The events that have occurred in South-East Asia have shaped Khmer for the best and worst. Some events have led to Khmer's success and prosperity, when others may have led to its downfall. Each event has its own meaning and significance. These are the ones that are going to be shared on this page; the crowning of Jayavarman II, the Champa-Khmer War and the Re-discovery of Angkor.
Jayavarman II crowns himself the ‘god-king’
When he was a prince, Jayavarman II was held hostage to the
Java court. Getting the chance to return to his homeland, he vigorously yearned
and sought for power, and succeeded in 790 C.E, becoming king. For the next
year, he tried to create the perfect home for his kingdom and fought many
battles.
In 802 C.E, Jayavarman II crowned himself as a ‘god-king’. This marked the starting point of the Khmer Empire and was a very significant event, as from that day on, the Empire became stronger. Being revealed as the ‘god-king’ installed belief in his people and was a very good way for the people to be optimistic and hard-working. This event declared Khmer’s independence as a society from the Java Empire.
In 802 C.E, Jayavarman II crowned himself as a ‘god-king’. This marked the starting point of the Khmer Empire and was a very significant event, as from that day on, the Empire became stronger. Being revealed as the ‘god-king’ installed belief in his people and was a very good way for the people to be optimistic and hard-working. This event declared Khmer’s independence as a society from the Java Empire.
War with Champa
As the Khmer empire weakened, the Khmer and Cham people
fought each other more and more. In 1177, the Cham attached successfully, using
the water bodies to launch a water-based invasion which resulted in Angkor
being looted and captured. Jayarvarman VII spent a lot of his life attacking and driving
off the invading Cham, which he succeeded in.
Jayavarman kept fighting with Champa from 1181 until the 1190’s, when Champa finally became a Khmer province. Jayavarman VII was the last strong Khmer king, and after his death in 1220, the Cham people regained their independence.
This was a significant event in Khmer’s history as it contributed to the downfall of the empire. The water invasion impacted Khmer’s water system and having a damaged water system was not good for the Khmer people as their water system was their life line and the reason for their success. The Champa war would’ve also used many of Khmer’s resources and lost many people on both sides of the war. The Champa-Khmer War influenced Khmer’s downfall and was a significant part of Khmer’s history.
Jayavarman kept fighting with Champa from 1181 until the 1190’s, when Champa finally became a Khmer province. Jayavarman VII was the last strong Khmer king, and after his death in 1220, the Cham people regained their independence.
This was a significant event in Khmer’s history as it contributed to the downfall of the empire. The water invasion impacted Khmer’s water system and having a damaged water system was not good for the Khmer people as their water system was their life line and the reason for their success. The Champa war would’ve also used many of Khmer’s resources and lost many people on both sides of the war. The Champa-Khmer War influenced Khmer’s downfall and was a significant part of Khmer’s history.
Ma Duan-Lin: Ethnography of
Foreign Peoples.
Under the Sung Dynasty, at the twelfth moon of the sixteenth year ching-ho (AD 1116), the king of Cambodia sent as ambassadors, to great dignitaries of the kingdom... They came as a group of 14... The following year, these foreigners returned to Cambodia. New envoys of the same country arrived again (1120). Their king received investiture with honours equal to those given to the king of Champa. Then (in 1128), the Emperor gave higher honours on the king of Cambodia... being recognised as a great vassal of China.
In 1171 there was a Chinese mandarin shipwrecked on the coast of Champa...(Both the Chams and Khmers) used elephants for fighting, without great advantage. The mandarin advised the king of Champa to use horsemen armed with crossbows, to whom he taught the art of using their bows on horseback... the success of the innovation was enormous; victory declared itself for Champa... (Then in 1177, King Jaya Indravarman, with the help of a shipwrecked Chinese sailor as navigator, the Cham king launched a sea-based attack). The king of Champa suddenly overwhelmed the capital of Cambodia with a powerful fleet, pillaged it and put the king (Tribhuvanadityavarman) to death, without listening to any proposal of peace.
(Ma Touan-Lin, Ethnographie des peoples étrangères à la chinois meridionaux ouvrage compose du XIII siècle de notre ère, parMa Touan-Lin. French translation by le Maquis d’Hervey de Saint Denys, 1883. English translation by J. St. Julian 2011.)
Under the Sung Dynasty, at the twelfth moon of the sixteenth year ching-ho (AD 1116), the king of Cambodia sent as ambassadors, to great dignitaries of the kingdom... They came as a group of 14... The following year, these foreigners returned to Cambodia. New envoys of the same country arrived again (1120). Their king received investiture with honours equal to those given to the king of Champa. Then (in 1128), the Emperor gave higher honours on the king of Cambodia... being recognised as a great vassal of China.
In 1171 there was a Chinese mandarin shipwrecked on the coast of Champa...(Both the Chams and Khmers) used elephants for fighting, without great advantage. The mandarin advised the king of Champa to use horsemen armed with crossbows, to whom he taught the art of using their bows on horseback... the success of the innovation was enormous; victory declared itself for Champa... (Then in 1177, King Jaya Indravarman, with the help of a shipwrecked Chinese sailor as navigator, the Cham king launched a sea-based attack). The king of Champa suddenly overwhelmed the capital of Cambodia with a powerful fleet, pillaged it and put the king (Tribhuvanadityavarman) to death, without listening to any proposal of peace.
(Ma Touan-Lin, Ethnographie des peoples étrangères à la chinois meridionaux ouvrage compose du XIII siècle de notre ère, parMa Touan-Lin. French translation by le Maquis d’Hervey de Saint Denys, 1883. English translation by J. St. Julian 2011.)
This primary
source was written by Ma Duanlin who lived from 1254 to 1325. He was a Chinese
historian who wrote this article as he was quite dedicated to writing and
knowledge of history. We do not have any knowledge of when it was created but
we do know it was within Ma’s lifespan of course. This article was written
years after the Champa War took place so I wouldn’t rely on this article too
much as it could have easily been written based on rumours and whispers of what
occurred in the Champa War. On the other hand, it could be absolutely truthful
and reliable as he might’ve had a father or ancestor who was a member of the
war or was related to this Chinese fellow who helped the Cham’s.
Ma tries to tell us how one Chinese changed the entire war by himself. This man advised the king of Champa with the tools and weapons he should use and developed strategical moves that led to the downfall of the Khmer Empire. |
Rediscovering Angkor
Weakened by wars, new religious values, a decaying water
system and plagues, the Khmer Empire declined. In 1431, an attack by the
Ayutthayans, made the people leave in droves. Although the Khmer region was
never completely deserted, it had a very small population compared to the
previous one. Water and the Mekong River lost its significance and the area
became much less important. The royal court briefly re-established itself
during King Barom’s reign, which was during 1566 and 1576, when he drove off
the Ayutthayans but without the previous system of irrigation systems,
reservoirs and the previous population, the empire fell quickly.
After the city was completely abandoned in the 15th century, Buddhist pilgrims still continued to visit Angkor Wat. The Khmer Empire was overtaken by jungle, and gigantic tree roots spread over the temples, which soon became hidden. In the 19th century, French archaeologists began the process of uncovering Angkor, which included clearing the jungle, restoring the site by repairing foundations and making drains to prevent any more water damage. Conservation work has been coordinated by UNESCO since the 1990’s. Government bodies from French, Japan and Cambodia have also worked on the sites. Over a million visitors come to Angkor from overseas every year and they also provide funds towards the cost of conserving the site. A problem with visitors though, is that they walk and climb over Angkor’s buildings and structures which cause more problems as the structures get more fragile over time and wear. The conservation work raised world awareness and encouraged modern Cambodians to be aware and proud of their past. |