Why Angkor’s Elite Abandoned the City

For centuries, historians debated whether climate change or war destroyed Angkor. But a closer look at the archaeological record suggests a different answer: the elite simply left. In this episode, we explore how the Khmer aristocracy gradually shifted their residence from the stone jungle of Yasodharapura to the riverine capital of Phnom Penh. We examine the political maneuvering of King Ponhea Yat in the late fifteenth century, who moved the court not because he was fleeing invaders, but because the new location offered superior control over international trade routes. By tracing the decline of the devaraja cult and the rise of Theravada Buddhism among the merchant class, we uncover why the grand barays fell into disrepair while wooden palaces flourished along the Mekong. This story is about adaptation, economic realignment, and the quiet abandonment of a sacred city by those who built it.

#Angkor #KhmerEmpire #PonheaYat #PhnomPenh #Yasodharapura #SoutheastAsiaHistory #Devaraja #TheravadaBuddhism #TonleSap #MekongRiver #TradeRoutes #Archaeology #CambodiaHistory #UrbanMigration #KingdomOfKampuchea #15thCentury #FexingoHistory #History #AncientCities

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