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The Fire That Consumed Angkor: Angkor's Great Fire of 1177
Season 1
Episode 22
Published 3 months ago
Description
In 1177, a Cham fleet sailed up the Mekong and across the Tonle Sap, surprising the Khmer capital. The resulting sack and fire devastated Angkor, toppling King Tribhuvanadityavarman and leaving the city in ruins. Yet from the ashes rose Jayavarman VII, who rebuilt not just a city but an empire. This episode explores the naval battle, the scale of destruction, and how the fire reshaped Khmer architecture and religion. We examine the Cham account from the Po Nagar inscription, the Khmer recovery, and the controversial theory that the fire was an inside job. A story of catastrophe and renewal.