Jayavarman VII

c. 1122 – c. 1218

Jayavarman VII (c. 1122 - c. 1218) was king of the Khmer Empire from 1181 until his death and is generally regarded as its greatest monarch. A devout Mahayana Buddhist, he drove out Cham occupiers, rebuilt the capital as Angkor Thom with the Bayon as its centerpiece, and constructed an extensive network of hospitals, rest houses, and roads. Under his rule the empire reached its territorial peak.

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Life events

Born a son of King Dharanindravarman II
c. 1122

Jayavarman was born around 1122-1125 to King Dharanindravarman II and Queen Sri Jayarajacudamani.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Jayarajadevi, his influential first wife
c. 1160

His devout Buddhist wife Jayarajadevi is credited in inscriptions with shaping his faith; after her death he married her elder sister Indradevi.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Lived away from power during the reigns of his predecessors
c. 1166

For years, possibly partly in Champa, Jayavarman remained out of the political center while usurper Tribhuvanadityavarman held the throne at Angkor.

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Fought to expel the Chams after their sack of Angkor
1177 – 1181

After a Cham fleet captured and looted Angkor in 1177, Jayavarman led the resistance, defeating the invaders in land and naval battles.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Crowned king of the Khmer Empire
1181

Jayavarman VII was consecrated king in 1181 after driving out the Chams, becoming the empire's first strongly Buddhist ruler.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Built Ta Prohm in honor of his mother
1186

In 1186 he dedicated the temple-monastery of Ta Prohm, whose main image was modeled on his mother as Prajnaparamita.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Rebuilt the capital as Angkor Thom centered on the Bayon
c. 1190

During the 1190s and 1200s he constructed the walled city of Angkor Thom, with the face-towered Bayon as its state temple, along with roads, rest houses, and 102 hospitals across the empire.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Dedicated Preah Khan in honor of his father
1191

In 1191 he consecrated the great temple complex of Preah Khan, built on the site of a victory over the Chams.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Annexed Champa as a Khmer province
c. 1203

Following renewed wars, Champa was brought under Khmer control around 1203 and remained a province for about two decades.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died at an advanced age
c. 1218

Jayavarman VII is believed to have died around 1218, receiving the posthumous name Mahaparamasaugata; he was succeeded by Indravarman II.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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