Jayavarman II c. 770–850) is a 9th-century king of Cambodia, widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire, which rules much of the Southeast Asian mainland for more than six hundred years.

Historians formerly dated his reign as running from 802 AD to 850 AD, but some scholars now have set it back to 770–835.

Before Jayavarman II came to power, there was much fighting among local overlords who ruled different parts of Cambodia.

The country was not unified under one ruler.