Srivijaya’s Lost King: The Rise of Balaputradeva

The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History · Sep 26, 2026 · 8m · transcript

While earlier episodes explored Srivijaya’s spice trade, naval tactics, and Buddhist scholarship, this episode focuses on the man who cemented its golden age: King Balaputradeva. We trace his lineage from the Sailendra dynasty of Java to his eventual exile in the Khmer Empire, uncovering how his patronage of Nalanda University created a transoceanic intellectual bridge. Through the lens of Chinese monk Yijing’s accounts and Sanskrit inscriptions, we examine the political maneuvering that allowed Srivijaya to dominate the Strait of Malacca without constant warfare. We also look at the…