Angkor's Silver Trade: The Death Knell of an Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the Khmer Empire's shift from bronze to silver currency destabilized its economy and contributed to its collapse. They delve into the role of the Cham and Malay traders who controlled the silver routes, the impact of the Song dynasty's monetary policies on Angkor's wealth, and how the devaluation of silver under the Yuan dynasty caused inflation. They also discuss the mysterious figure of the 'silver merchant king' Jayavarman IX and the debasement of the Khmer coinage that led to a loss of trust in the devaraja. Featuring insights from Zhou Daguan's chronicles and recent archaeological finds at Preah Khan, this episode reveals a lesser-known economic trigger for the empire's fall. #KhmerEmpire #Angkor #SilverTrade #ZhouDaguan #JayavarmanIX #devaraja #YuanDynasty #SongDynasty #PreahKhan #Cham #Malay #Inflation #History #EconomicCollapse #FexingoHistory #SoutheastAsia #Numismatics #SilverCurrency Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo