Latest / The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History
Chola Empire's Oceanic Trade: The Ayyavole Merchants
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the world of the Ayyavole, a powerful guild of Tamil merchants who dominated Indian Ocean trade during the Chola Empire. These traders, known as the 'Five Hundred Lords of Ayyavole,' operated from the 9th to 13th centuries, establishing networks from the Coromandel Coast to Southeast Asia and China. Lucas explains how the Ayyavole were not just merchants but also diplomats, financiers, and patrons of temples, wielding immense influence. He describes their inscriptions, found in places like Takuapa in present-day Thailand and in South India…
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