Suryavarman I

Suryavarman I
សូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី១
King
Reign1006–1050
PredecessorJayavarman V
SuccessorUdayadityavarman II
Died1050
Posthumous name
Nirvanapada
ReligionMahayana Buddhism
Ruins of Suryavarman I's capital at Phimeanakas

Suryavarman I (Khmer: សូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី១; posthumously Nirvanapada) was king of the Khmer Empire from 1006 to 1050.[1]: 134–135  Suryavarman usurped King Udayadityavarman I, defeating his armies in approximately 1002. After a protracted war with Udayadityavarman's would-be successor, Jayavirahvarman,[2] Suryavarman I claimed the throne in 1010. Suryavarman was a Mahayana Buddhist[1]: 134  who was also tolerant of the growing Theravada Buddhist presence in the Khmer kingdom.

Biography

Suryavarman I established diplomatic relations with the Chola dynasty of south India (Tamilnadu) around 1012.[1]: 136  Suryavarman I sent a chariot as a present to the Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola I.[3] It seems that the Khmer king Suryavarman I requested aid from the powerful Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola against the Tambralinga kingdom.[4][5] After learning of Suryavarman's alliance with Rajendra Chola I, the Tambralinga kingdom requested aid from the Srivijaya king Sangrama Vijayatungavarman.[4][6] That eventually led to the Chola Empire coming into conflict with the Srivijiya Empire. The war ended with a victory for the Chola dynasty and the Khmer Empire, major losses for the Sri Vijaya Empire and the Tambralinga kingdom.[4][7]

His reign lasted some 40 years, and he spent much of that time defending it. Known as the "King of the Just Laws," he consolidated his political power by inviting some 4000 local officials to the royal palace and swear an oath of allegiance to him. Suryavarman favored Buddhism but allowed the people to continue practising Hinduism. His palace was situated in the vicinity of Angkor Thom, and he was the first Khmer ruler to protect his palace with a wall.

In the inscription at Tuol Ta Pec, Suryavarman is said to have known of the principles of the six Vedangas.

Suryavarman expanded his territory to the west to Lopburi, including the Menam basin in Thailand, and east into the Mekong basin.[1]: 136–137 

Suryavarman probably started construction at Preah Khan Kompong Svay and expanded Banteay Srei, Wat Ek Phnom, and Phnom Chisor.[8]: 95–96  The major constructions by the king were the Prasat Preah Vihear, on Dangrek Mountain, and completion of the Phimeanakas and Ta Keo.[1]: 135–136  Suryavarman also started the second Angkor reservoir, the West Baray, which is 8 km long and 2.1 km wide.[9]: 371  It held more than 123 million liters of water.[10] That is the largest Khmer reservoir to survive. There is some indication that Suryavarman sent a gift to Rajendra Chola I, the Chola Emperor.[11]

During his reign, 47 cities (known as 47 pura) were under the control of Khmer Empire.[12]

Suryavarman died in 1050 and was given the posthumous title Nirvanapada ("the king who has gone to nirvana"), a nod to his Buddhist beliefs. He was succeeded by his sons, Udayadityavarman II, who died around 1066, and Harshavarman III (Sadasivapada), who continued the struggle against internal rebellions and fought off assaults from the Chams until his death in 1080.

The video game Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas contains a five-chapter campaign titled "Suryavarman I".[13]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
  2. ^ "Suryavarman I". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2014. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. ^ Indian History by Reddy: p.64
  4. ^ a b c Kenneth R. Hall (October 1975), "Khmer Commercial Development and Foreign Contacts under Sūryavarman I", Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 18 (3), pp. 318–336, Brill Publishers
  5. ^ Society and culture: the Asian heritage : Juan R. Francisco, Ph.D. University of the Philippines Asian Center p.106
  6. ^ R. C. Majumdar (1961), "The Overseas Expeditions of King Rājendra Cola", Artibus Asiae 24 (3/4), pp. 338–342, Artibus Asiae Publishers
  7. ^ R. C. Majumdar (1961), "The Overseas Expeditions of King Rājendra Cola", Artibus Asiae 24 (3/4), pp. 338–342, Artibus Asiae Publishers
  8. ^ Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 9781842125847
  9. ^ Higham, C., 2014, Early Mainland Southeast Asia, Bangkok: River Books Co., Ltd., ISBN 9786167339443
  10. ^ Freeman, Michael; Jacques, Claude (2006). Ancient Angkor. River Books. p. 188. ISBN 974-8225-27-5.
  11. ^ Economic Development, Integration, and Morality in Asia and the Americas, by Donald C. Wood p.176
  12. ^ Hall, K. R. (2019). Maritime Trade and State Development in Early Southeast Asia. United States: University of Hawaii Press.
  13. ^ Papadopoulos, John (December 14, 2016). "New expansion for Age of Empires II HD coming on December 19th". DSOGaming. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
Regnal titles
Preceded by Emperor of Angkor
1006–1050 		Succeeded by