Suryavarman II
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Who was Suryavarman II?
Suryavarman II (died c. 1150) was a king of the Khmer empire, who reunified the kingdom in 1113 after a period of instability. He expanded the empire to include much of present-day Thailand and part of Laos.
Suryavarman II blended the mystical cults of Vishnu and Shiva and established Vaishnavism as the official religion, replacing Buddhism. He is known for constructing Angkor Wat, a temple dedicated to Vishnu, which became his tomb after his death.
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When and where did Suryavarman II rule?
Suryavarman II ruled the Khmer empire from about 1113 until his death around 1150. He consolidated his power by defeating rival claimants to the throne after 50 years of unrest. Suryavarman II expanded the empire to include much of present-day Thailand and Laos, reaching the Burmese Pagan kingdom to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the south. He also annexed Champa for a time, now south-central Vietnam. Suryavarman II was renowned for constructing Angkor Wat, dedicating it to the Hindu god Vishnu.
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What was the Khmer Empire?
The Khmer Empire was an ancient Cambodian state that reigned over a large part of mainland Southeast Asia from 802 to 1431 CE. Also known as the kingdom of Angkor, the Khmer Empire was the successor to the Funan and Chenla kingdoms. Indian customs heavily influenced its culture, political organization, and religion. Its capital, Angkor, was known for its architectural, artistic, and engineering feats, such as the temple of Angkor Wat, one of the world's largest religious structures.
Suryavarman II became the sole ruler of the Khmer empire around 1113 after 50 years of unrest. A religious reformer and an ambitious, warlike ruler, he expanded the empire to include most of modern Thailand and much of modern Laos. Suryavarman II blended the mystical sects of Vishnu and Shiva and made Vaishnavism the official religion, instead of Buddhism. He is also known for building the Angkor Wat temple complex, dedicating it to the Hindu god Vishnu.
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What is Suryavarman II best known for building?
Suryavarman II, who ruled the Khmer empire around 1113 CE, is best known for constructing the Angkor Wat temple complex. This vast religious structure, the largest in the world, stands near Siem Reap, Cambodia, and represents the pinnacle of Khmer architecture. Dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, Angkor Wat eventually became Suryavarman's tomb and possibly an astronomical observatory. Its intricate bas-reliefs depict scenes from Indian epics and Khmer life, demonstrating the empire's cultural and religious influences.
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How did Suryavarman II expand his empire?
Suryavarman II, a warlike and ambitious king, expanded the Khmer empire after ascending to the throne in 1113 following 50 years of unrest. He extended the empire's reach to include much of present-day Thailand and Laos, reaching the borders of the Burmese Pagan kingdom to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the south. Suryavarman also retaliated against Champa for previous attacks on Angkor. However, his campaign against Dai Viet was less successful. In addition to his military achievements, Suryavarman II was a religious reformer who blended the sects of Vishnu and Shiva and made Vaishnavism the official religion. He is also credited with the construction of Angkor Wat, which became his tomb.
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How did Suryavarman II influence religion and culture in the Khmer Empire?
Suryavarman II, who ruled the Khmer Empire from about 1113 CE, had a significant impact on its religion and culture. He blended the mystical sects of Vishnu and Shiva and established Vaishnavism as the official religion, replacing the Buddhism that had briefly gained popularity. He also initiated the construction of Angkor Wat, a temple dedicated to Vishnu that would become his tomb. The temple's bas-reliefs depicting events from the Mahabharata and Ramayana confirm the widespread knowledge of these Indian epics in Angkor. Suryavarman sponsored the construction of other temples in the Angkor Wat style.
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Suryavarman II (died c. 1150) was the king of the Khmer (Cambodian) empire renowned as a religious reformer and temple builder. Under his rule, the temple of Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious structure, was constructed.
Suryavarman defeated rival claimants to the throne and established sole rule over the Khmer empire by 1113, reuniting the empire after more than 50 years of unrest. Warlike and ambitious, he expanded the limits of the empire to include much of what is now Thailand; his patronage stretched as far west as the frontiers of the Burmese state of Pagan, south to the coast of the Gulf of Thailand (including part of the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula), and east to the kingdom of Champa in the southern part of what is now Vietnam.
Suryavarman was formally crowned in 1113, with his guru, the powerful priest Divakarapandita, presiding. The king was a religious reformer who blended the mystical cults of Vishnu and Shiva, supreme Hindu deities, and promulgated Vaishnavism as the official religion, rather than Buddhism, which had briefly flourished under his predecessors.
Angkor Wat, dedicated to Vishnu, was begun in the early years of Suryavarman’s reign and was not finished until after his death. Surrounded by a wall and a moat, the building is decorated with sculptures portraying Suryavarman as Vishnu; he is shown reviewing his troops, holding audiences, and performing other functions of a sovereign. Suryavarman also sponsored the construction of several other temples in the style of Angkor Wat. After his death, Angkor Wat also became his tomb.
In 1116 Suryavarman resumed diplomatic relations (in abeyance since the 9th century) with the Chinese, who officially recognized his kingdom as their vassal in 1128. By sending tribute to China, he acquired a powerful ally to discourage attacks from neighbouring Southeast Asian kingdoms and ensured that China would not interfere in Khmer domestic affairs.
From 1123 until 1136 Suryavarman waged a series of unsuccessful campaigns against Dai Viet, the Vietnamese kingdom that had asserted its independence from China in 939. He attempted a land attack through Laos to Nghe An in 1128 and met with defeat. A few months later, Suryavarman’s fleet of 700 junks began a long harassment along the coast in the Gulf of Tonkin. Suryavarman persuaded the kingdom of Champa to assist him in these efforts, but in 1136 the Cham king, Jaya Indravarman III, defected and made an alliance with the Vietnamese.
Suryavarman deposed the Cham king in 1144 and annexed Champa in the following year. The Chams, under a new leader, King Jaya Harivarman I, defeated Khmer troops in a decisive battle at Chakling, near Phan Rang, in southern Vietnam. Suryavarman put his brother-in-law, Harideva, on the Cham throne, but Jaya Harivarman I deposed him and reclaimed that throne. In 1150 Suryavarman died in the midst of a new campaign against Champa, leaving his people exhausted by war and victimized by the once-subservient Chams, who eventually ravaged Angkor.
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