Emperor of the Khmer Empire | |
---|---|
Imperial | |
Imperial Arms of Kambujadesa | |
Incumbent | |
Chakravarman I since 1997 | |
Details | |
Style | His/Her Imperial Majesty His/Her Divineness |
Heir apparent | Sumdaravana |
First monarch | Suryavarman II |
Formation | 1135 |
Residence | Imperial Palace of Angkor |
The Monarch of the Khmer Empire is the ruler of the Khmer Empire. The monarch's title is Emperor (if male) or Empress (if female). The current monarch, Chakravarman I, ascended the throne upon the death of his father on 6 April 1997.
History of the Khmer Empire
Before that rulers of the Khmer Empire styled themselves as emperors, had the title of king. Jayavarman II declared independence from the Srivijaya Empire in 802 and established the Kingdom of Kambujadesa with himself as ruler. The rulers continued to have this title until Suryavarman II expanded the kingdom into a great empire and crowned himself emperor. The role of women in the empire was to be queens, servants, daily life (work around their families house) and dancing for the rulers.
Description
The emperor of the Khmer Empire is worshiped as a demigod, son of the gods and supreme ruler of the empire. The emperor is viewed as son and re-incarnation of the Hindu gods. The people believe that the emperor is appointed by the gods and therefore, any limitation of his power would be against the will of the gods. The emperor is viewed as the re-incarnation of the god Shiva and is thus the extreme masculinity (if there is an reigning empress then she represents the Goddess Shakti and thus extreme femininity). The emperor may choose any woman that he wants as one of his concubines. Women who become concubines live in extreme luxury for the rest of their lives and it is a great honor to become a wife of the emperor. In the last ages it is common for emperors to only take a few wives or one wife. Therefore, the Khmer Empire is an autocratic, divine and absolute monarchy where the emperor rules with an iron fist. He and his family reside in the Grand Imperial Palace of Angkor, in the heart of the city. The emperor has infallibility, inviolability and his word is law. Many people have criticized the Khmer Empire for its lack of democracy. Some of the titles that the emperor carries are "His Divinenes, the Almighty Emperor of the Great Empire of Kampuchea", Divine Emperor of the Empire of Kampuchea, Chakravartin, King of the World, Son of the Gods and Great Ruler of the Khmer People. There have only been two known instances of a woman ascending the throne. Suryavarna, the first Empress regnant, was empress from 1145-1160. Tribhuwana, also Queen of Majapahit, became Co-Empress after she married Vizalavarman I of the Khmer Empire. The current constitution allows women to ascend the throne. The current emperor is Chakravarman I, who was crowned emperor in 1995 at the age of ten. He is married to Suprassana Devi and has one daughter Sundaravana .She is the current heir to the throne. Most emperors receive a posthumous name and sometimes a nickname.
Requirements
Article 5 of the Khmer constitution decrees that the ruler must meet this requirements. The Emperor must:
- follow the Hindu religion
- not have betrayed the nation
- be a member of the Imperial family
- be physically and mentally capable of performing his/her duties
- not have committed heinous crimes
Line of Succession
If the emperor does not name a successor then the first in line becomes emperor. Women are currently allowed to ascend the throne. The constitution implements absolute cognatic primogeniture.
The line of succession is described below:
- 1. Oldest child
- 2. Children from oldest to youngest
- 3. Siblings of the emperor from oldest to youngest
- 4. Consort of the emperor/empress
- 5. Grandchildren of the emperor from oldest to youngest
- 6. Children of the siblings of the emperor from oldest to youngest
- 7. Other relatives of the emperor
List of Emperors
Number | Name of King | Reign | Nickname or and/posthumous name |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jayavarman II | 802-835 | Paramesvara |
2 | Jayavarman III | 835-877 | Viṣṇuloka |
3 | Indravarman III | 877-890 | Unknown |
4 | Yasovarman I | 889-910 | Paramashivaloka |
5 | Harshavarman I | 910-923 | Unknown |
6 | Ishanavarman II | 923-928 | Paramarudraloka |
7 | Indravarman III | 877-890 | Unknown |
8 | Yasovarman I | 889-910 | Paramashivaloka |
9 | Harshavarman II | 941-944 | Bhrahmaloka |
10 | Rajendravarman II | 944-968 | Unknown |
11 | Jayavarman V | 968-1001 | Unknown |
12 | Udayadityavarman I | 1002 | Unknown |
13 | Jayavirahvarman | 1002-1006 | Unknown |
14 | Suryavarman I | 1006-1050 | Unknown |
15 | Udayadityavarman II | 1050-1066 | Unknown |
16 | Harshavarman III | 1066-1080 | Sadaśivapada |
17 | Jayavarman VI | 1090-1107 | Paramakaivalyapada |
18 | Dharanindravarman I | 1107-1113 | Unknown |
19 | Suryavarman II | 1066-1080 | "The Great" and "The Muscular" Paramavishnuloka |
Number | Name of Emperor | Reign | Nickname or and/posthumous name |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Suryavarman II | 1135-1145 | "The Great" and "The Muscular" Paramavishnuloka |
2 | Suryavana | 1145-1160 | "The Beautiful" Sundaramahila |
3 | Suryavarman III | 1155-1195 | "The Great" Dvitiyakaäbhinava |
4 | Srindavarman I | 1195-1235 | "The Golden" Kanakamayanara |
5 | Ksarakajatavarman I | 1235-1245 | "The Decline" Hrasavarman |
6 | Vilaksanavarman I | 1245-1255 | "The Failure" Asaphalatavarman |
7 | Darzaniyavarman I | 1255-1265 | "The Collapse" Pravlaya |
8 | Jayavarman VII | 1265-1315 | "The Great" Pratyagacchatiloka |
9 | Vizalavarman I | 1315-1351 | "The Giant" Sthulavarman |
9 | Tribhuwana | 1335-1351 | "The Charming Lady" Madhuradevi |
10 | Nirupaplavavarman I | 1351-1380 | "The Handsome" Zamtamaloka |
11 | Pumstvavarman I | 1380-1422 | "The Masculine" Devaloka |
12 | Samhanavatavarman I | 1422-1460 | "The Muscular" Samhananopetaloka |
13 | Balavanavarman I | 1460-1490 | "The Strong" Samarthaloka |
14 | Hasyavarman I | 1490-1516 | "The Crazy" Hsyakathaloka |
15 | Samulbanavarman I | 1516-1536 | "The Bloody" Samsmaraniyaloka |
16 | Gudhavarman I | 1536-1560 | "The Mysterious" |
17 | Samhananopetavarman I | 1560-1596 | "The God" Surendra |
18 | Priyavarman I | 1596-1630 | "The Incapable" Azaktavarman |
19 | Zobhanavarman I | 1630-1659 | "The Error" Mithyatva |
20 | Abhinavavarman I | 1659-1699 | "The Excellent" Varisthaloka |
21 | Laghuvarman | 1699-1700 | "The Shortlived" Alpuyusavarman |
22 | Smaramavarman I | 1700-1800 | "The Immortal" Amaravarman |
23 | Samulbanavarman II | 1800-1810 | "The Builder" Gharakarakavarman |
24 | Suryavarman IV | 1810-1840 | "The Golden" Kanakamayanara |
25 | Samhananopetavarman II | 1840-1885 | "The Great" Dvitiyakaäbhinava |
26 | Nirupaplavavarman II | 1885-1923 | "The Excellent" Varisthaloka |
27 | Samhananopetavarman II | 1923-1950 | "The Awesome" Bhimavarman |
28 | Balavanavarman I | 1950-1988 | "The Cultured" Vyutpattimataloka |
29 | Samhananopetavarman III | 1988-1997 | "The Musical" Svaraloka |
30 | Chakravarman I | 1997-present | "The Guru" Gharakarakavarman |