Queen Soma

Queen Soma (Khmer: សោមា) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Funan and the first monarch of Cambodia (reigned c. 1st century). She was also the first female leader of Cambodia. She was the consort of Kaundinya I (also known as "Hun Tean" and "Preah Thong").

Names

Soma — Indian
Liǔyè — Chinese
Neang Neak — Khmer

Legacy

Queen Soma and her husband, Kaundinya I, are known in Khmer culture as "Preah Thong (Kaundinya) and Neang Neak (Soma)". According to reports by two Chinese envoys, Kang Tai and Chu Ying, the state of Funan was established by an Indian Brahmin named Kaundinya. In the 1st century CE, Kaundinya was given instruction in a dream to take a magic bow from a temple and defeat a Khmer queen named Soma (chin. Liu Yeh, “pasture sheet”), the daughter of the king of the Nagas. She later married Kaundinya (chin. Hun Tien) and their lineage became the royal dynasty of Funan. Kaundinya later built a capital, and changed the name of the country to 'Kambuja'.

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