Images

Timeline of the Khmer Empire

  • 500

    Evidence of trade between the Khmer and Indian peoples

  • 500

    First know kingdom in the lower Mekong River region, funan, rises and falls.

  • Period: 500 to

    The time of the Khmer Empire

  • 550

    State of Chenla replaces Funan as the dominant kingdom

  • Jan 1, 770

    Jayavarman II unifies smaller states to create one large empire. The capital is in the Ankor region of Cambodia

  • Jan 1, 1177

    Cham kingdom invades much of Khmer Empire's eastrern territory.

  • Jan 1, 1181

    Jayavarman VII defeats the Chams and expands the empire to furthest extent to incorporate much of present-day Laos, Thailand and Burma.

  • Jan 1, 1243

    Rule of Jaya varman VIII. He renounces Buddhism and orders thst Buddhist temples and images be destroyed and Hinduism become the main religion.

  • Jan 1, 1300

    Buddhism grows in importance and again becomes the main religion of the Khmer kings

  • Jan 1, 1431

    Thai army attacks Ankor

  • Jan 1, 1432

    Khmers abandon Ankor. Over subsequent centuries, the jungle grows around and over Ankor and its location is forgotten

  • Jan 1, 1440

    Khmer rulers relocate the capital to Phnom Penh

  • Siamese (Thai) king attacks and defeats Khmer king

  • Vietnamese armies repeatedly attack Khmer forces in Mekong river delta and defeated the Khmer. The approximate modern borders of Cambodia are determined.

  • Jayavarman II enthroned as a devaraja (god-king)

  • Khmer Empire expands and Ankor Wat is built. Buddism becomes inportant.