Ram II †
Laksamana

Luis Pérez Dasmariñas

Gregorio Vargas Machuca

Blas Ruiz de Hernán Gonzáles

Diogo Veloso

Satha I

Barom Reachea II

Strength

Siamese, Cambodian, Malay, and Cham forces

Cambodian, Spanish, Mexican, Portuguese, native Filipino and Japanese forces

The Cambodian–Spanish War (1593-1597) was a conflict involving Spain and Portugal trying to take control of Cambodia. They also wanted to introduce Christianity to the people there. Soldiers from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, the Philippines, and even Japanese fighters took part in this invasion.

Why the War Started
- Cambodian Troubles
- Spanish and Portuguese Plans
The Conflict Begins
- Trouble in Cambodia
- A New King and New Problems
See also

Why the War Started

Each country had its own reasons for joining this war. For Cambodia, it was about a power struggle within its own government. The Spanish and Portuguese were involved because King Philip II of Spain ruled both Spain and Portugal at that time. This was known as the Iberian Union.

Cambodian Troubles

In 1593, the Thai ruler Naresuan attacked Cambodia. About 100,000 Thai soldiers invaded. This growing Thai power worried the Cambodian king, Satha I. He needed help from other countries.

King Satha I found allies in two European adventurers. One was a Portuguese man named Diogo Veloso. The others were Spanish, Blas Ruiz de Hernán Gonzáles and Gregorio Vargas Machuca.

Spanish and Portuguese Plans

The Europeans tried to get more soldiers from their colonies. They sought help from Portuguese Malacca and the Spanish Philippines. However, the Spanish governor, Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, did not want to form an alliance with Cambodia. He preferred to try and settle the conflict with Thailand peacefully. He was likely more interested in other military campaigns.

Because of this, the Thai army conquered the Cambodian capital, Longvek, in 1594. King Satha I was either killed or fled to Laos.

The three European adventurers, Veloso, Ruiz, and Vargas, were captured. They were sent to Thailand as prisoners. But Veloso and Vargas managed to convince the Thai ruler to send them to Manila. There, they escaped. Ruiz and the others also managed to take over the ship they were on. They all met up again in Manila and planned a new military mission.

The Conflict Begins

The first Spanish group arrived in Cambodia in 1596. They had three ships and were led by Juan Juárez Gallinato. There were 140 Spanish soldiers, plus some fighters from the Philippines and Japanese mercenaries. One of Gallinato's ships was lost in a storm. But the other two, led by Ruiz and Veloso, reached Cambodia.

Trouble in Cambodia

When they arrived, they found that a new king, Preah Ram I, had taken the throne. He used to be a helper to the old king. The Europeans caused trouble when they fought and defeated 2,000 Chinese soldiers. The new king became unfriendly towards them. Veloso suggested they attack the king's palace and capture him.

The attack did not go as planned. The king died during the fight. The Europeans had to leave and rejoin Gallinato. Gallinato then ordered the ships to look for allies in Laos. But they failed to find help there. Soon after, the group broke up.

A New King and New Problems

In October 1596, Ruiz and Veloso found a new leader for Cambodia. This was Barom Reachea II, the second son of the old King Satha. He had support from Laos. With the help of the Europeans, the young king invaded Cambodia. He became king in May 1597.

The new king gave the Europeans control over two areas near the Mekong River. Veloso later got permission and money to build a fort. But the situation in Cambodia was still not stable. In 1599, Veloso led four ships from Manila, but two were destroyed in a storm.

A Malay Muslim admiral named Laksamana was against the Europeans. He used the unstable situation to cause trouble. He provoked an attack on one of the European men, Luis Ortiz. The Spanish fought back by attacking a Malay camp. But then, Malay, Chams, and their allies attacked. They killed many Spanish and Portuguese soldiers, including Diogo Veloso. Only a few Filipinos and one Spaniard survived.

Because of this defeat, Spain's plan to make Cambodia Christian failed. Laksamana later had King Barom Reachea II killed. By July 1599, Thailand had taken control of Cambodia.

Cambodian–Spanish War facts for kids

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