Indravarman III
King of the Khmer Empire
Reign1295 – 1308
PredecessorJayavarman VIII
SuccessorIndrajayavarman
SpouseSrindrabhupesvarachuda
ReligionTheravada Buddhism

Indravarman III (Khmer: ឥន្ទ្រវរ្ម័នទី៣), also titled Srindravarman (Khmer: ស្រីន្ទ្រវរ្ម័ន) was a ruler of the Khmer Empire from 1295 to 1308. He rose to power after the abdication of his father in law Jayavarman VIII,[1]: 133  whose eldest daughter, Srindrabhupesvarachuda, he had married.[2]: 211  Indravarman III was a follower of Theravada Buddhism and upon his ascension to power he made it the state religion.

He was entrusted with the command of the army. Had his lover, princess Srindrabhupesvera Cuda, stole the Sacred Sword from the king and gave it to him.The crown prince prepared to resist but Indravarman seized him, had his toes cut off, and then put him in prison. Having put down any resistance to his grab for power, he was then crowned king by the royal hotar Vidyesavid. He then married the princess to legitimize his reign. Later on he married Suryalakshmi, the niece of Vidyesavid.[3]

According to legends he was known for his special weapon, a bat made of ironwood.[4] In August 1296, the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan arrived in Angkor and recorded, "In the recent war with the Siamese, the country was utterly devastated".[5]: 211 [6]: 90  He remained at the court of Srindravarman until July 1297. He was neither the first nor the last Chinese representative to visit Kambuja. His stay is notable, however, because Zhou later wrote a detailed report on life in Angkor. His portrayal of the empire is today one of the most important sources of understanding historical Angkor. Alongside the descriptions within several great temples (the Bayon, the Baphuon, Angkor Wat), his account informs us that the towers of the Bayon were once covered in gold; the text also offers valuable information on the everyday life and habits of the inhabitants of Angkor.

References

  1. ↑ Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 9781842125847
  2. ↑ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
  3. ↑ Kenneth T. So. "Preah Khan Reach and The Genealogy of Khmer Kings" (PDF). Cambosastra. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-08. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  4. ↑ The Fall of Nokor Thom
  5. ↑ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans. Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
  6. ↑ Maspero, G., 2002, The Champa Kingdom, Bangkok: White Lotus Co., Ltd., ISBN 9747534991


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