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The Khmer Empire. The Khmer Empire was a magnificent Hindu and Buddhist state that dominated mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 15th centuries CE. Centered in modern Cambodia, it grew wildly wealthy by controlling the massive agricultural potential of the Mekong River basin. This civilization is famous worldwide for constructing Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument ever built, which perfectly showcases their incredible architectural and artistic mastery. They also engineered vastly complex water management systems, using enormous reservoirs to guarantee multiple rice harvests a year.
The empire required constant, massive labor forces to maintain their temples and irrigation networks, which eventually strained the state to its breaking point. During the 14th century, a combination of severe, prolonged droughts and shifting regional trade routes heavily damaged their economy. The rising power of the neighboring Ayutthaya Kingdom added unbearable military pressure. The Khmer elite eventually abandoned the sprawling city of Angkor in the 1430s, relocating their capital further south to the site of modern Phnom Penh.