Item number: M461-9

Year: AD 1864-1975

Material: Gold and Enamel

Provenance: Jakobowicz & Associes 2025

This object is a miniature version of the Royal Order of Cambodia, featuring an eight-pointed star made of gold, connected to a suspended crown. At the apex of the crown, there is a small cross atop a golden globe. The obverse of the medal has an oval shape with purple enamel painting, bearing the golden royal coat of arms. The outer edge of the oval is surrounded by a red enamel border with gold medallions on both sides.

The statutory width of the original ribbon was 37 millimetres. Its initial design consisted of a red ribbon bordered in green. In AD 1899, the French colonial administration judged this colour scheme to be excessively similar to that of the Legion of Honour and issued a new decree changing the ribbon to white with orange borders. For the fourth class and above, corresponding to the officer grade, the ribbon was adorned with a white-and-orange rosette measuring 30 millimetres in diameter. In AD 1948, following its liberation from colonial status, Cambodia reverted to the original red-and-green ribbon colours. Miniature versions were issued without a ribbon.

Under the unique Mandala system in Southeast Asia, a region could simultaneously be a vassal of different rulers. Cambodia, once a powerful empire in the medieval period under the Khmer Empire, later became a vassal of both the Vietnamese Nguyễn Dynasty and the Siamese (Thai) Chakri Dynasty. Since AD 1845, Siam (Thailand) and Vietnam have jointly exercised protection over Cambodia.

However, Southeast Asia’s traditional order quickly faced challenges and disruptions from the new power, France. Unwilling to be a puppet of Siam, Crown Prince Norodom sought support and protection from the emerging French influence. Since French intervention in July AD 1863, Cambodia became a highly autonomous protectorate. On February 8, AD 1864, King Norodom I, inspired by the French Legion of Honour, established the Royal Order of Cambodia with five ranks. The initial orders were awarded to French military commanders who assisted him in establishing his independence. (See Table)

As the suzerain of Cambodia, the French colonial government had the authority to award this order, similar to the king. According to the colonial decree of AD 1896, foreign individuals residing in Cambodia for at least three years or those who contributed to the expansion of French colonial territories were eligible to receive this award. In AD 1948, amid the post-war decolonization wave, France abolished Cambodia’s colonial status, turning the Order into a national decoration for Cambodia. In AD 1955, the Kingdom of Cambodia gained independence, breaking away from the French Union.

Subsequently, Cambodia was drawn into the Cold War dynamics of Southeast Asia. In AD 1970, the royal government was overthrown by a United States–backed military coup, leading to the establishment of the Khmer Republic, which provided support to South Vietnam. Prince Norodom Sihanouk thereafter allied himself with the Chinese- and Vietnamese-supported Khmer Rouge. During his period of exile, the prince and the royal household continued to confer the order. In AD 1975, Sihanouk successfully returned to the newly established Democratic Kampuchea and resumed the granting of the order. However, in AD 1976, amid the intensification of radical socialist policies characterised by forced evacuations, compulsory labour, and increasingly aggressive anti-monarchical campaigns, Sihanouk resigned from office and was subsequently placed under house arrest within the royal palace. He survived personally, while many other members of the royal family were reported as having “disappeared.” The conferral of Cambodian orders was consequently suspended. In AD 1977, Democratic Kampuchea invaded Vietnam’s Kiên Giang and An Giang provinces, triggering the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. In AD 1978, in response to the conflict, Democratic Kampuchea lifted Sihanouk’s house arrest and dispatched him abroad to seek international support. In early AD 1979, the capital Phnom Penh fell, and the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea was established. In the same year, Sihanouk addressed the United Nations Security Council, presenting evidence of Khmer Rouge atrocities and Vietnam’s invasion, and calling for a peaceful resolution through the formation of a coalition government. In AD 1993, Sihanouk was restored to the throne. In AD 1995, King Sihanouk reinstated the Cambodian orders, which to this day continue to be awarded as the highest legally constituted national decorations of Cambodia.

物件編號: M461-9

年代: 公元 1864-1975 年

材質: 黃金和琺瑯

來源: 雅各博維奇拍賣行 2025

此物件為迷你版的柬埔寨王家勳章，外觀為黃金打造的八芒星，上方連結一頂王冠，王冠頂端的金球還有一個小十字架。勳章正面有一紫色琺瑯彩繪的橢圓形，上頭有代表皇室的金色家徽。橢圓形的外邊，環繞著一道兩側夾金邊的紅色琺瑯。

原綬帶的法定寬度為37毫米，原先設計是帶有綠色邊框的紅色綬帶。公元1899年，由於法國殖民政府認為配色跟榮譽軍團勳章過於相似，頒布新法令將顏色改為橙色邊框的白色綬帶。四等的軍官級以上，綬帶飾以一朵30毫米的白色和橙色花飾。公元1948年，擺脫殖民地位的柬埔寨恢復為原先的紅綠配色綬帶。迷你版則無綬帶。

在東南亞獨特的曼荼羅體系下，一個地方可能同時是不同統治者的附庸，曾在中世紀不可一世的高棉帝國，後續卻淪為越南阮朝和暹羅(泰國)扎克里王朝附庸的柬埔寨正是一個生動例子。自公元1845年起，暹羅和越南對柬埔寨實施聯合保護。

不過很快東南亞的舊秩序，就遭到新勢力法國的挑戰和破壞，不甘為暹羅魁儡的儲君諾羅敦，趁勢尋求新勢力的支持和保護。自1863年7月法國干預下，柬埔寨成為高度自治的保護國。公元1864年2月8日，登基為國王的諾羅敦一世參考法國榮譽軍團勳章，成立擁有五個等級的皇家柬埔寨勳章，首批勳章被授予協助其自立的法軍指揮官們。(見下圖)

作為柬埔寨的宗主國，法國殖民政府比照國王有頒發該勳章的權力。根據公元1896年的殖民地法令，在柬埔寨有效居留至少三年，或對於擴張法國殖民地有功的外籍人士，皆有獲頒該獎勵的資格。公元1948年，在戰後的去殖民浪潮影響下，法國先取消柬埔寨的殖民地地位，使該勳章成為柬埔寨的國家勳章。公元1955年，柬埔寨王國脫離法蘭西聯邦成為獨立的國家。

隨後捲入東南亞冷戰漩渦的柬埔寨，公元1970年皇室遭到美國支持的軍方推翻，是為高棉共和國，向南越提供支援。西哈努克親王於是與中國、越南支持的紅色高棉聯合。西哈努克親王為首的王室，在流亡期間仍持續授予該勳章。公元1975年，西哈努克親王成功返回新建的民主柬埔寨，恢復勳章的頒發。但公元1976年，由於愈發激進的社會主義運動中，強迫遷徙、強迫勞動，與反王室的運動愈演愈烈，西哈努克請辭，後持續遭軟禁於王宮中，僅以身免，其餘王室成員則多「失蹤」。柬埔寨勳章也停止頒發。公元1977年，民主柬埔寨入侵越南堅江省與安江省，柬越戰爭爆發。公元1978年，民主柬埔寨為應對柬越戰爭，解除軟禁，並遣其為國爭取外援。公元1979年初，首府金邊淪陷，越南扶持的柬埔寨人民共和國成立。同年，西哈努克於安理會會議上向聯合國展示了紅色高棉的屠殺和越南的入侵，呼籲和平解決，組織聯合政府。公元1993年，西哈努克復辟。公元1995年，西哈努克國王恢復柬埔寨勳章，時至今日，柬埔寨勳章仍作為柬埔寨最高法定國家勳章發放。