Devaraja of the Khmer Empire | |
---|---|
Imperial | |
Imperial Arms of Kambujadesa | |
Incumbent | |
Monarchy abolished Last held by: Chakravarman I | |
Details | |
Style | His/Her Imperial Majesty His/Her Divineness |
Heir apparent | Sumdaravana |
First monarch | Suryavarman II |
Formation | 1135 |
Residence | Imperial Palace of Angkor |
The Devaraja (if male) or Devarani (if female) was the absolute monarch of the Khmer Empire. The last Devaraja, Chakravarman I, ascended the throne upon the death of his father on 6 April 1997. The monarchy was abolished on October 21 2017 by the National Congress.
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, the devaraja, was worshiped as a demigod, son of the gods and supreme ruler of the empire. The emperor wass viewed as son and re-incarnation of the Hindu gods. The people believed 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). 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 last emperor was 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 received 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
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 Devaraja | 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 |