Khmer Empire - History

Buddhist kingdom/empire in SE Asia, founded in the 6th-c, with its capital at Angkor Thom from 802. By the 12th-c it included S Laos, much of Thailand, and Cambodia. Vast funerary temples were erected at Angkor Wat (early 12th-c). Cambodia was invaded by the Mongols (1284) and the newly established Siamese kingdom (after 1350). Angkor was abandoned in 1431, and the Khmer Empire had collapsed by 1460.

This article is part of the History of Cambodia series
Early history of Cambodia
Migration of Kambojas
Funan (AD1 - AD630)
Chenla (AD630 - AD802)
Khmer Empire (AD802 - AD1432)
Rule over Isan
Dark ages of Cambodia (1432 - 1887)
The loss of the Mekong Delta
Colonial Cambodia (1887-1953)
Post-Independence Cambodia
Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975)
Coup of 1970
Khmer Rouge Regime (1975-1979)
Mayagüez incident
People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979-1989)
Modern Cambodia (1989-present)
2003 Phnom Penh riots
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The Khmer empire was the largest Empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, which was the capital during the empire's zenith. Angkor bears testimony to the Khmer empire's immense power and wealth, as well as the variety of belief systems that it patronised over time.

The history of Angkor as the central area of settlement of the historical kingdom of Kambuja is also the history of the Khmer from the 9th to the 15th centuries.

From Kambuja itself - and so also from the Angkor region - no written records have survived other than stone inscriptions.

The beginning of the era of the Khmer kingdom of Angkor is conventionally dated to 802. In this year, king Jayavarman II had himself declared "Chakravartin" (king of the world).

History

Jayavarman II - the founder of Angkor

Jayavarman II lived as a prince at the court of Sailendra in Java, whether as a royal hostage of Java's vassal kingdom, or for his education (or both), has not yet been established. After he eventually returned to his home, the former kingdom of Chenla, he quickly built up his influence, conquered a series of competing kings, and in 790 became king of a kingdom called "Kambuja" by the Khmer. He thereby laid the foundation of Angkor, which was to arise some 15 km to the northwest. Jayavarman II died in the year 834.

Yasodharapura - the first city of Angkor

Jayavarman II's successors continually extended the territory of Kambuja. Indravarman I (reigned 877 - 889) managed to expand the kingdom without wars, and he began extensive building projects, thanks to the wealth gained through trade and agriculture. He was followed by his son Yasovarman I (reignied 889 - 915), who established a new capital, Yasodharapura - the first city of Angkor.

The city's central temple was built on Phnom Bakheng, a hill which rises around 60 m above the plain on which Angkor sits. Jayavarman IV established a new capital at Koh Ker, some 100 km northeast of Angkor. Only with Rajendravarman II (reigned 944 - 968) was the royal palace returned to Yasodharapura. He took up again the extensive building schemes of the earlier kings and established a series of temples in the Angkor area;

From 968 to 1001 reigned the son of Rajendravarman II, Jayavarman V. New temples were also established: the most important of these are Banteay Srei, considered one of the most beautiful and artistic of Angkor, and Ta Keo, the first temple of Angkor built completely of sandstone.

After the death of Jayavarman V a decade of conflict followed. Kings reigned only for a few years, and were successively violently replaced by their successors until eventually Suryavarman I (reigned 1010 - 1050) gained the throne. At Angkor, construction of the West Baray began under Suryavarman I, the second and even larger {8 by 2.2 km) water reservoir after the Eastern Baray.

Suryavarman II - Angkor Wat

The 11th century was a time of conflict and brutal power struggles. Only with Suryavarman II (reigned 1113 - 1150) was the kingdom united internally and extended externally. Under his rule, the largest temple of Angkor was built in a period of 37 years: Angkor Wat, dedicated to the god Vishnu. Suryavarman II conquered the Mon kingdom of Haripunjaya to the west (in today's central Thailand), and the area further west to the border with the kingdom of Bagan (modern Burma), in the south further parts of the Malay peninsula down to the kingdom of Grahi (corresponding roughly to the modern Thai province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, in the east several provinces of Champa and the countries in the north as far as the southern border of modern Laos.

Jayavarman VII - Angkor Thom

The future king Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1219) was already a military leader as prince under previous kings. After the Cham had conquered Angkor, he gathered an army and regained the capital, Yasodharapura.

Jayavarman VII stands as the last of the great kings of Angkor, not only because of the successful war against the Cham, but also because he was no tyrannical ruler in the manner of his immediate predecessors, because he unified the empire, and above all because of the building projects carried out under his rule. The new capital now called Angkor Thom (literally: "Great City") was built.

Zhou Daguan - the last blooming

After the death of Jayavarman VII, his son Indravarman II (reigned 1219-1243) ascended the throne. Indravarman II was succeeded by Jayavarman VIII (reigned 1243-1295).

In August of 1296, the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan arrived at Angkor, and remained at the court of king Srindravarman until July 1297. However, his stay is notable because Zhou Daguan later wrote a detailed report on life in Angkor. His portrayal is today one of the most important sources of understanding of historical Angkor. Alongside descriptions of several great temples (the Bayon, the Baphuon, Angkor Wat), for which we have him to thank for the knowledge that the towers of the Bayon were once covered in gold), the text also offers valuable information on the everyday life and the habits of the inhabitants of Angkor.

Decline and the end of Angkor

There are few historical records from the time following Srindravarman's reign. While previously three rice harvests per years were possible - a substantial contribution to the prosperity and power of Kambuja - the declining harvests further weakened the empire. In 1431, however, the superiority of Ayutthaya was too great, and the Thai army conquered Angkor.

The centre of the residual Khmer kingdom was in the south, in the region of today's Phnom Penh. However, there are indications that Angkor was not completely abandoned. The final fall of Angkor would then be due to the transfer of economic - and therewith political - significance, as Phnom Penh became an important trade centre on the Mekong. The Great Angkor Project believe that the Khmers had an elaborate system of reservoirs and canals used for trade, travel and irrigation. Any damage to the water system would leave an enormous amount of consequences.[1]

In any event, there is evidence for a further period of use for Angkor. Under the rule of king Barom Reachea I (reigned 1566 - 1576), who temporarily succeeded in driving back the Thai, the royal court was briefly returned to Angkor.

657-681: Jayavarman I 802-850: Jayavarman II (Paramesvara) 854-877: Jayavarman III (Vishnuloka) 877-889: Indravarman II (Isvaraloka) 889-910: Yasovarman I (Paramasivaloka) 910-923: Hashavarman I (Rudraloka) 923-928: Isanavarman II (Paramarudraloka) 928-941: Jayavarman IV (Paramasivapada) 941-944: Harshavarman II (Vrahmaloka or Brahmaloka) 944-968: Rajendravarman (Sivaloka) 968-1001: Jayavarman V (Paramasivaloka) 1001-1002?: Udayadityavarman I 1002-1011?: Jayaviravarman 1001-1050: Suryavarman I (Narvanapala la) 1050-1066: Udayadityavarman II 1066-1080?: Harshavarman III (Sadasivapada) 1080-1113?: Jayavarman VI (Paramakaivalyapada) 1113-1150: Suryavarman II (Paramavishnuloka) 1150-1160: Dharanindravarman II (Paramanishkalapada) 1160-1165/6: Yasovarman II 1181-1220?: Jayavarman VII (Mahaparamasangata?) 1220-1243: Indravarman II 1243-1295: Jayavarman VIII (abdicated) (Paramesvarapada) 1295-1308: Indravarman III?