Imgres

The rise and fall of the Khmer Empire

By icarey
  • Period: Apr 27, 800 to Apr 27, 1500

    The rise and fall of the Khmer Empire

  • Jan 27, 802

    Founding of the Khmer Empire

    802 - 835, Jayvarman II founded the Khmer Empire in Cambodia, he then built four Capital Kingdoms. Under his control he used alliances to to have more power and control over the people, marriages to increase the poopulation and wars to to win more land and gain more power, he used these things to expand his Empire. Jayvarman also built several Hindu temples throughout his Reign.
  • May 4, 890

    Yasovarman I made a new capital

    Yasovarman I (889 - 900) constructed built a new capital named Yasodharapura, he also built a huge resivoir that was 7.5km by 1.8km in the Angkor what area. Yasodharapura and the resivoir would have reslted in a population increase.
  • May 4, 953

    Series of new temples in Angkor

    Rajendravaman II in 953CE built a series of temple at Angkor. During 944 - 968CE under Rajendravaman II reign Khmers had there first war with Champa
  • May 4, 968

    A place fo Scholars and Artists

    Jayvarman V made the Khmer court into a plave where Scholars and Artists can learn
  • Dec 24, 1113

    Suravarman II came to power

    After jayavarman V's death came years of power struggle throughout the empire because Kings were overthrown by rivals. According to inscriptions Suryavarman II became king and gained power after winning the war against a rival prince. He then extended the Khmer empire by conquering Hairpunchai and south-western Thailand up to the border with Bagan. He took over provinces of Champa he then expanded north to the southern border of Laos. He started building Angkor Wat.
  • Dec 24, 1177

    1177CE Cham invaded the Khmer Empire

    After the death of Suryavarman II's death the Khmer Empire was invaded by the Cham. The Cham rowed up the Mekong River and went across Tonle Sap in war canoes, after this they saked the capital of Khmer and killed King Tribhuvanadityavarman
  • Dec 24, 1181

    1181CE Khmer's greatest ruler

    King Jayavarman VII who is regarded as one of the greatest rulers of Khmer, fought a consistent batlle against Champa for twenty two years conquering most of their land. Before his reign a variety of Hinduism and Buddhism was being practised however Jayvarman VII was a follower of Mayhana Buddhism and changed this to the new state wide religion. During his reign he people of Khmer built Angkor Thom its Bayon teplemany other temples, hospitals and places for tourists and traders.
  • Dec 24, 1238

    Start of Khmer declining 1238CE

    After Jayvarman VII's death Khmer did not build any new temples and they lost much of the territory to their west that they had conquered in previous years from Champa. In 1238 the first Thai kingdom was built at Sukhothai due to Thai nobles rebelling.
  • Dec 24, 1243

    Conflict throughout Khmer 1243

    In 1243 when Jayavarman VIII came to reign a religious conflict started when King Jayavarman wanted a return to Hinduism so he converted Buddhism temples to Hindu temples and destroyed thousands of images of other religions. The Khmer Empire was threatened my much more powerful Empire the Mongol empire in 1283 Jayavarman paid tribute to avoid war it was proved to be a wise decision.
  • Dec 24, 1295

    A new ruler 1295

    In 1295 King Jayavarman was overthrown by his son in law Srindravarman who soon introduced the religion of Theravada Buddhism however it was a already the dominant religion of Southeast Asia. When his reign ended in 1309 it was regarded as the end of the classical period. There were never any more inscriptions telling of kings and no more temples were built because the new religion did not demand such buildings.
  • Dec 24, 1440

    Angkor was abandoned 1440

    From 1352 Khmer suffered many attacks from the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya, Khmer remained powerful however in 1440 Khmer rulers abandoned Angkor. There were many theories to why Khmer was abandoned some suggested that environmental and climate change may have caused to the decline however others said that the change to Theravada Buddhism may have weakened the power of the empire. Other reasons say that ongoing conflicts within ruling families and attacks by Thai's stripped the cities wealth.