Srivijaya's Women of Power: Queens and Trade in Southeast Asia

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the often-overlooked role of women in the Srivijaya Empire. While previous episodes focused on kings, monks, and warriors, this conversation turns to Srivijaya's queens and female merchants who shaped the empire's trade and diplomacy. Lucas introduces the 7th-century Queen Shima of Kalingga, a Javanese ruler known for her strict justice and control over the lucrative camphor trade. He also discusses the Srivijayan queen consorts mentioned in Chinese records, such as the queen of Shilifoshi who sent envoys to Tang China with gifts of ivory and slaves. The episode delves into the domestic sphere, covering the high status of women in Malay maritime societies, their roles in managing port cities while husbands were at sea, and the discovery of gold jewelry and bronze mirrors in female burials at Muaro Jambi that suggest wealth and influence. Lucas also touches on the Buddhist nuns who traveled with Yijing to study in India, including the enigmatic Jnanavati, a Srivijayan nun who became a respected scholar at Nalanda. The conversation challenges the assumption that Southeast Asian history was exclusively male-driven, showing how women quietly sustained and enriched the Srivijayan world. #Srivijaya #WomenInHistory #SoutheastAsia #QueenShima #Kalingga #MaritimeSilkRoad #CamphorTrade #MuaroJambi #Yijing #Jnanavati #Nalanda #TangDynasty #FemaleMerchants #BuddhistNuns #AncientTrade #FexingoHistory #History #Empire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo