Latest / The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History
Srivijaya's Invisible Navy: The Lashed-Lug War Fleet
Srivijaya's power depended on controlling the Strait of Malacca, but how did they patrol those waters without a visible navy? This episode unpacks the empire's maritime strategy, focusing on the lashed-lug boat technology that made their fleet fast, flexible, and nearly invisible to outsiders. Lucas explains how the Malayu and Orang Laut peoples built and manned these vessels, how the monsoon dictated patrol schedules, and why the Chola invasion in 1025 CE exposed the fleet's fatal weakness: no standing navy. Along the way, we meet the sea peoples, the shahbandar port masters…
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