Suryavarman II - The Reign

The Reign

During his decades in power, the king reunited the empire, reversing many of the benign policies of his predecessor, historians believe. Vassals paid him tribute. In the west and north, his soldiers expanded the borders to cover new parts of present-day Thailand, Laos and Peninsular Malaysia. He staged large military operations in the east as well, but these were largely unsuccessful, at least according to accounts from the empire's rivals. As is common in reconstructing Khmer history, there is plenty of room for debating these and other precise events. Khmer inscriptions, a major source of information, may exaggerate the empire's accomplishments, while accounts from rival states may do the same with its shortcomings.

Inscriptions in the neighboring Indianized state Champa and accounts left by writers in Đại Việt, a Vietnam precursor state, say that Suryavarman staged three major but unsuccessful attacks on Dai-Viet, sometimes with the support of Champa. In 1128 AD, he is said to have led 20,000 soldiers against Dai-Viet, but they were defeated and chased out. The next year he sent a fleet of more than 700 vessels to attack its coast. In 1132 AD, combined Khmer and Cham forces again invaded, to no real success. Later, the Cham king Jaya Indravarman III made peace with Dai-Viet and refused to support further attacks.

In 1145 AD, Suryavarman appears to have invaded Champa, defeated its king and sacked the capital Vijaya. On the Cham throne he placed a new king, Harideva, said to be the younger brother of the Khmer ruler's wife. In subsequent fighting, Cham forces recaptured the capital and killed Harideva.

In addition to war, Suryavarman practiced diplomacy, resuming formal relations with China in 1116 AD. A Chinese account of the 13th century says that the Khmer embassy had 14 members, who after reaching Chinese soil were given special court garments. “Scarcely have we arrived to contemplate anear your glory than we are already filled with your benefits,” one of the ambassadors is quoted as telling the Chinese emperor. The embassy went home the following year. Another embassy visited in 1120 AD; in 1128 AD, the emperor conferred high dignities on the Khmer ruler, deeming him “great vassal of the empire.” Problems concerning commerce between the two states were examined and regulated.

The king's reign saw great innovations in art and architecture. He presided over construction of Angkor Wat, the largest temple ever built in the capital, and in many modern minds the ultimate masterpiece of Khmer architecture. Its five central towers evoke the peaks of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods. It was resplendent with more than 1,860 carved apsara, or heavenly nymphs, and hundreds of meters of elaborate bas reliefs depicting the Hindu legends and scenes from contemporary life. Other temples dating to his reign include Banteay Samre, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and, east of the capital, the huge Beng Mealea complex.

Suryavarman married, but no record exists of his wives' names.