Bhavavarman I
Encyclopedia
Bhavavarman I was a king of the Cambodia
n kingdom of Kamboja
, which would later become the Khmer empire
. Though the full dates of his reign are unknown, it is known that he reigned around the year 550
.
Bhavavarman's queen was named Kambuja-raja-lakshmi, and it was through her that he inherited the royal lineage. He was also very likely the grandson of the king of Funan, a neighboring and more powerful Cambodian kingdom.
The main accomplishment of Bhavavarman's reign was the expansion of Kamboja into the Mekong
river valley, attacking both Funan and Champa
, an ancient Vietnam
ese kingdom. The reasons for these attacks are not clear, but most likely revolve around the accession of Rudravarman to the Funan throne; Rudravarman killed the legitimate heir to the throne, and Bhavavarman may have seen himself as a rightful member of that lineage. It is not clear, however, if he wanted to claim the throne of Funan for himself, or to simply see Rudravarman unseated so that the next legitimate heir could take it.
He was succeeded by his brother Chitrasena, who took the reign name Mahendravarman
. Chinese records of the time indicate that Chitrasena was responsible for more of the conquests and battles than his brother, but it seems fair to assume that these were the actions of both kings. The Chinese records also indicate that, around this time at the beginning of the 7th century, the king of Funan was replaced, and that the new king was a 'wicked king' who did not support Buddhism
; either Bhavavarman or his brother could fit that definition, as both belonged to the traditional Shivaite
religion of Kamboja.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n kingdom of Kamboja
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, which would later become the Khmer empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...
. Though the full dates of his reign are unknown, it is known that he reigned around the year 550
550
Year 550 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 550 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* January 16 – Gothic War :...
.
Bhavavarman's queen was named Kambuja-raja-lakshmi, and it was through her that he inherited the royal lineage. He was also very likely the grandson of the king of Funan, a neighboring and more powerful Cambodian kingdom.
The main accomplishment of Bhavavarman's reign was the expansion of Kamboja into the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
river valley, attacking both Funan and Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
, an ancient Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese kingdom. The reasons for these attacks are not clear, but most likely revolve around the accession of Rudravarman to the Funan throne; Rudravarman killed the legitimate heir to the throne, and Bhavavarman may have seen himself as a rightful member of that lineage. It is not clear, however, if he wanted to claim the throne of Funan for himself, or to simply see Rudravarman unseated so that the next legitimate heir could take it.
He was succeeded by his brother Chitrasena, who took the reign name Mahendravarman
Mahendravarman
Mahendravarman was a king of the Cambodian kingdom of Kamboja, which would later become the Khmer empire. He was the brother of, and successor to Bhavavarman I....
. Chinese records of the time indicate that Chitrasena was responsible for more of the conquests and battles than his brother, but it seems fair to assume that these were the actions of both kings. The Chinese records also indicate that, around this time at the beginning of the 7th century, the king of Funan was replaced, and that the new king was a 'wicked king' who did not support Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
; either Bhavavarman or his brother could fit that definition, as both belonged to the traditional Shivaite
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
religion of Kamboja.