Latest / The Khmer Empire: The Lost Civilization Behind Angkor Wat — Fexingo History
Jayavarman VIII and the Shivaite Purge of Angkor
After centuries of Buddhist kings building Angkor's grandest monuments, a Shiva-worshipping king named Jayavarman VIII seized power in 1243 and systematically dismantled the Mahayana Buddhist state. He smashed Buddha images, converted temples back to Hindu sanctuaries, and recarved the Bayon's serene faces into angry Hindu gods. But his religious revolution came at a terrible cost: while he looked backward to restore the devaraja cult, the real threat was gathering outside Angkor's walls. The Mongol Empire under Kublai Khan was demanding submission, and the Thai kingdoms of…
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