History - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 978

The Khmer Empire
A popular place of pilgrimage for Khmers today is the sacred mountain of Phnom Kulen, to
the northeast of Angkor, and home to an inscription that tells us that in 802 Jayavarman II
proclaimed himself a 'universal monarch', or a devaraja (god king). Jayavarman set out to
bring the region under his control through alliances and conquests. He was the first mon-
arch to rule all of what we call Cambodia today, and the first of a long succession of kings
who presided over the Southeast Asian empire that was to leave the stunning legacy of
Angkor.
THE MONGOLS IN THE MEKONG
The marauding Mongols left an indelible mark on the peoples of the Mekong as they initiated a major
shift in the balance of power in the region.
In 1253, Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis, attacked the Thai state of Nan Chao, which was located
in Xishuangbanna in the south of Yunnan. Thais had already been migrating south for several centuries,
and settling in parts of Laos and northern Thailand. However, the sacking of their capital provoked a
mass exodus and brought the Thais into conflict with the waning Khmer empire. The Mongol empire
evaporated into the dust of history, but with the sacking of the Thai capital, the die was cast: it was the
Thais versus the Khmers, a conflict that has persisted through the centuries to the present day.
In 1288, Kublai Khan planned to attack Champa and demanded the right to cross Vietnamese territ-
ory. The Vietnamese refused, but the Mongol hordes - all half a million of them - pushed ahead, seem-
ingly invulnerable. However, they met their match in the legendary general Tran Hung Dao. He de-
feated them in the battle of Bach Dang River, one of the most celebrated scalps among many the Viet-
namese have taken.
The Romans of Asia
The Khmers built massive irrigation systems and a sophisticated network of highways to
connect the outposts of their empire - much like the Romans did. Roads fanned out from
Angkor, connecting the capital with satellite cities such as Ayuthaya and Phimai in Thail-
and and as far away as Wat Phu in southern Laos.
From 1113, King Suryavarman II embarked on another phase of expansion, waging wars
against Champa and Vietnam. He is immortalised in Cambodia as the king who, in his de-
votion to the Hindu deity Vishnu, bequeathed the world the majestic temple of Angkor
Wat.