Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Ayutthaya's Siege of Angkor 1431
Season 4
Episode 180
Published 2 weeks ago
Description
In 1431, the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya under King Borommaracha II laid siege to Angkor Thom, the capital of the declining Khmer Empire. This episode examines the seven-month campaign that finally ended Khmer dominance in mainland Southeast Asia. We explore the military strategies, the role of the Khmer king Ponhea Yat, and the devastating aftermath that led to the abandonment of Angkor in favor of Phnom Penh. Along the way, we consider the siege's place in the broader context of Angkor's collapse—from megadrought and infrastructural decay to the shifting power dynamics between the Khmer and their Siamese neighbors. What did the attackers find inside the once-great city? And why did the Khmer never return?