Suryavarman II's Invasion of Dai Viet 1128

In 1128, Suryavarman II, the builder of Angkor Wat, launched a massive invasion of Dai Viet (northern Vietnam) that ended in disaster. This episode explores the geopolitical ambitions behind the campaign, the Khmer navy's march to the Gulf of Tonkin, the elephant cavalry that got bogged down in mountain passes, and the Vietnamese defense under Ly Cong Binh. We look at the Song Chinese diplomatic records that mention the war, the famous Cham-Khmer alliance that never quite held, and how this defeat may have diverted resources from Angkor Wat's construction. Drawing on the Dai Viet su ky toan thu and Song shi, we reconstruct a little-known chapter in Southeast Asian history that reveals Angkor's imperial reach—and its limits. #SuryavarmanII #DaiViet #AngkorWat #KhmerEmpire #LyDynasty #LyCongBinh #Champa #SongChina #1128 #12thCentury #SoutheastAsia #MilitaryHistory #ElephantWarfare #Tonkin #SongShi #DaiVietSuKyToanThu #ImperialAmbition #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo