Jayavarman II: The God-King Who Founded the Khmer Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and legacy of Jayavarman II, the enigmatic king who founded the Khmer Empire in 802 CE. They discuss his declaration of the devaraja (god-king) cult on Phnom Kulen, the political unification of warring principalities, and the controversial theory that he was a former prince from the Sailendra dynasty of Java. The hosts also examine the Sdok Kak Thom inscription as the primary source for his reign, the role of the Brahmin priest Hiranyadama in establishing the royal linga cult, and how Jayavarman II's vision of divine kingship shaped Khmer statecraft for centuries. Finally, they touch on the lack of temples from his reign and the reasons why Angkor's first ruler remains shrouded in mystery. #KhmerEmpire #JayavarmanII #Devaraja #PhnomKulen #SdokKakThom #Angkor #CambodianHistory #Hinduism #LingaCult #SailendraDynasty #Kambuja #IndravarmanI #Bakong #Roluos #SoutheastAsianHistory #FexingoHistory #History #GodKing Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo