Suryavarman I (; posthumously ''Nirvanapada'') was king 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 1006 to 1050.
Suryavarman usurped King
Udayadityavarman I, defeating his armies in approximately 1002. After a protracted war with Udayadityavarman's would-be successor,
Jayavirahvarman, Suryavarman I claimed the throne in 1010. Suryavarman was a
Mahayana
Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main ex ...
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
[ who was also tolerant of the growing ]Theravada
''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 ''Dharma (Buddhi ...
Buddhist presence in the Khmer kingdom.
Biography
Suryavarman I established diplomatic relations with the Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
of south India (Tamilnadu) around 1012.[ Suryavarman I sent a chariot as a present to the Chola Emperor ]Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as ...
. It seems that the Khmer king Suryavarman I requested aid from the powerful Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as ...
against the Tambralinga kingdom.[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] After learning of Suryavarman's alliance with Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as ...
, the Tambralinga kingdom requested aid from the Srivijaya
Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
king Sangrama Vijayatungavarman. That eventually led to the Chola Empire
The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
coming into conflict with the Srivijiya Empire. The war ended with a victory for the Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
and 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 ...
, major losses for the Sri Vijaya Empire and the Tambralinga kingdom.
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
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. His palace was situated in the vicinity of Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom ( ; meaning "Great City"), alternatively Nokor Thom ( ), located in present-day Cambodia, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire, Khmer Empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman V ...
, 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
The Vedanga ( ', "limb of the Veda-s"; Plural, plural form: वेदाङ्गानि ') are six auxiliary disciplines of Vedic studies that developed in Vedic period, Vedic and post-Vedic times.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Vedanga" in The Illus ...
.
Suryavarman expanded his territory to the west to Lopburi
Lopburi (, , ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is about northeast of Bangkok. It has a population of 58,000. The town ('' thesaban mueang'') covers the whole ''tambon'' Tha Hin and parts of Thale Chup Son of Muea ...
, including the Menam basin in Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, and east into the Mekong
The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth-longest river and the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of and a drainage area of , discharging of wat ...
basin.[
Suryavarman probably started construction at Preah Khan Kompong Svay and expanded ]Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei ( ) is a 10th century CE Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindus, Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati. Located in the area of Angkor, it lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the m ...
, Wat Ek Phnom, and Phnom Chisor.[Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ] The major constructions by the king were the Prasat Preah Vihear
Preah Vihear Temple (Khmer language, Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ ''Prasat Preah Vihear''; ; ) is an ancient Hindu temple built by the Khmer Empire, located on top of a cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, in the Preah ...
, on Dangrek Mountain, and completion of the Phimeanakas and Ta Keo.[ Suryavarman also started the second Angkor reservoir, the ]West Baray
The West Baray (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: , Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization Tables, ALA-LC: ) or Baray Teuk Thla (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: , Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization Tables, ALA-LC: ; "Cl ...
, which is 8 km long and 2.1 km wide.[Higham, C., 2014, Early Mainland Southeast Asia, Bangkok: River Books Co., Ltd., ] It held more than 123 million liters of water. That is the largest Khmer reservoir to survive. There is some indication that Suryavarman sent a gift to Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as ...
, the Chola Emperor.
During his reign, 47 cities (known as 47 pura) were under the control of Khmer Empire.
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
The Chams ( Cham: , چام, ''cam''), or Champa people ( Cham: , اوراڠ چمڤا, ''Urang Campa''; or ; , ), are an Austronesian ethnic group in Southeast Asia and are the original inhabitants of central Vietnam and coastal Cambodia be ...
until his death in 1080.
In popular culture
The video game '' Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas'' contains a five-chapter campaign titled "Suryavarman I".
See also
* Khleangs
*Buddhism in Cambodia
Buddhism in Cambodia or Khmer Buddhism (, UNGEGN: ) has existed since at least the 5th century. In its earliest form it was a type of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Today, the predominant form of Buddhism in Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism. It is enshr ...
Notes
External links
*
Angkor - Khmer Rulers - Chronology
, art-and-archaeology.com.
*
, ''Enchantment of the World: Cambodia'', Seatha Say and Miriam Greenblat, via Khmer Pride Productions.
*
srkbalspean
, Indochina Exclusive.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suryavarman 01
11th-century Cambodian monarchs
Cambodian Buddhist monarchs
Mahayana Buddhists
Cambodian Buddhists
1050 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Khmer kings