Norodom Sihanouk (31 October 1922 – 15 October 2012) was a member of the House of Norodom who led Cambodia as King, Chief of State and Prime Minister. He is known as Samdech Euv (meaning “King Father”). During his lifetime, Cambodia was under various regimes, from French colonial rule (until 1953), a Japanese puppet state (1945), an independent kingdom (1953–1970), a military republic (1970–1975), the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979), a Vietnamese-backed communist regime (1979–1989), a transitional communist regime (1989–1993) to eventually another kingdom (since 1993).