8.5.2
Jayavarman VII, greatest of the Khmer rulers?
The next Khmer king was Jayavarman VII (1181– c. 1218), who is regarded as the greatest of all Khmer rulers. His history is known mainly through inscriptions and works of art. His name means ‘victorious warrior’. In 1178, after the Cham invaders sacked Yasodharapura, the Khmer capital, and killed King Tribhuvanadityavarman, Jayavarman led a Khmer army that fought to drive the Cham out. His battles on land and water are depicted on the walls of the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom (see SOURCES4 and 5 ). He put an end to the claims of his rivals for the kingship and was crowned in 1181. He waged war against Champa for 22 years, conquering its land and extending the Khmer Empire to the southern shores of Vietnam (see SOURCE6 ). During his long rule, the Khmer Empire reached the greatest extent of its territory and the height of its power.
SOURCE4 A relief sculpture on the Bayon Temple depicting Cham soldiers in war canoes
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. According to SOURCE5 , what were the boundaries of the Khmer Empire during the reign of Jayavarman VII? 2. Which regions are mentioned in the Bayon inscription as being under Khmer control? 3. How did the Khmer Empire engage in trade during the reign of Jayavarman VII?
SOURCE5 Khmer expansion under Jayavarman VII, from the National Museum of Cambodia
During his reign, the Cambodian kingdom spanned a huge area; extending beyond the Menam Basin to the west (the Bayon inscription mentions the existence of two statues of divinities [gods] guarding the cities of Ratchaburi and Phetburi in Thailand), as far as the seacoast of Champa to the east, as far as the city of Sukhothai ... in the north, all the way down to the southern sea. At the time the Khmers were trading with China, India and other countries of Asia Minor.
Religious changes Varieties of Buddhism had long been practised alongside Hinduism, but Jayavarman VII was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism and, in a truly revolutionary step, he made this the new state religion of the Khmer Empire. His great building program may have been partly aimed at introducing his mainly Hindu population to the symbols of Buddhism, which were provided in sculptures that adorned his temples. A great building program According to an inscription discovered in Laos, Jayavarman VII wanted to turn his kingdom into an earthly paradise. He conducted a massive program of public works, building 102 hospitals, many reservoirs, roads with 121 rest houses along them and several temples. The temples included Ta Prohm, in honour of his mother, and Neak Khan, to honour his father. His greatest construction was the capital city, Angkor Thom (meaning ‘great city’). Angkor Thom included the Bayon Temple (see lesson 8.8). The construction of Angkor Thom was probably partly a reaction to the sacking of the Khmer capital. Angkor Thom was built with massive walls surrounded by a moat to deter any future invaders. Like other Khmer temples, Angkor Thom also provided for agriculture by having ponds and barays (water reservoirs used for irrigation).
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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