The Chola Empire's Forgotten Fleet: The Merchant Navy That Traded with China episode artwork

EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 7 MIN

The Chola Empire's Forgotten Fleet: The Merchant Navy That Traded with China

from The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History · host Fexingo

In this episode of The Chola Empire, Lucas and Luna explore the merchant navy that powered Chola trade with Song China. They trace the journey of a Tamil ship from Nagarapattinam to Quanzhou, examining the Chola 'ship passport' system, the role of the Ayyavole merchant guild, and the cargo of pepper, pearls, and elephants. They discuss the shipwreck evidence from the Java Sea, the Chinese records of the Chulian envoy, and the shift from Srivijayan middlemen to direct voyages. Lucas explains how the Chola navy protected trade routes, the competition with Arab dhows, and the cultural exchange of Chola bronzes and Chinese ceramics. The episode ends with Luna reflecting on how maritime history reveals the Chola Empire's true reach beyond South India. #CholaEmpire #MerchantNavy #IndianOceanTrade #SongChina #Ayyavole #Nagarapattinam #Quanzhou #Chulian #TamilShips #PepperTrade #ElephantTrade #JavaSeaShipwreck #Srivijaya #MaritimeHistory #TradeRoutes #Kadaram #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

In this episode of The Chola Empire, Lucas and Luna explore the merchant navy that powered Chola trade with Song China. They trace the journey of a Tamil ship from Nagarapattinam to Quanzhou, examining the Chola 'ship passport' system, the role of the Ayyavole merchant guild, and the cargo of pepper, pearls, and elephants. They discuss the shipwreck evidence from the Java Sea, the Chinese records of the Chulian envoy, and the shift from Srivijayan middlemen to direct voyages. Lucas explains how the Chola navy protected trade routes, the competition with Arab dhows, and the cultural exchange of Chola bronzes and Chinese ceramics. The episode ends with Luna reflecting on how maritime history reveals the Chola Empire's true reach beyond South India. #CholaEmpire #MerchantNavy #IndianOceanTrade #SongChina #Ayyavole #Nagarapattinam #Quanzhou #Chulian #TamilShips #PepperTrade #ElephantTrade #JavaSeaShipwreck #Srivijaya #MaritimeHistory #TradeRoutes #Kadaram #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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The Chola Empire's Forgotten Fleet: The Merchant Navy That Traded with China

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This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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In this episode of The Chola Empire, Lucas and Luna explore the merchant navy that powered Chola trade with Song China. They trace the journey of a Tamil ship from Nagarapattinam to Quanzhou, examining the Chola 'ship passport' system, the role of...

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