Suryavarman II
Great ruler of the Khmer Empire, famed for building Angkor Wat.
Chronology: 1094 – 1150
Origins & Early Life
Suryavarman II (Khmer: សូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី២, UNGEGN: Soryôvôrmoăn Ti 2, ALA-LC: Sūryavarmăn Dī 2), posthumously named Paramavishnuloka, was the ruler of the Khmer Empire from 1113 until his death in 1150. He is most famously known as the builder of Angkor Wat, the largest Hindu temple in the world, which he dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. His reign's monumental architecture, numerous military campaigns and restoration of strong government have led historians to rank Suryavarman II as one of the empire's greatest rulers. == Early years == Suryavarman appears to have grown up in a provincial estate in 1094 or 1098, at a time of weakening central control in the empire.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
An inscription lists his father as Ksitindraditya and his mother as Narendralakshmi. As a young prince, he maneuvered for power, contending he had a legitimate claim to the throne. “At the end of his studies,” states an inscription, “he approved the desire of the royal dignity of his family.” He appears to have dealt with a rival claimant from the line of Harshavarman III, probably Nripatindravarman, who held sway in the south, then to have turned on the elderly and largely ineffectual king Dharanindravarman I, his great uncle...
Enduring Legacy & Impact
The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.
Source: Wikipedia