Empires of Southeast Asia and Trade Cities

Empires of Southeast Asia and Trade Cities

• Champa kingdoms existed in central and southern Vietnam from the 2nd to 19th centuries CE
• It adopted Hinduism and drought-resistant rice cultivation
• The Champa kingdom was annexed by the Vietnamese Emperor Minh Mang in 1832 CE
• The Khmer Empire, also known as the Angkor Empire, existed in Southeast Asia from 802 to 1431 CE
• Angkor, in present-day Cambodia, was the Khmer Empire's major capital and a significant urban center during the 11th to 13th centuries
• Angkor was the largest pre-industrial urban center in the world during its peak

Religion in Southeast Asia

• Hinduism originated in India and spread easily to Southeast Asian kingdoms
• Hinduism consolidated state systems by reinforcing the caste system at the top of the hierarchy
• Southeast Asian rulers admired Hindu deities, particularly Shiva and Vishnu
• Rulers emulated Indian civilization and culture, leading to grand architectural works like Angkor Wat
• Buddhism emerged at the same time as Hinduism, becoming more popular among lower classes due to its egalitarian outlook

Srivijaya and Majapahit Empire

• Srivijaya was a powerful maritime Indonesian kingdom based on Sumatra
• It heavily influenced Southeast Asia and served as a significant center for Buddhism from the 8th to the 12th century
• Srivijaya was the first major unified kingdom to dominate the Indonesian archipelago
• The Majapahit Empire succeeded Srivijaya and was a maritime empire in Southeast Asia from 1290 to 1500 CE
• Majapahit was known for repelling the Mongols under Kublai Khan in the 13th century
• Islam gradually replaced Buddhism as the majority religion in the region

Trade City-States: Europe & Southeast Asia

• Trade expanded in the Indian Ocean during the 11th and 12th centuries, leading to the growth of city-states
• Venice controlled Mediterranean trade around 1000 CE, becoming wealthy through trade with the East and the Byzantine Empire
• Venice also became powerful financial lenders, establishing the world's first banks
• Malacca was the main city-state of the Buddhist Srivijaya civilization (670-1025)
• Malacca was strategically located at a crucial trading chokepoint
• Malacca's naval power and control of trade routes were similar to Venice's

Major Afro-Eurasian Trade Networks

• Major trade routes connected different parts of Afro-Eurasia in the 1300s CE
• These routes included Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic trade sectors

Trade City-States: West & East Africa

• Timbuktu emerged as a major city-state in West Africa, benefiting from the Trans-Saharan trade routes (domestication of camels) using caravans
• Timbuktu exported copper, salt, gold, slaves, and manufactured goods
• Swahili city-states in East Africa grew in the Muslim world's trade networks
• These East African city-states exported gold and ivory, developing into royal cities

Trade City-States: Central Asia

• Kashgar in Central Asia served as a significant oasis trading post on the Silk Road for over 2000 years
• It was a key checkpoint for trade between China, the Middle East and Europe
• Samarkand (south-eastern Uzbekistan) was another important city in Central Asia, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities, playing a significant role in the Silk Road trade routes and under various empires