Jayavarman VII
(1181–1220), king of Angkor. Jayavarman VII is recognized as the last great king of Angkor, the mighty kingdom that preceded modern Cambodia. A first cousin of Suryavarman II (d. 1150), who built the famed Angkor Wat, he assumed the throne at a time when the kingdom was in decline, having been invaded and overtaken in an attack by the Chams. It took four years of fighting for Jayavarman's army to drive the Chams out of Angkor. Unlike his Angkorean predecessors, who worshiped Hindu gods, Jayavarman VII was a Mahayana Buddhist. Jayavarman VII was the most prolific builder of Cambodia's Angkorean kings. He built roads that extended from the heart of his kingdom, and he built temples, hospitals, reservoirs, and rest houses. He built the walled city of Angkor Thom, with the Bayon at its center. He was also responsible for building Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Ta Som, the Terrace of the Elephants, and Srah Srang. Much of the life, and death, of Jayavarman VII remains shrouded in mystery. It is possible that he is the leper king of Khmer oral tradition. Whatever the case, it is clear that regional power and influence of the Angkor kingdom declined after his reign.
Further Reading
Chandler, David. (1993) A History of Cambodia. 2d ed. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.
Mabbett, Ian, and David Chandler. (1995) The Khmers. Oxford: Blackwell.
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