Short Title 1

Jayavarman II was the first king of Angkor, its origins in the history described in the legend. He was a Khmer prince, in 790, he returned to Cambodia and as nuchal and a good politician conquered all Cambodian principalities and announced a single sovereign Cambodia. He did this at a ceremony in Phnom Kulen north-east of Siem Ripa in the year 802, and ibid held a ceremony, "God-King", which legalized its single king and established a royal cult of Linga to worship. Ling cult will remain central to the Angkor kings in religion, art and architecture for centuries.

Roluos: Home

After 802, King Jayavarman II continued to subdue the rebel areas and expand its empire, was based on a place near the modern city Roluos located 13 kilometers southeast of Siem Rome as the starting point for beduyuschego Angkor. For some reason, possibly because of the military-strategic considerations, he moved to the area of the mountains Coolen. But then again he moved the capital back into the area Roluos, which he called Hariharalayya, in honor of the gods Shiva and Vishnu, and the rules there until his death in 850 year.

Four years after the death of Jayavarman II, King of Indravarman he built the temple of Preah Ko, the first major member of the Roluos Group, in honor of Jayavarman II. Then he built Bakongo, who was the first large project in an architectural formula temple-mountain. When visiting them at Angkor, pay attention to the deep, rich, detailed artistic style of carving, which was typical for this period.

Short Title 2

Indravarman I built the first large reservoir in Angkor Barai, thus creating two more defining marks of kings of Angkor, in addition to the Linga cult: the construction of temples and monuments of grand projects, which included water.

Yasovarman son Indravarman I, continued the tradition of his father and built the last major temple of Rolus-Lolei, and the first major temple of Angkor Phnom Bakheng. After Phnom Bakhenga in 893 year, he moves his capital in Yashodharapuru, in the area of Angkor. This move may have caused the violent confrontation Yasovarman with his brother from behind the throne. This capital will be in the area of Angkor next 500 years.

An exception occurred in 928, when still unclear reason, there was interruption in the succession to the throne and King Jayavarman IV moved the capital from Angkor to 100 km north to Koh Ker, where she remained for 20 years. The capital returned to Angkor, but not in Phnom Bakheng as it was before, and farther to the east to the new temple of Pre Rup.