The Sailendra Queens Who Ruled the Seas

This episode dives into the often-overlooked role of Sailendra queens in Srivijaya's maritime empire. We explore Queen Shima of Kalingga, a 7th-century ruler known for her strict justice, and the powerful Sailendra princesses who married into the Srivijaya mandala system. The conversation covers the 5th-century Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Faxian's account of a matrilineal community in 'Ye-po-ti', likely Java, and how Buddhist tantric traditions elevated female power. We discuss how the Vajrayana goddess Prajnaparamita, as depicted in Candi Singosari, linked queens to wisdom and sovereignty. The episode also touches on the Nalanda Charter where Balaputra, a Sailendra prince, claimed descent from a queen, and contrasts Srivijaya's flexible queenship with later patriarchal norms under Majapahit. Finally, we consider how the Orang Laut's matrilineal traditions may have influenced the court's tolerance of female leadership. #Srivijaya #Sailendra #QueenShima #Kalingga #Prajnaparamita #Faxian #Vajrayana #CandiSingosari #NalandaCharter #Balaputra #OrangLaut #Matrilineal #SoutheastAsianHistory #MaritimeEmpire #BuddhistQueens #WomenInHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo