Aguda vs Jayavarman VII

Aguda united the disparate Jurchen tribes under his leadership, creating a confederation that rebelled against Liao domination. He established a centralized military command and declared the Jin dynasty in 1115.

Aguda's Jin army decisively defeated a larger Liao force at Hubudagang. This victory broke Liao military power in the region and allowed the Jin to capture the Liao upper capital (Shangjing) shortly after.

Aguda led the Jin capture of the Liao central capital (Zhongjing). This conquest effectively ended Liao resistance in the south and forced the Liao emperor Yelu Yanxi to flee westward.

Jayavarman VII led a naval and land campaign to defeat the Champa kingdom, which had previously sacked Angkor. He conquered Champa and incorporated it into the Khmer Empire, ending the Cham threat.

Jayavarman VII built the fortified city of Angkor Thom as his new capital, featuring the Bayon temple with its iconic stone faces. The city was a massive urban and religious complex, reflecting his Mahayana Buddhist faith.

Jayavarman VII adopted Mahayana Buddhism as the state religion, shifting from the Hindu traditions of his predecessors. He built Buddhist temples like the Bayon and promoted the cult of the bodhisattva Lokeshvara.

Jayavarman VII oversaw the construction of a vast network of roads, rest houses, and hospitals (102 hospitals) across the Khmer Empire. These public works improved infrastructure and welfare, demonstrating his focus on public welfare.