Origins & Early Life

Jayavarman II (Khmer: ជ័យវរ្ម័នទី២; c. 770 – 850 CE, reigned c. 802–850 CE) was a Khmer prince who founded and became the first ruler of the Khmer Empire. Jayavarman II declared independence from a polity named "Java" in the Khmer inscriptions, probably referring to the island of Java in the Indonesian archipelago, although the exact location is disputed.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He founded several capitals such as Mahendraparvata, Indrapura, and Hariharalaya. Before Jayavarman II came to power, the local overlords who ruled different parts of Cambodia were in a state of constant warfare, and much of the area fell under the orbit of the Shailendra dynasty of Srivijaya. As a child, Jayavarman II had been held in captivity or exile in Java, and was installed as Java's vassal around 800. By starting off with weaker kingdoms, he built himself up from there eventually leading to the Khmer Empire. The Khmer Empire was the dominant civilization in mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th century until the mid-15th century.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

No inscriptions securely identified with Jayavarman II have been found. The later kings of the Khmer Empire described him as a warrior and the most powerful king from that time frame that they could...

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