Middle Ages
Khmer Empire
802 AD – 1431 AD · peak 1150 AD
The Khmer Empire (802–1431) was a Southeast Asian Hindu-Buddhist state based in Angkor, present-day Cambodia. King Suryavarman II (r. 1113–1150) oversaw the construction of Angkor Wat, utilizing an advanced hydraulic network to sustain a high population density. Sustained military pressure from the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya and ecological failure of the irrigation system led to the capital's abandonment in the 15th century.
Capital: Angkor
Key figures
Battles in this period
Trade routes in use
- Silk Road (130 BC – 1450 AD)
- Trans-Saharan Gold Route (700 AD – 1500 AD)
- Route from the Varangians to the Greeks (800 AD – 1100 AD)
- Hanseatic League (1200 AD – 1600 AD)
- Indian Ocean Spice Route (800 AD – 1500 AD)