Khmer Empire

Vietnamese Armies Attack Khmer

1700 BCE

Vietnamese armies repeatedly attack Khmer forces in Mekong River delta ad defeat the Khmer. The approximate modern borders of Cambodia are determined.

Thai King Attacks

1593 BCE

Siamese (Thai) king attcks and defeats Khmer king.

Phnom Penh

1440 BCE

Khmers relocate to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh

Abandoning Angkor

1432 BCE

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

Thai Army Attacks Angkor

1431 BCE

Thai Army invades Angkor

Buddhism

1300 BCE

Buddhism grows in importance and again becomes the main religion of the Khmers

Jayavarman VIII

1243 BCE

Rule of Jayavarman VIII. He renounces Buddhism and orders that Buddhist temples and images be destroyed and Hinduism becomes the main religion.

Javavarman VII

1181 BCE

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

Cham Kingdom Invades

1177 BCE

Cham Kingdom invades much of Khmer Empire's eastern territory

Expanding the Khmer Empire

834 BCE

Khmer Empire expands and Angkor Wat is built. Buddism becomes important

Devaraja (God-King)

802 BCE

Jayavarman II enthroned as a devaraja (god-king)

Jayavarman II

700 BCE

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

State of Chenla

550 BCE

State of Chenla replaces Funan as the dominant kingdom

First Known of the Khmers

500 BCE

Evidence of trade between the Khmer and Indian peoples