– The Khmer Empire was founded by a vast ethnic and linguistic group of the same name that moved to Southeast Asia from the north circa 1000 BCE. From 802 until 1431 CE, the empire was renowned for its colossal architecture and sophisticated irrigation systems.
What did the Khmer Empire become famous for?
Leeloo/Fotolia: Introduction – Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. The Khmer empire was a Southeast Asian kingdom that existed from around ad 800 until 1431. It saw its peak prosperity during the 11th and 13th centuries. The Khmer empire dominated a significant portion of what are now Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The empire is called for the ethnic group of its emperors, the Khmer. The Khmer established Angkor as their capital city (in present-day Cambodia). Consequently, the empire is frequently referred to as the Angkor empire. The Khmer were influenced by Indian culture and religion (Hinduism and Buddhism). The Khmer kingdom collapsed after the neighboring Tai peoples seized Angkor in the 15th century.
Subsequently, the area saw four centuries of foreign invasions, civil strife, and massive depopulation. The Khmer empire gave rise to contemporary Cambodia. The Khmer were renowned for their construction abilities. Many of these temples were devoted to the Hindu deities Shiva and Vishnu.
