The Priest-King of Angkor: Jayavarman VIII's Anti-Buddhist Purge

In the late 13th century, Jayavarman VIII, a Shaivite priest-king, seized power in Angkor and launched a violent campaign to eradicate Mahayana Buddhism from the Khmer Empire. He ordered the systematic defacement of Buddha images, the conversion of temples like the Bayon and Ta Prohm back to Hindu worship, and the suppression of the Buddhist sangha. But his reign also saw the empire's first diplomatic contact with the Mongol Empire, when Kublai Khan's envoy arrived demanding tribute. Jayavarman VIII's refusal to pay led to a Mongol invasion in 1283, which forced him into a humiliating submission. This episode explores the religious fanaticism, the iconoclasm, and the geopolitical crisis that defined his rule—and how his actions inadvertently weakened the empire just before its final decline. Featuring the Vatt Sithor inscription, the Mongol envoy Suo Du, and the forgotten site of Prasat Neak Buos. #JayavarmanVIII #Angkor #KhmerEmpire #BuddhistPurge #Shaivism #MongolInvasion #KublaiKhan #Bayon #TaProhm #VattSithorInscription #PrasatNeakBuos #SuoDu #Iconoclasm #ReligiousConflict #MedievalHistory #SoutheastAsianHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo