| HISTORY OF ANGKOR |
|
| CAMBODIA TIMELINE |
| • |
AD100-AD600 |
: |
The Kingdom of Funan |
|
|
| • |
AD600-AD800 |
: |
The Kingdom of Chenla |
| • |
AD800-AD1400 |
: |
The Kingdom and Khmer Empire |
| • |
AD1400-1860 |
: |
The erosion of the Khmer Empire |
| • |
1860-1953 |
: |
Cambodia French Protectorate |
| • |
1953-Current |
: |
Cambodia. Independent 1953 |
|
| |
| THE RISE AND THE FALL OF ANGKOR |
| • |
AD900-AD1200 |
: |
The Development of the City of Angkor |
| • |
AD1200-AD1400 |
: |
The Decline of Angkor and Khmer Empire |
| • |
AD1400-1860 |
: |
The Khmer Empire is in disarray. The peripheral land of the empire was lost to the invading Thais from the West and the Vietnamese from the East. |
|
| |
| ANGKOR WAT TEMPLE |
| Built in 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II ( 1112-1150 ), dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. This is the all-time visited temple among hundreds of Khmer temples built during the Angkor period between 9th and 13th century. |
| |
| ANGKOR |
| is the capital of Khmer empire that covers most of today South East Asia from the 9th to the 12th century. Today, Angkor is an archeological site with ruin temples that covers an extensive area of more than 400-square kilometers, north of Siem Reap town and Tonley Sap lake in northwestern Cambodia. Until the 13th century, the Khmer empire ruled a vast territory that is now Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hundreds of Angkor temples that were built over a period of about five hundred years from the 8th to the 14th century sprawl over a vast area but many of them converge in an area about 24 km long and 13 km wide, just north of Siem Reap town. |
| |
| THE DECLINE OF KHMER KINGDOM POWER |
| Angkor began in 819 A.D. when King Jayavarman II (802-850) moved a Khmer settlement to Siem Reap (actual site Kulen mountain), and the settlement became an administrative centre of Khmer empire. During the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150) who built Angkor Wat temple, the Chams from Champa from the East (now Vietnam) began armed incursions and sacked Angkor. Following the death of King Suryavarman II and the Cham invasion, Angkor is again invaded and sacked this time by the Thai armies, based in the western part of the empire. These forced had been employed by the Khmer King to repel the Cham invaders. Again and again, the Chams and the Thais invaded and sacked Angkor. |
| |
| King Jayavarman VII (1181-1215) who built Angkor Thom fought and repelled the invading Chams and Thais. The glory of Khmers and Angkor was again restored but the it was short lived. The empire began to crumble after the death of King Jayavarman VII. The Thais from the west and the invaders from the East, this time the Vietnamese, frequently carried out armed incursions and invaded Angkor and its peripheral territory. After the capture of Angkor by the Thais in 1431, Khmers moved their capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh leaving Angkor unoccupied to the mercy of the jungles. From the early 15th century until the late 19th century, the Buddhist monks lived in Angkor and made Angkor the largest religious pilgrimage site in South East Asia. |
| |
| THE ANGKOR RESTORATION |
| The loss of Khmer territory continued until 1863 when France established a colonial regime and ruled Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos (called Indo-China). Angkor ruins were rediscovered by a French researcher and thereafter, in 1920's, a comprehensive program of Angkor restoration and archeological research sponsored by the French government began. The restoration program was halted in late 1960's as a result of political upheavals and civil war in Cambodia. During the war, Angkor suffered heavy damages and wide-spread lootings. The temples, artifacts, statues , and other sculptures were either broken or stolen. |
| |
| The civil war eventually ended in early 1990's and the restoration program of Angkor re-started. This time, the program is sponsored by an international agency UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Angkor is again opened to the world. Now streams of visitors from around the world are irresistibly drawn to this great city of Angkor ruins to marvel its breathtaking beauty. |
| |
| Reigns of Khmer Kings from 8th century until early 14th century |
| KING |
REIGN |
| Jayavarman II |
802-850 |
| Jayavarman III |
850-877 |
| Indravarman I |
877-889 |
| Yasovarman I |
889-910 |
| Harshvarman I |
910-923 |
| Isanavarman II |
923-928 |
| Jayavarman IV |
928-942 |
| Harshavarman II |
942-944 |
| Rejendravarman |
944-968 |
| Jayavarman V |
968-1001 |
| Udayadityavarman |
1001-1002 |
| Suryavarman I |
1002-1050 |
| Udayadityavar II |
1050-1066 |
| Harshavarman III |
1066-1080 |
| Jayavarman VI |
1080-1108 |
| Dharanindravarman I |
1180-1112 |
| Suryavarman II |
1112-1150 |
| Dharanindravarmen II |
1150-1181 |
| Jayavarman VII |
1180-1220 |
| Indarvarman II |
1220-1243 |
| Jayavarmand VIII |
1243-1295 |
| Indravarman III |
1295-1308 |
|
