Suryavarman II's Death and the Cham Invasion of Angkor

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the mysterious death of Suryavarman II, the builder of Angkor Wat, and the political chaos that followed. They examine the contested accounts of his demise—whether he died in battle against the Cham or from illness—and how the vacuum of power led to the devastating Cham invasion of 1177. Using inscriptions like K. 380 and Chinese records, they piece together the succession crisis, the rise of Tribhuvanadityavarman, and the naval assault on Yasodharapura that saw the city sacked. The episode also touches on the religious shift from Vaishnavism back to state Shaivism and the eventual rise of Jayavarman VII. Along the way, Lucas shares a behind-the-scenes look at how listener support funds the show's deep research into Southeast Asian history. #SuryavarmanII #AngkorWat #ChamInvasion1177 #KhmerEmpire #Yasodharapura #Tribhuvanadityavarman #JayaIndravarmanIV #TonleSap #Vaishnavism #Shaivism #K380 #ZhouDaguan #SoutheastAsia #MedievalHistory #Cambodia #Angkor #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo