ace. In the
centre of it stands the temple now called Bayon and outside its walls
are many other edifices of which the majestic Angkor Wat is the
largest and best preserved. King Indravarman (877-899) seems
responsible for the selection of the site but he merely commenced the
construction of the Bayon. The edifice was completed by his son
Yasovarman (889-908) who also built a town round it, called
Yasod harapura, Kambupuri or Mahanagara. Angkor Thom is the
Cambojan translation of this last name, Angkor being a corruption of
Nokor ( = Nagara). Yasovarman's empire comprised nearly all
Indo-China between Burma and Champa and he has been identified with
the Leper king of Cambojan legend. His successors continued to
embellish Angkor Thom, but Jayavarman IV abandoned it and it was
deserted for several years until Rajendravarman II (944-968) made it
the capital again. The Chinese Annals, supported by allusions in the
inscriptions, state that this prince conquered Champa. The long
reigns of Jayavarman V, Suryavarman I, and Udayadityavarman, which
cover more than a century (968-1079) seem to mark a prosperous period
when architecture flourished, although Udayadityavarman had to contend
with two rebellions. Another great king, Suryavarman II (1112-1162)
followed shortly after them, and for a time succeeded in uniting
Camboja and Champa under his sway. Some authorities credit him with a
successful expedition to Ceylon. There is not sufficient evidence for
this, but he was a great prince and, in spite of his foreign wars,
maintained peace and order at home.

Jayavarman VII, who appears to have reigned from 1162 to 1201, reduced
to obedience his unruly vassals of the north and successfully invaded
Champa which remained for thirty years, though not without rebellion,
the vassal of Camboja. It was evacuated by his successor Indravarman
in 1220.

After this date there is again a gap of more than a century in
Cambojan history, and when the sequence of events becomes clear again,
we find that Siam has grown to be a dangerous and aggressive enemy.
But though the vigour of the kingdom may have declined, the account of
the Chinese traveller Chou Ta-kuan who visited Angkor Thom in 1296
shows that it was not in a state of anarchy nor conquered by Siam.
There had however been a recent war with Siam and he mentions that the
country was devastated. He unfortunately does not tell us the name of
the reigning king and the list of sovereigns begi