Southeast Asia Biography

Jayavarman VII (reigned ca. 1181 to 1219 CE)

King of the Angkor during its peak, circa 1200 CE. Jayavarman VII was a member of the royal family, but he was never expected to take the throne. In 1177, though, the Vietnamese state of Champa sailed upriver and sacked Angkor, killing the king Tribhuvanadityavarman. Jayavarman survived and led the rebel force that fought to retake Angkor. In 1180 Jayavarman successfully forced the Chams out of Angkor and became king soonafter. The four decades of his rule included a massive building program, including the Preah Khan temple and the new city of Angkor Thom. He also began the process of converting the kingdom to Buddhism.