For half a century, Cambodia’s leader Norodoom Sihanouk ruled with the ardent consent of his people, and he achieved it without creating a cult of personality or issuing decrees by iron fist. Instead, his strategy for lasting rule seemed to involve taking extended breaks from it every once in a while. No less than four times did Sihanouk step down or was forced down from the throne, each time coming back to a jubilant crowd and more accolades than when he left.

On this day, November 14, in 1991, Norodom Suramarit came back from his latest, and longest absence: 13 years, in political protest of Vietnam’s occupation of Cambodia.

Born in Phnom Penh, the son of King Norodom Suramarit was crowned the ruler in his father’s stead by the French, who maintained colonial rule over Cambodia. France expected him to be a puppet ruler, but he soon gained favor with his people and broke away from France in 1953. Two years later he abdicated to let his father back on the throne. Back in leadership twenty years later, he was exiled as the Vietnam War escalated. He came back with the coming to power of the Khmer Rouge, but less than a year later had to leave again as Vietnam invaded Cambodia. After the U.N.-brokered cease-fire took hold, Suramarit once again became king.