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Rise of Suryavarman II of the Angkor Dynasty

Type Event Region Southeast Asia Time 1107–1113

From around 1107 the noble Suryavarman II rose to power in Chenla (Angkor), securing the throne by about 1113 and inaugurating the dynasty's most exp…

Timeline

  1. 1107–1109Angkor region · CambodiaAmid the unstable reign of his predecessor Yasovarman II and civil unrest, Suryavarman II, from a cadet branch of the royal family, began assembling political and military support. He drew on the Brahmin priestly system and narratives of royal bloodline to lay a legitimacy foundation for seizing supreme power.
  2. 1110–1112Tonle Sap plain · CambodiaSuryavarman II gradually overcame opponents in struggles at court and among local nobles, gaining control of the Angkor heartland. The kingdom experienced a brief power vacuum and civil war during this phase, until his faction ultimately dominated the central government, clearing the way for his formal accession.
  3. 1113Angkor · CambodiaSuryavarman II was formally crowned king of Chenla, his royal title reflecting his devotion to Vishnu. Immediately after accession he planned large-scale temple construction (which later became Angkor Wat) and prepared military expeditions against Champa and elsewhere, marking the start of the Angkor Empire's age of expansion.

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