Srivijaya was one of the major empires in South East Asia centered in Palembang, Sumatra. In its height, it was the center of Buddhism, particularly Mahayana, and developed Vajrayana before it spread to Tibet. It held great influence in Maritime South East Asia up to reaching the Philippine islands in some manner, and trade routes in the Indian Ocean up to sending people to Madagascar in 830 CE. Great was its influence that in 945-946 CE a fleet of a 1000 boats landed on East Africa, specifically Tanganyika and Mozambique, in an attempt to capture the citadel of Qanbaloh and use it to gain African trade commodities and slaves.
The decline of Srivijaya began with the Chola Invasion in 1025 resulting in Srivijayan defeat and Cholan suzerainty. Due to the Mandala model of South East Asian politics at the time, the loss of prestige and power also meant loss of central control and hegemony over other city-states causing the rise of rivaling kingdoms. In time, Palembang would lose more and more influence before ultimately abandoned and Srivijaya forgotten until its rediscovery in 1918.
Given how murky the historical record is, it's hard to tell exactly how or why it happened beyond the obvious and conjecture.
The possible reasons for the invasion range from simple desire for conquest and prestige by the Chola Empire, to trade disputes between Chola and Srivijaya, to a geopolitical issue as the Hindu Khmer Empire called for aid from Chola which made the Buddhist Tambralinga kingdom called upon its suzerain Srivijaya for support.
The invasion itself is a series of naval raids hitting a number of Srivijayan cities up to Palembang itself, including looting of the palace and monasteries and taking the Srivijayan emperor hostage.
How would history go if Srivijaya managed to repel the naval raids, or going further, defeat the Chola entirely?
The decline of Srivijaya began with the Chola Invasion in 1025 resulting in Srivijayan defeat and Cholan suzerainty. Due to the Mandala model of South East Asian politics at the time, the loss of prestige and power also meant loss of central control and hegemony over other city-states causing the rise of rivaling kingdoms. In time, Palembang would lose more and more influence before ultimately abandoned and Srivijaya forgotten until its rediscovery in 1918.
Given how murky the historical record is, it's hard to tell exactly how or why it happened beyond the obvious and conjecture.
The possible reasons for the invasion range from simple desire for conquest and prestige by the Chola Empire, to trade disputes between Chola and Srivijaya, to a geopolitical issue as the Hindu Khmer Empire called for aid from Chola which made the Buddhist Tambralinga kingdom called upon its suzerain Srivijaya for support.
The invasion itself is a series of naval raids hitting a number of Srivijayan cities up to Palembang itself, including looting of the palace and monasteries and taking the Srivijayan emperor hostage.
How would history go if Srivijaya managed to repel the naval raids, or going further, defeat the Chola entirely?