Period One

Ban Chiang to Sukhothai

Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire which ruled large parts o North East Thailand must be actually called Empire of Kambuja and was founded by King Jayavarman II around 790 AD. This founder of the powerful empire had been born as prince of the Chenla but had spent his youth at the court of Java. he brought a lot of the javanese culture back to the former kingdom of Chenla and became king of kambuja of the Khmer. His first capital was 15km southeast of Angkor which he started to build during his reign. In 802 AD, Jayavarman II declared independence from the Kingdom of Java.

Still, it took nearly a century until king Yasovarman I established a first capital on the site of Angkor which he called Yasodharapura.

One of the most powerful kings was Suryavarman I who reigned between 1010 and 1050 AD and extended his empire until Lopburi in the west.

In the 12th century AD king Suryavarman II (1113 - 1150 AD) built the most impressive Angkor Wat and conquered the Haripunchai Empire to large parts. he further took large parts of the Malayan peninsula and came as far as Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The last big and good king of the Khmer was Jayavarman VII who established his capital at Angkor Thom. In his reign a large transportation network was built which included 102 hospitals.

In the reign of his son, Indravarman II, Kambuja lost a lot of its power, the Thais rebelled and established their first capital at Sukhothai. They should be in the following 200 years the main rivals and win more and more power.