©Shawna Scherbarth 2001-05. All rights reserved.
Banteay Samre
Banteay Samre Temple
Siem Reap, Cambodia
June 18, 2005
Banteay Samre was built in the late 12th century by an official of the court of Suryavaraman II.
According to Tim though, the temple was built by King Samre. The legend say that there was a despotic king who wanted to keep people from stealing from his fields, so he ordered all trespassers killed. The usual shenanigans ensue and the king, while out in the fields, is accidentally killed by a peasant, Samre. In fear for his life, the peasant buries the king’s body beneath the floor of his home.
With no successor named, the court officials decide to have a royal elephant choose the next king. They take the elephant throughout the kingdom, and when it comes to the peasant’s house, it bows down before him. The officials recognize him as the king, when of course the elephant is really bowing down to the remains of the former king. Eventually it comes out that the new king murdered the old and his court turns against him. He built this distant temple to live out the remainder of his days in, alone and despised.
