Indravarman III (), also titled Srindravarman () was a ruler of the

Khmer Empire The Khmer Empire was an empire in Southeast Asia, centered on Hydraulic empire, hydraulic cities in what is now northern Cambodia. Known as Kambuja (; ) by its inhabitants, it grew out of the former civilization of Chenla and lasted from 802 t ...

from 1295 to 1308. He rose to power after the abdication of his father in law Jayavarman VIII,Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, whose eldest daughter, Srindrabhupesvarachuda, he had married. Indravarman III was a follower of

Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' ( anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or '' Dhamma'' in ...

and upon his ascension to power he made it the state religion. He was entrusted with the command of the army. His lover, princess Srindrabhupesvera Cuda, stole the Sacred Sword from the king and gave it to him. The crown prince prepared to resist but Indravarman seized him, had his toes cut off, and then put him in prison. Having put down any resistance to his grab for power, he was then crowned king by the royal hotar Vidyesavid. He then married the princess to legitimize his reign. Later on he married Suryalakshmi, the niece of Vidyesavid. According to legends he was known for his special weapon, a bat made of ironwood.The Fall of Nokor Thom
/ref> In August 1296, the Chinese diplomat

Zhou Daguan Zhou Daguan (; ; c. 1270–?) was a Chinese diplomat of the Yuan dynasty of China, serving under Temür Khan (Emperor Chengzong of Yuan). He is most well known for his accounts of the customs of Cambodia and the Angkor temple complexes during hi ...

arrived in Angkor and recorded, "In the recent war with the Siamese, the country was utterly devastated".Maspero, G., 2002, The Champa Kingdom, Bangkok: White Lotus Co., Ltd., He remained at the court of Srindravarman until July 1297. He was neither the first nor the last Chinese representative to visit Kambuja. His stay is notable, however, because Zhou later wrote a detailed report on life in Angkor. His portrayal of the empire is today one of the most important sources of understanding historical Angkor. Alongside the descriptions within several great temples (the Bayon, the Baphuon, Angkor Wat), his account informs us that the towers of the Bayon were once covered in

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

; the text also offers valuable information on the everyday life and habits of the inhabitants of Angkor.

References

14th-century Cambodian monarchs Cambodian Buddhist monarchs Khmer kings Cambodian Theravada Buddhists 1308 deaths Year of birth unknown 13th-century Cambodian monarchs {{Cambodia-royal-stub