Varmans(Pallavas) were the rulers of Cambodia
karthika
[Before AD100] PRE-FUNAN TIMES:
PEOPLES OF INDO-CHINA:
At the end of the ice age (c. 12,000BC) the Indo-Chinese region is
firstly inhabited by Australoid peoples. The land bridges between
Malaya, the Indonesian islands and Australia are submerged. Various
population groups migrate through southeast Asia. The Mon-Khmer people
gradually settle in the lands which later become the kingdoms of Funan
and Chenla and they become the dominant tribes in the area.
GEOGRAPHY OF INDO-CHINA:
The Indo-Chinese region today comprises the countries of Laos,
Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. It is made up of large fertile plains
which lie around two rivers, the Mekong and the Tonle Sap.
[Map]The land is settled by various tribes who develop the independent
kingdoms of Tonkin, Annam, Cochin China, Cambodia, Laos and Siam.
|c. 4000BC - AD100 Settlements are formed throughout the Indo-China
region. The major cultural influences on the region are from China and
India. The Dong-Son culture becomes established in the northern part
of today's Vietnam.
|AD100 - AD600 THE KINGDOM OF FUNAN
|[Map]c. AD100 The Kingdom of Funan, part of the lands which will
become the vast Khmer Empire or Cambodia, is established by the
legendary Indian brahmin, Kambu. The peaceful settlement of Indian
traders begins the process of Indianization of Cambodia.
|c. AD245 Two Chinese ambassadors visit Funan and produce a report on
all aspects of life in the kingdom.
|AD357 King Chandan, who is probably of Indian origin, comes to the
throne of Funan. He is succeeded by another brahmin ruler.
|End AD400 - AD500 The Kingdom of Funan is a prosperous trading
region, lying on the trade and pilgrimage route between India and
China.
Indian culture still plays an important part in the developing Kingdom
of Funan, although native influence over customs, art, architecture
and religion is now also very strong. Both forms of Hinduism and
Mahayana Buddhism, a type of Buddhist religion popular in India and
China, exist in Funan.
|6th century There is evidence from the texts of contemporary Chinese
historians that the Funan Empire is strong and respected throughout
Asia. Indian influence is still very much evident in all areas of
life. Trade in Funan is centered in the prosperous port city of Oc-eo.
|AD514 - c. AD539 King Rudravarman is the last of the great kings of
Funan. He cultivates the worship of the Hindu god Vishnu. Statues of
the god dating from his reign still exist today, showing the influence
of contemporary Indian art and religious iconography.
|c. AD550 Prince Bhavavarman of the Funan royal family (and grandson
of King Rudravarman) marries the female heir to the throne of Chenla,
a fertile kingdom to the north of Funan occupying the territory which
today is Laos. Chenla is inhabited by the Mon-Khmer people whose
leaders are related to the Funan royal family before the time of
Bhavavarman.
On the Chenla king's death, Bhavavarman becomes King of Chenla, and
when the Funan king dies, he siezes Funan as well. Within a few years,
Funan becomes a vassal state to Chenla.
|AD600 - AD800 THE KINGDOM OF CHENLA
|c. AD600 - AD611 Bhavavarman is succeeded by Mahendravarman and then
by Isanavarman, both of whom are strong kings and complete the process
of integrating Funan into Chenla.
The capital of Chenla is initially at Sambor, some 40 miles southeast
of Angkor.
|AD616 - AD635 King Isanavarman rules the Kingdom of Chenla with his
capital at Sambor Prei Kuk.
Architecture develops in the kingdom using sandstone for building and
beautiful carvings in stone for the temples.
|AD635 - AD656 King Bhavavarman II rules Chenla. Mahayana Buddhism
spreads in Chenla. Statues celebrating this religion are found.
|c. AD750 Jayavarman I becomes King of Chenla. His reputation is as a
strong war-like king who expands the Chenla kingdom through his many
conquests. Ruined temples from this time still stand in the land
around the Angkor region. Wars of succession divide and weaken
Kambuja. Contact with India is broken and trade ceases. As the Kingdom
of Chenla declines, the Saliendra dynasty in Indonesia rises to power.
It is possible that this Indonesian dynasty may have, in part,
descended from the royal family of Funan.
|Late AD800 This is a period of weakness and eventual disintegration
into individual states for the Kingdom of Chenla. There is an
administrative breakdown which results in the separate states being
powerless. Meanwhile the Saliendra dynasty, the ruling house of the
Indonesian Empire, becomes increasingly powerful and starts expanding
in southeast Asia. The Saliendra king of Java invades Chenla and
claims the throne, possibly on the grounds that he is descended from
the royal house of Funan. Cambodia becomes a vassal state of Java.
|AD800 - 1440 THE KINGDOM OF KAMBUJA
|c. AD800 - AD850 Jayavarman II, a young man connected to the Chenla
royal family and educated at the Saliendra court in Java, returns to
Chenla in AD790. He becomes king around AD800. Initially he extends
his kingdom by seizing land to the north and east of Chenla. His 50-
year reign is decisive in developing the Khmer Kingdom by establishing
its constitution, religion and capital. His reign also sees important
changes in Khmer architecture. He builds several capitals, but finally
establishes his principal capital at Roluos, about 10 miles southeast
of today's town of Siem Reap. He names this city Hariharalaya.
|AD850 - c. AD877 Jayavarman III, son of Jayavarman II, succeeds the
throne of Kambuja and continues to rule the empire from the city at
Roluos.
|c. AD877 - c. AD889 Indravarman I, a nephew of Jayavarman II, rules
Kambuja. He is learned and brings peace and unity to the Khmer
Kingdom. He has a wide reputation for being a strong king throughout
southeast Asia. His peaceful reign and the income from the expanding
Khmer Empire enables King Indravarman I to embark on an ambitious
building program.
|AD877 Indravarman builds a large reservoir north of the city.
|c. AD889 - c. AD900 Yasovarman I (son of Indravarman) is King of
Kambuja. He supposedly descends from the Funan royal family through
his mother. Many inscriptions found on temple walls describing the
events of his rule date from his reign. It is believed that he was a
strong but tyrannical ruler. He moves the city from Roluos to the
present site of Angkor, a few miles from today's town of Siem Reap.
Here he [Map] builds the city of Yasodharapura with the Bakheng as the
central temple. At Roluos he builds the Lolei Temple in the center of
the baray.
|AD900 - AD921 Harshavarman I, Yasovarman's brother, rules. He builds
his temple-mountain, the Baksei Chamkrong, a stone pyramid with a
single tower.
|AD921 Harshavarman's uncle, Jayavarman IV, divides the kingdom and
sets up a rival capital about 60 miles to the north east of Angkor in
the old Chen La Kingdom at Koh Ker. His son rules in this new capital.
Prasat Kravan is built to honor Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu. It is a
brick temple with a rich beautiful shrine. This is one of the first
temples not to be dedicated by a king, but rather by an individual or
member of the hereditary aristocracy.
|c. AD930 - c. AD944 An usurper successor (whose name is unknown)
rules, followed by his son. The capital remains far away from the
Angkor site.
|AD944 - AD968 Rajendravarman II, a descendant of Yasovarman I, rules
Kambuja and brings the court back to the old capital, Yasodharapura,
at Angkor. He continues to expand the Khmer Empire further and manages
an impressive building program during his relatively short reign. The
Sanskrit inscriptions on the temples remaining from this reign tell us
that this king was wise and tolerant. Several Mahayana Buddhist
establishments are set up at Angkor during his reign.
|c. AD950 Rajendravarman II attacks the Cham Kingdom which lies to the
east of Kambuja.
|AD968 - 1001 Jayavarman V rules Kambuja. His reign is marked by
peace, prosperity and cultural development. Jayavarman V's court is
filled with scholars, poets, ministers, ecclesiastics and philosophers
who discuss the mysteries of the world, paint its beauties, write
music and songs, dance for the delight of the king and his courtiers
and build wonderful temples, among them the exquisite temple of
Banteai Srei.
Jayavarman V also builds the temple of Ta Keo which is dedicated to
Siva and is the first of the Angkor temples to be built completely of
sandstone.
|c. 980 - 1220 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF ANGKOR
|1001 - c. 1006 A period of weakness and civil war in Kambuja.
Udayadityavarman I rules, followed by Jayaviravarman, both descendants
of the royal house of Kambuja.
|c.1002 Suryavarman, a young man who may have come from the Malayan
provinces of the Khmer Empire, ascends the throne of Kambuja by
claiming that his mother was descended from Indravarman I. He invades
Kambuja and by 1006 overcomes Jayaviravarman and becomes King of
Kambuja.
|c. 1006 - 1050 Suryavarman I is King of Kambuja for nearly 50 years.
At the beginning of his reign he embarks on a campaign of territorial
expansion, annexing land in the Menam valley to the west and the
Mekong valley to the north. After this there is peace and much
building. Suryavarman is responsible for the planning and foundations
of much of the city that can be seen at Angkor today. He adopts the
royal Hindu cult of Devaraja and sets himself up as a representative
of the god Siva. However, his homeland is a Buddhist one so he also
helps the spread of Mahayana Buddhism in Cambodia.
|1050 - 1066 Udayadityavarman II succeeds Suryavarman I and continues
building in Angkor. He builds the west baray and canals, and submerges
some of the old ninth-century city under it. He builds a new city at
Angkor, the third city to be built there. His central temple is the
Baphuon Temple. There is further consolidation and expansion of the
Khmer Empire.
|c. 1060 Towards the end of his reign, there is a period of internal
rivalry and warfare which weakens the kingdom. The Cham regain their
independence and sack and burn the city of Sambor in Chen La, on the
Mekong.
|1066 - 1080 Harshavarman II rules until 1080, gradually losing the
empire his predecessors had gained. Some of the earlier temples are
destroyed, including the temple of Preah Pulilay (built by
Udayadityavarman I) of which only a fragment remains showing the
beautiful decoration achieved during Udayadityavarman's reign.
|1080 A northern provincial governor claiming aristocratic descent
seizes the kingdom and founds a new dynasty, calling himself
Jayavarman VI. There are rival claimants to the throne and he never
fully establishes himself at Angkor, only building in northern
Cambodia, at Preah Vihear, Vat Phu and Phimai in the part of the
empire which is now northern Thailand. He dies in 1107.
|1107 - 1113 Jayavarman VI's brothers rule. Rival claims to the throne
and civil war continue and the kingdom is temporarily partitioned.
Suryavarman, an ambitious nobleman who claimes he is related to the
Cambodian royal family, takes advantage of the weakened kingdom and
seizes power. He deposes both kings and takes the throne.
|1113 - 1150 Suryavarman II rules Kambuja. Initially, he concentrates
on territorial expansion and conquers [Map]the neighboring kingdom of
the Chams, extending the limits of the Khmer Empire more than ever
before. He embarks on an ambitious building program, expanding the
city of Angkor and building many temples including Preah Pithu,
Chansay Tevoda and Thommanon, all in the Angkor region. Angkor Wat, a
temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, and generally recognized as the
highest achievement of Khmer temple architecture, is also built during
his reign.
|1145 Suryavarman plans to seize control of all of Annam and asks the
king of Champa to assist him. He refuses so Suryavarman deposes him
and annexes his kingdom. The Cham regain independence in 1149.
|1150 Suryavarman II tries to reconquer Annam. He leads his armies
through jungle mountains where they die of fever. He dies in 1150,
leaving the kingdom exhausted and weak.
|1150 - 1181 Suryavarman's strong rule is followed by rival claims to
the throne and warfare, during which many buildings are destroyed. The
legitimate heir is Jayavarman, the son of Suryavarman II. He is a
fervent Buddhist who deplores violence. When a rival, Yasovarman,
claims the throne, Jayavarman allows him to take it in order to avert
bloodshed in the kingdom, and he retires to Champa. Yasosvarman is
killed by rebels after a five-year reign. Jayavarman again steps down
to his rival claimant, Tribhuvanandityavarman, who is a nobleman not
directly descended from the house of Kambuja. War between Kambuja and
Champa follows.
|1177 The Cham sack Angkor, take its wealth and burn the wooden city.
Jayavarman returns to Kambuja and defeats the Cham, removing them from
the kingdom in a great and decisive battle.
|1181 - 1220 Jayavarman becomes king in 1181 and rules the kingdom as
Jayavarman VII. He takes revenge on the Cham, invades Champa, seizes
the capital, Vijaya, and reduces Champa to a vassal state of the Khmer
Empire. Then he extends the empire more than ever before through a
series of campaigns. In the south he annexes most of the Malay
peninsula, in the west he takes land as far as the borders of Burma,
he goes north as far as Vientiane and into Annam in the east.
|c. 1181 In order to appease the people who are increasingly adopting
Buddhism, Jayavarman becomes a Buddhist himself.
Once he stabilizes his enlarged empire, Jayavarman starts a massive
building program. This includes the reconstruction of Angkor Thom with
the Bayon as the central temple and the building of Ta Prohm and Preah
Khan temples.
Banteai Kdei, Sra Srang (a large public bathing pool), Banteai Chmar,
Neak Pean, and Ta Som temples are also built. Along the main roads
leading to Angkor he builds 102 hospitals and 121 pilgrim hostels. The
vast amount of building results in Jayavarman overtaxing and
overworking his subjects. Land is lost from the empire and Champa
breaks away from the Khmer Kingdom again.
|1220 - c. 1400 Twelve kings of Kambuja rule a shrinking, weakening
empire. Despite this, the royal court continues its extravagant
lifestyle, but no new temples are built.
|1220 - 1440 THE DECLINE AND FALL OF ANGKOR AND THE KHMER EMPIRE:
From around 1220 when Jayavarman VII [Map]dies, the Khmer Empire
declines and the Thai Empire to the west of Kambuja becomes the
dominant force in southeast Asia. The Cham people to the east of
Kambuja and the Laotians to the north also become increasingly
significant in the region. Hinayanist Buddhism, advocating a simple
life of both people and priests becomes established in Kambuja.
|1296 The Chinese ambassador and his entourage visit Kambuja and spend
a year in Angkor. Chou Ta-Kuan, one of the Chinese officials, writes
his report of late 13th-century Kambuja from which much of our
knowledge of the kingdom at this time is drawn.
|1350 The Thai capital is moved to Ayudhya, near Angkor. This
threatens the increasingly weak Cambodian Kingdom.
|1350 - 1430 Almost continual warfare between the Thais and Khmers is
waged during this period.
|1369 The Thais attack Angkor and take the city. They control it
briefly.
|1389 Angkor again falls to the Thais.
|1431 The Thais launch a major attack on Angkor. After a seven-month
siege, Angkor falls and is sacked and looted. The city is deserted the
following year and the capital is moved east to the region of Phnom
Penh.
|1450 - 1860 THE PERIOD OF VASSALAGE TO THAILAND AND VIETNAM:
From the mid-15th century onwards, after Angkor falls to the Thais,
the Khmer Empire is in serious decline. The Vietnamese and Thai
Empires control the Indo-China peninsula. Warfare continues between
the Thais and Khmers, with Kambuja periodically becoming little more
than a vassal state of Thailand.
|1516 - 1566 King Ang Chan rules Kambuja. His reign sees a
strengthening of the Khmer Kingdom and some raids into Thailand are
made.
|1564 The Khmers reach Ayudhya, the capital of Thailand, try to annex
it, but find it already occupied by the Burmese.
|1566 - 1576 King Barom Reachea I rules Kambuja. There is a second
period of greater Khmer strength and some temporary success in the
wars against the Thais. The Cambodian court briefly reoccupies Angkor.
|1576 - 1599 THE SPANISH INTERLUDE
|1576 - c.1594 Under constant attack from the Thais, King Satha, who
rules Kambuja, seeks military support from the Spanish, who by this
time are well established in southeast Asia.
|1594 The Thais capture the new Cambodian capital at Lovek.
|c. 1594 Satha is deposed. The usurper, Chung Prei, becomes king.
|1596 A Spanish expedition arrives in Cambodia to aid King Satha
against the Thais. They sack the Chinese quarter of Phnom Penh and
kill the king and his son. They then march to Laos and take King
Satha's son, putting him on the Kambujan throne in Phnom Penh as King
Barom Reachea II.
|1599 The Kambujan court try to oust Reachea II in favor of King
Satha's brother, Soryopor, to rid Kambuja of Spanish influence. The
inhabitants of the Spanish garrison in Phnom Penh are massacred and
Soryopor takes control after a brief period of confusion when three
princes occupy the throne. This marks the end of the Spanish influence
in Cambodia.
|17th & 18th centuries The Kingdom of Cambodia continues to shrink and
survives increasingly at the mercy of Thailand and the Nguyen lords
who rule Vietnam.
|1779 - 1860 With Thai support, the Ang clan rule Cambodia from 1779
until 1860.
|1857 France invades Vietnam, aiming to win the race with England to
take control of the Indo-Chinese peninsula.
|1860 - 1904 King Norodom rules Cambodia. In 1863, Cambodia is
established as a French protectorate, ostensibly to prevent the
country from being swallowed up by Thailand and Vietnam. In 1884, King
Norodom is forced to sign a convention with France which transfers a
great deal of control of Cambodia to the French. There is a brief but
strong popular rebellion against French control of Cambodia from 1885
to 1887 which is supported by the king.
|1860 Henri Mouhot, a French botanist discovers the Angkor ruins.
French interest in Angkor begins, leading to an intensive research and
restoration program throughout the later half of the 19th and 20th
century by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient. The program is
disrupted by the Vietnam war in the 1960s.
|1863 - 1954 The period of France's protectorate over Cambodia.
|1904 - 1927 Norodom's half brother, Sisowath, rules Cambodia under
French control.
|1916 Peasant uprisings against taxes and forced labor show popular
opposition to the repressive French rule.
|1927 - 1941 King Monivong rules Cambodia. Land in the east of the
country is cultivated for rubber plantations.
|1940 The Japanese occupy Indo-China.
|1941 - 1992 SIHANOUK AND CAMBODIA:
Prince Sihanouk (aged 18) is put on the throne of Cambodia by the
French in 1941 and remains in power until 1970.
In the mid-60s, the Khmer Rouge, an extreme-left organization becomes
active against Sihanouk's government.
In the late 60s, Sihanouk sides with the right wing elements in the
government and crushes the Khmer Rouge. Their leaders flee to the
countryside where they amass strength and numbers.
|1969 - 1973 The United States bombs eastern Cambodia as part of the
efforts to defeat the North Vietnamese communist forces [Map]who use
Cambodian territory in their guerrilla war against South Vietnam and
the United States.
|1970 Sihanouk's major political opponent, Lon Nol, deposes him,
bringing a new government into power. Sihanouk moves to Peking and
heads a government in exile, the National United Front of Cambodia.
South Vietnamese and US forces invade Cambodia on May 1 in an attempt
to defeat Vietnamese communist forces hiding in Cambodia.
The Khmer Rouge become a significant opposition force to the Lon Nol
government.
|1975 Phnom Penh is taken by the Khmer Rouge on April 1. From 1975 to
1979 the Khmer Rouge are in power backed by the Peking government.
Cambodia is renamed the Republic of Democratic Kampuchea.
Pol Pot, who was trained as a Buddhist monk and educated at a French
university, becomes the foremost leader of the Khmer Rouge when he is
made premier. Khieu Samphan, another important Khmer Rouge leader, is
named head of state.
The Kampuchea government implements a vast program of social
reorganization, relocating the urban population to the countryside and
forcing them to work on collective farms. There is massive genocide of
the Cambodian people, particularly the intelligentsia. Many Buddhist
monks who live in the Angkor temples are massacred along with the
majority of the Buddhist population.
|[Map]1979 The Vietnamese invade Cambodia, take Phnom Penh and set up
a new government. Pol Pot and Khieu Sampan flee to China and organize
guerrilla resistance to the Vietnamese-backed government. There is
civil war and mass starvation in Cambodia.
A large number of refugees from Cambodia flee into Thailand. The
United Nations refuses to acknowledge the Vietnamese-backed
government.
Fighting between Kampuchea and Vietnam continues until 1989 when the
Vietnamese withdraw.
|1991 Prince Sihanouk returns to Cambodia in November to help set up a
new government.
|1992 A coalition government of opposition parties, including the
National United Front of Cambodia led by Sihanouk, is set up in
Cambodia and monitored by the United Nations.
Refugees from camps in Thailand begin to return to Cambodia.
Work to restore Angkor, disrupted since the late 1960s, is actively
begun again. Tourists return to Angkor.
habshi
1000 years ago