Srivijaya's Royal Women and the Silk Road of Faith

The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History · Oct 28, 2026 · 7m · transcript

While Srivijaya is often remembered for its maritime power and Buddhist scholarship, we rarely hear about the women who shaped its spiritual destiny. In this episode, we explore the role of royal queens and noblewomen in the Srivijayan court, particularly their patronage of monasteries and their influence on the spread of Mahayana Buddhism across Southeast Asia. We look at how these women navigated political alliances through marriage, managed temple estates, and supported scholars like Yijing during his long stay in Palembang. Drawing from Chinese traveler accounts and local inscriptions, we…