Jayavarman VII: The Builder King of Angkor

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Jayavarman VII, the Khmer king who rebuilt Angkor after the Cham invasion of 1177. They discuss his monumental building projects, including Angkor Thom, the Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Preah Khan, as well as his embrace of Mahayana Buddhism and the concept of the devaraja. The conversation also touches on the controversy surrounding his rule—was he a benevolent leader or a megalomaniac who exhausted the empire's resources? Drawing on inscriptions like the Preah Khan stele and the accounts of Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan, they piece together the legacy of one of Southeast Asia's most prolific builders. #JayavarmanVII #AngkorThom #Bayon #TaProhm #PreahKhan #KhmerEmpire #MahayanaBuddhism #Devaraja #AngkorWat #ChamInvasion #ZhouDaguan #SiemReap #Cambodia #SoutheastAsia #History #FexingoHistory #BuilderKing #MedievalEmpires Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo