The Cham Invasion of 1177 and the Boy King Who Avenged Angkor

In 1177, the Khmer Empire suffered one of its most devastating defeats when a Cham fleet sailed up the Tonlé Sap River and sacked the city of Angkor. This episode tells the story of that invasion and the remarkable response led by Jayavarman VII, the prince who would become the empire's greatest builder. We explore the naval battle, the fall of the capital, and how Jayavarman VII spent years preparing to avenge the humiliation, culminating in the counter-invasion of Champa and the construction of Angkor Thom and its famous Bayon temple. Along the way, we discuss the political intrigue surrounding the Khmer court, the role of the Cham king Jaya Indravarman IV, and the monumental reconstruction projects that followed. This episode draws on Zhou Daguan's 13th-century account and recent archaeological findings. #KhmerEmpire #JayavarmanVII #ChamInvasion1177 #Angkor #TonleSap #Champa #JayaIndravarmanIV #AngkorThom #Bayon #PreahKhan #TaProhm #ZhouDaguan #devaraja #MahayanaBuddhism #SoutheastAsianHistory #MedievalHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo