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The Siege of Angkor 1431: How Ayutthaya Conquered Yasodharapura
Description
In 1431, the Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya laid siege to Angkor Thom, the Khmer capital, in a campaign that would end centuries of Khmer dominance. This episode explores the military tactics, political context, and aftermath of the siege that forced King Ponhea Yat to abandon Yasodharapura for Phnom Penh. We examine the role of Borommaracha II, the Ayutthayan king, the Khmer defensive strategies, and the long-term shift of power in mainland Southeast Asia. Drawing on the Ming shi lu and later Cambodian chronicles, we separate fact from legend about the 'fall' of Angkor, and consider how the city continued to function as a religious center even after the court moved south. A key turning point in Khmer history, the siege marks the end of the Angkorian era and the beginning of the Post-Angkor period.