Jayavarman IV

=Early Years=

Jayavarman IV was an Angkorian king who ruled from 928 to 941. Many early historians thought that he was a usurper. However, recent evidence shows that he had a legitimate claim to the throne. He was the son of king Indravarman I's daughter, Mahendradevi, and was married to his aunt, a half-sister of king Yasovarman I. Because there were no clear rules of succession, his claim for the throne through a maternal line seemed to be valid. [Higham, "The Civilization of Angkor"p. 69] He contested the reigns of Yasovarman I's sons at Angkor since the death of their father. And in 921 he set up his own capital at Koh Ker. An inscription dated 921 states, "Jayavarman IV left the city of Yashodharapura to reign at "Chok Gargyar" taking the Devaraja with him." [Coedes, "The Indianized States of Southeasia Asia" p. 114] The rivalry lasted from 921 until the death of Ishanavarman II in 928, after which Jayavarman IV reigned supreme. Because of the turmoil during this period, no major monuments were built before 928. [Briggs, "The Ancient Khmer Empire" p. 115]

Koh Ker

Famous for its ancient ruins, Koh Ker today can be reached only by dirt roads. This old capital city of Jayavarman IV has been abandoned for over a thousand years. During his reign the capital was known as "Chok Gargyar" (the Island of Glory) and "Lingapura". It's a walled city of about 1200 m². In the center of the city he constructed the temple-mountain of Prasat Thom. On the summit of the temple he housed a colossal "linga", now disappeared, made of metal casing as high as 18 meters and 5 meters in diameter. Inscriptions designate the Old Khmer name for this linga as "kamrateng jagat ta raya", “the god who is the king.” In term of size only Angkor Wat is bigger than Prasat Thom. In the good old days, Koh Ker was a glorious city. "Jayavarman IV's inscriptions boasted that his constructions surpassed those of previous kings." [Chandler, "A History of Cambodia" p. 40]

Tax Collection

To build a magnificent city in such a short period of about 20 years, it must have required an enormous amount of wealth and labor. The inscriptions from Koh Ker shed some lights as to how this was being done. Labor forces were gathered from many provinces and taxes were paid in kind: such as, rice, wax, honey, elephants or cloth. Contrast to many ancient civilizations, Angkor did not mint any coin to use as currency. Tax collection in those days was probably performed by a "tamrvac" (modern: "tamruot", or policeman). A "tamrvac" or “royal inspector” had his real authority in the provinces. Taxes were collected from all the territories that Jayavarman IV had controlled. The tax collection system was very efficient if not brutal. As for those who refused to pay, they will be "caged by the elders and placed before the king for sentence." [Higham, "The Civilization of Angkor" p. 72] However, the king, palace functionaries, monks and slaves were exempt from paying taxes.

Posthumous Name

Jayavarman IV died in 941 and received the posthumous name of Paramashivapada.

Notes

References

*Briggs, Lawrence Palmer. "The Ancient Khmer Empire". Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 1951.
*Chandler, David. "A History of Cambodia". Westview Press 1996. Second Edition.
*Coedes, Georges. "The Indianized States of Southeast Asia". East-West Center Press 1968.
*Higham, Charles. "The Civilization of Angkor". University of California Press 2001.