Episode Details
Back to Episodes
The Cham Invasion That Crippled Angkor
Description
In 1177, the Khmer Empire suffered a catastrophic blow when a Cham fleet sailed up the Mekong River and sacked Angkor. This episode unpacks the naval raid that changed Southeast Asian history. Lucas and Luna explore the diplomatic tensions between the Khmer and Champa kingdoms, the innovative use of the Tonle Sap's reverse flow by Cham invaders, and the desperate scramble of Khmer King Tribhuvanadityavarman. They also examine the controversial question: did internal betrayal open the gates of Angkor? Finally, they trace the aftermath—the rise of Jayavarman VII, his vengeful campaigns, and the building of Angkor Thom as a fortress city. Drawing on Chinese chronicles like the Song Huiyao and Cham inscriptions from Po Nagar, this episode reveals how one surprise attack reshaped an empire.