ca. 1–500s CELower Mekong River society called Funan is mentioned in Chinese records. (Funan may be transcription of Khmer word phnom, meaning “hill.”)
ca. 500s–700s CEHindu Mekong kingdom of Khmers called Zhenla (or Chenla) by the Chinese supercedes Funan.
ca. 770–834 CE Jayavarman II unifies Khmers in Angkor region, freeing them from rule of “Java” (exact location of “Java” not certain).
802 Jayavarman II enthroned under Hindu rites as devaraja, or “god-king”; establishes Khmer empire.
944–968 Rajendravarman builds Banteay Srei Temple.1002–1049Suryavarman I reigns.
1113–ca. 1145 Suryavarman II reigns and builds Angkor Wat dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu.
1177–1178 Hindu Chams invade and pillage Angkor kingdom.
1181–1219 Jayavarman VII, who defeats Chams, ascends to throne; Khmer empire at greatest extent, incorporating regions of present-day Laos, Burma, and Thailand; king follows Mahayana Buddhism, begins building city of Angkor Thom with Bayon Temple.
1243–1295 Jayavarman VIII enthroned; returns to Hinduism; many Buddha statues destroyed.
1300s Under influence from kingdoms to the west, Theravada Buddhism wins royal and popular allegiance. Pali replaces Sanskrit as sacred language; wood replaces brick and stone as building medium.
1431 Thais sack kingdom at Angkor.
1440s Khmer rulers move capital southeast near present capital, Phnom Penh.
1593 Siam king attacks, and Khmer become vassal kingdom to Siam.
1700s Viets conquer Mekong Delta; weaker Khmer kingdom assumes roughly modern borders of Cambodia. Decline
ca. 500s–700s CEHindu Mekong kingdom of Khmers called Zhenla (or Chenla) by the Chinese supercedes Funan.
ca. 770–834 CE Jayavarman II unifies Khmers in Angkor region, freeing them from rule of “Java” (exact location of “Java” not certain).
802 Jayavarman II enthroned under Hindu rites as devaraja, or “god-king”; establishes Khmer empire.
944–968 Rajendravarman builds Banteay Srei Temple.1002–1049Suryavarman I reigns.
1113–ca. 1145 Suryavarman II reigns and builds Angkor Wat dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu.
1177–1178 Hindu Chams invade and pillage Angkor kingdom.
1181–1219 Jayavarman VII, who defeats Chams, ascends to throne; Khmer empire at greatest extent, incorporating regions of present-day Laos, Burma, and Thailand; king follows Mahayana Buddhism, begins building city of Angkor Thom with Bayon Temple.
1243–1295 Jayavarman VIII enthroned; returns to Hinduism; many Buddha statues destroyed.
1300s Under influence from kingdoms to the west, Theravada Buddhism wins royal and popular allegiance. Pali replaces Sanskrit as sacred language; wood replaces brick and stone as building medium.
1431 Thais sack kingdom at Angkor.
1440s Khmer rulers move capital southeast near present capital, Phnom Penh.
1593 Siam king attacks, and Khmer become vassal kingdom to Siam.
1700s Viets conquer Mekong Delta; weaker Khmer kingdom assumes roughly modern borders of Cambodia. Decline