In his ambitious plan, he selected the hill of Bakheng as the centre of the new city of Yasodharapura, and as the site of his state temple, first leveling the top. Surrounding the hill, the earth banks of the city limits were 4 km on each side, and traces remain today on the S and W. In addition, Yasovarman built the East Baray, a great reservoir more than 7 km long and almost 2 km wide. Earlier in 893, he had built the Lolei temple in the middle of the Indratatak and the temples of Phnom Krom and Phnom Bok were possible built by him. He died in 910. His two sons, Harshavarman I and Isanavarman II, continued the dynasty, but on the death of the latter, around 928, the capital abruptly moved to Koh Ker, some 100 kilometres to the NE. The background to this is obscure, but there was a change in the royal succession, and the throne went to Jayavarman IV for at least seven years. He probably owed allegiance to the Angkor kings, and it is not known how he took the throne. Nevertheless, the scale of the brick temple of Prasat Thorn that he had built at Koh Ker shows that he was rich and powerful. Having started a considerable building program there, he clearly decided to continue and make it his capital. Many smaller temples were added, and a Baray, all in the short space of 20 years until the capital reverted to Angkor. The state temple was a seven-storey sandstone pyramid, 35m high. On his death, Jayavarman IV was succeeded, briefly, by his son Harshavarman II, although an inscription makes it clear that this was not the father's choice. Moreover, the succession was contested, and after a reign of only three years, Harshavarman met what was probably a violent end. He was succeeded, in 944, by his cousin Rajendra- varman, king of the old kingdom of Bhavapura. He had, in fact, helped Harshavarman II in his bid for power and, after the latter's death, decided to seize power for himself. Rajendravarman took the capital back to Angkor, but not to the city that Yasovarman had created around the Bakheng. Instead, he placed his state temple and palace some kilometres to the E, on the S bank of the great East Baray. Pre Rup (961) was the state temple, and another major construction was the 'island' temple of East Mebon (953) in the middle of the baray. These temples were overseen by his chief architect Kavindrarimathana, who built for himself Bat Chum and Srah Srang. Other constructions in the same general area include Kutisvara. At the same time, Rajendravarman strengthened his grip by declaring former 'kingdoms' under his rule to be 'provinces'. He also expanded his empire, reconquering the lands ruled by Yasovarman I, and even sending an expeditionary force to fight the Chams in the coastal areas of what is now central Vietnam. Violent rivalry between the Khmers and the Chams had been continuing for some time.
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