Chapter 78

The Angkor Dynasty is one of the most famous ancient dynasties in the Asian region, located within the borders of present-day Cambodia. It was the most glorious era in Cambodia's history, established by Jayavarman II in 802 AD and lasting through 34 monarchs across 628 years until Ponhea Yat relocated the capital to Phnom Penh in 1431. The primary ethnic group was the Khmer. Initially practicing Hinduism, they later converted to Mahayana Buddhism. At the peaks of their power under Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII, their territory far exceeded that of modern-day Cambodia, encompassing all of present-day Cambodia, large parts of Xiang Country and Laos, and southern Vietnam, making it the most powerful state in Asian history. Later, due to invasions by the Thai people, they fled to Phnom Penh in 1431, surviving into the modern era as the Phnom Penh Kingdom. The Angkor Dynasty not only laid the linguistic and religious foundations of Cambodia, but also exerted a major influence on Champa, Laos, and Siam. However, behind its brilliance, the Angkor Dynasty also harbored numerous crises. As time passed, power struggles grew increasingly fierce, and internal division gradually deepened.