Jayadevi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jayadevi |
|
|---|---|
| Queen of Chenla | |
| Reign | 681 – 713 |
| Predecessor | Jayavarman I |
| Successor | Sambhuvarman |
Jayadevi was a powerful queen who ruled the Kingdom of Chenla from 681 to 713. Chenla was an important kingdom that came before the famous Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Jayadevi was the daughter of King Jayavarman I. She also had a sister named Sobhajaya. Sobhajaya married an Indian priest named Sakrasvamin, who followed the god Shiva.
Becoming Queen
When her father, King Jayavarman I, passed away in 681, Jayadevi became the new ruler. She was a queen regnant, which means she ruled the kingdom herself.
Challenges and Division of Chenla
After Jayadevi became queen, there were some disagreements about who should rule. This led to problems in the kingdom. By the year 707, the Kingdom of Chenla had split into two parts:
- Land Chenla
- Water Chenla
We don't have much information about these two parts of Chenla. They might have even split into smaller kingdoms later on.
Jayadevi's Later Reign
In 713, Queen Jayadevi left an important message carved into a stone at Angkor. In this message, she talked about the difficult times her kingdom was facing. She also mentioned a special gift she made to a holy place dedicated to the god Shiva. This holy place had been built by her sister, Sobhajaya.
It's not clear how long Jayadevi continued to rule after 713. In 716, another king named Pushkara is mentioned in a stone carving. Some historians think he might have become king by marrying a queen, but this is not certain. He might also have taken the throne by force.
Who Was King Pushkara?
Another idea is that King Pushkara was actually Jayadevi's own son and became king after her. It's also possible that Chenla was already made up of several smaller kingdoms even before 707. This means the idea that Chenla suddenly split into two might not be completely accurate. For example, King Pushkara married Queen Indrani and became a co-ruler of her kingdom. This shows that there were already different parts or kingdoms within Chenla before the big split was thought to have happened.
