That Time an Indian Kingdom Invaded Southeast Asia | Rajendra Chola and the Maritime Chola Empire

Summary

The Chola dynasty, a formidable maritime empire from South India, dominated the Indian Ocean trade routes from the 9th to 13th centuries. Known for their ambitious military campaigns and innovative naval technology, they established extensive trade networks and political influence across Southeast Asia. Key events include Rajendra Chola's naval invasion of Southeast Asia in 1025 CE, which led to the decline of the Srivijaya empire and the rise of Chola's pseudo-colonial dominance. Their legacy endures in the cultural and genetic heritage of Southeast Asia.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The Chola Dynasty was a powerful and ambitious empire from the south of India, known for its maritime prowess and political influence.
• 🌊 The Cholas' naval invasion of Southeast Asia in 1025 CE was a strategic move to dominate international sea trade and challenge the Sri Vijaya's control.
• 📚 The Chola Empire's rise to power included significant cultural, administrative, and economic reforms, which centralized government and promoted fairness in taxation.
• ⚔️ Rajendra Chola I, in particular, expanded the empire through military campaigns, establishing Chola dominance over much of South India and Sri Lanka.
• 🛳️ The Chola navy was advanced for its time, utilizing innovative naval technologies such as watertight hulls, a Mariners compass, and flamethrower weapons.
• 🌍 The Cholas' control over the maritime Silk Road was crucial for their economic prosperity, allowing them to influence global markets and accumulate wealth.
• 🏛️ The construction of the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram and the transportation of Ganges water symbolized the Cholas' military and cultural achievements.
• 🤝 The Cholas formed alliances and engaged in diplomacy with various Southeast Asian kingdoms, including Angkor, to counter the influence of Sri Vijaya.
• 💍 Intermarriage between Chola royalty and Southeast Asian elites helped to establish and maintain political influence in the region.
• 📉 Despite their decline, the Chola Dynasty's legacy endures in the cultural and genetic heritage of Southeast Asia and India.

Q & A

What was the Chola Empire known for during the medieval era?

The Chola Empire was known for being a regional hegemon that dominated their contemporaries in India and Southeast Asia, establishing extensive intercontinental trade networks, and having a formidable navy that enabled them to control significant portions of the maritime Silk Road.

When did the Chola dynasty first come into being?

The Chola dynasty first came into being around 300 BCE in the Kaveri River Delta.

What significant event happened in 1025 CE that involved the Chola Empire?

In 1025 CE, the Chola Empire conducted a naval invasion of Southeast Asia, which was part of a multi-generational effort to gain supremacy over international sea trade.

What was the role of trade guilds in the Chola Empire?

Trade guilds in the Chola Empire were influential in both economic and political spheres. They maintained their own flag standards, private armies, fleets, and some even lent money to Kings. They played a significant role in the economy and the expansion of the Chola Empire.

How did the Chola Empire's control over the maritime Silk Road benefit them?

Control over the maritime Silk Road allowed the Chola Empire to position their economic machinery, such as trade guilds, more favorably in global markets. It also provided them with the ability to suppress rivals and maintain their supremacy in trade.

What was the significance of the Chola Empire's naval technology advancements?

The Chola Empire's naval technology advancements, such as watertight hull innovations, the Mariners compass, and flamethrower weapons, allowed them to traverse rougher seas and maintain a leading edge in naval warfare, which was crucial for their dominance in the maritime Silk Road.

Who was Rajendra Chola and what was his role in the Chola Empire?

Rajendra Chola was a ruler who put the Chola Empire on the world stage. As Crown Prince, he led campaigns that expanded the empire's boundaries, and as king, he continued his father's expansionary policies, including the naval invasion of Southeast Asia.

What was the outcome of the Chola Empire's invasion of Sri Vijaya?

The Chola Empire's invasion of Sri Vijaya was a success, leading to the end of the Sri Vijaya dynasty and the establishment of Chola influence in Southeast Asia. They installed military garrisons, formed new alliances, and used their influence to entrench themselves further in the region.

How did the Chola Empire's involvement in Southeast Asia affect the region's politics and culture?

The Chola Empire's involvement in Southeast Asia led to a pseudo colonial approach, where they became intimately involved in the region's politics, formed alliances, and used their influence to bully weaker players. Culturally, Tamil trade guilds came to dominate commercial centers, and Chola elite intermarried with Southeast Asian royalty, leaving a lasting legacy in the blood and culture of the region.

What was the impact of the Chola Empire's control over the maritime Silk Road on global trade?

The Chola Empire's control over the maritime Silk Road significantly impacted global trade by allowing them to position their economic machinery favorably and suppress rivals. This control led to a booming sea trade, with goods moving from one end of the Silk Road to the other, contributing to the prosperity of the Chola Empire and influencing the economic landscape of the time.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 The Chola Dynasty: A Maritime Empire's Rise

The Chola Dynasty emerged as a dominant force in the medieval era, controlling a vast empire in South India and Southeast Asia. Originating around 300 BCE in the Kaveri River Delta, the Cholas leveraged their maritime prowess to establish extensive trade networks. Under the leadership of Raja Raja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the empire expanded significantly. Rajendra Chola, in particular, is noted for his naval invasion of Southeast Asia in 1025 CE, aimed at securing control over international sea trade. This period saw the Cholas implementing administrative reforms, centralizing governance, and fostering cultural and linguistic development, marking a 'Golden Age' for the Tamil civilization.

05:02

🛳️ The Maritime Silk Road and Chola's Naval Dominance

The Chola Dynasty's strategic focus on the Maritime Silk Road, a crucial trade route, led to a series of military campaigns to suppress rivals and secure their economic interests. The Cholas' naval superiority was instrumental in their control over key trade centers along the Indian coast. Trade guilds played a significant role in the Chola economy, with some possessing private armies and fleets. These guilds were influential, sometimes lending money to the Chola kings and benefiting from the empire's dominance over maritime trade. The Cholas' military campaigns were partly driven by the need to counter the Sri Vijaya's interference in the trade, which threatened their economic supremacy.

10:05

🌊 The Chola Invasion of Southeast Asia

In 1025 CE, Rajendra Chola launched a major naval expedition against Sri Vijaya, a powerful rival based in the Malay Archipelago. The Chola fleet, utilizing advanced naval technology, surprised Sri Vijaya by navigating south of Sumatra during the monsoon season, a previously unheard-of strategy. The Chola forces captured key Sri Vijaya cities, including their southern capital, and eventually subdued the entire kingdom. This victory not only ended Sri Vijaya's multi-century rule but also expanded Chola influence in Southeast Asia. The Cholas established military garrisons, formed alliances, and used their soft power to shape the region's politics and economy.

15:06

🌐 Legacy and Cultural Impact of the Chola Dynasty

Despite being largely forgotten in mainstream history, the Chola Dynasty's legacy endures in the cultural and genetic heritage of their descendants in India and Southeast Asia. The Cholas' influence extended beyond military conquests to include political alliances, trade dominance, and cultural exchanges. Their involvement in Southeast Asian politics and the establishment of Tamil trade guilds in the region left a lasting impact. The Cholas' strategic use of intermarriage with local royalty allowed them to maintain and propagate their influence. Today, the Chola Dynasty serves as a reminder of a formidable power that once shaped the course of history across the Indian Ocean.

Keywords

💡Cholas

The Cholas were a medieval dynasty in South India, known for their maritime prowess and extensive empire. They played a significant role in shaping the political and cultural landscape of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. In the video, the Cholas are highlighted for their ambitious military campaigns, which led to the establishment of a regional hegemony and control over international sea trade routes.

💡Maritime Silk Road

The Maritime Silk Road refers to the network of sea-based trade routes that connected the East and West, facilitating the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas. In the context of the video, the Cholas' control over these routes was crucial for their economic and military dominance, as it allowed them to engage in extensive trade and influence the flow of commerce in the Indian Ocean region.

💡Rajendra Chola

Rajendra Chola was a key figure in the Chola dynasty, noted for his military conquests and expansion of the Chola Empire. The video describes his strategic use of naval power to subdue rivals and establish control over key trade centers. His campaigns, such as the naval invasion of Southeast Asia in 1025 CE, exemplify the Cholas' ambition and their impact on the regional power dynamics.

💡Trade Guilds

Trade guilds were powerful organizations that played a significant role in the economic and political spheres during the medieval period. In the video, these guilds are depicted as influential entities that maintained their own private armies, fleets, and economic networks. They were instrumental in the Cholas' control over trade, as they wielded considerable authority and could fund military campaigns, including those of the Cholas.

💡Sri Vijaya

Sri Vijaya was a powerful thalassocratic kingdom based in the Malay Archipelago, known for its control over key trade routes and its influence on the maritime Silk Road. The video discusses the Cholas' conflict with Sri Vijaya, which culminated in a naval invasion aimed at subduing Sri Vijaya's interference in the Chola's trade interests and securing their dominance over the maritime Silk Road.

💡Pallavas

The Pallavas were a South Indian dynasty that ruled during the early medieval period. In the video, the Cholas are mentioned to have been vassals to the Pallavas before seizing the opportunity to overthrow them and establish their own regional control. This event marked a turning point in the Cholas' rise to power.

💡Kaveri River Delta

The Kaveri River Delta is a fertile region in South India, where the Chola dynasty first emerged. The video highlights the region's significance as the Cholas' initial power base, which allowed them to exploit maritime trade and eventually build a formidable empire.

💡Gangaikondacholapuram

Gangaikondacholapuram was a capital city established by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Pala Kingdom. The video describes how Rajendra Chola constructed a temple at the city's center, symbolizing the Cholas' military triumphs and their cultural influence.

💡Naval Technology

Naval technology refers to the advancements in shipbuilding, navigation, and maritime warfare that allowed the Cholas to dominate the seas. The video emphasizes how the Cholas' adoption of advanced naval technologies, such as watertight hulls and the Mariners compass, enabled them to conduct successful naval campaigns and maintain control over the maritime Silk Road.

💡Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is a region that includes the modern-day countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the video, the Cholas' influence extended into Southeast Asia through military conquests and political alliances. Their actions in this region demonstrate the Cholas' ambition to control trade and establish a far-reaching empire.

Highlights

The Cholas were a visionary maritime Empire from the deep south of India.

They were ambitious and dominated their contemporaries in India and Southeast Asia.

The Cholas established extensive intercontinental trade networks.

Their naval invasion of Southeast Asia in 1025 CE was a multi-generational effort to gain supremacy over international sea trade.

The Chola dynasty began around 300 BCE in the Kaveri River Delta.

The Cholas exploited conflicts among their neighbors to expand their territory.

Rajendra Chola I led campaigns that extended the Chola Empire over much of South India and Sri Lanka.

Rajendra Chola I's naval blockades and military campaigns secured Chola dominance over the Andaman Islands and Southeast Asia.

The Cholas' control over the maritime Silk Road was invaluable for their economic and military dominance.

Trade guilds played a significant role in the Chola Empire's economy and politics.

The Cholas' military offensives were part of a strategy to suppress rivals and maintain control over the maritime Silk Road trade.

Sri Vijaya's interference with trade prompted Rajendra Chola to attack and normalize the situation.

The Chola invasion of Southeast Asia was a strategic move to end Sri Vijaya's dominance and establish Chola influence.

The Chola Navy was on the leading edge of naval technology for their time.

The Cholas' victory over Sri Vijaya marked the end of a prosperous multi-century dynasty and the beginning of Chola influence in Southeast Asia.

The Cholas used a pseudo colonial approach to entrench themselves further in Southeast Asia, including establishing military garrisons and influencing local politics.

The Cholas' legacy survives in the blood and culture of their descendants in India and Southeast Asia.

Transcripts

Indian history can be a bit tricky for

the uninitiated in an effort to build a

cohesive story for a nation whose people

have been stitched together into a sort

of post-colonial Frankenstein were given

only a thin slice of the whole the Indus

Valley Civilisation the mauryas the GUP

does the Moghuls to British Raj and the

independence movement simple clean and

limited and quite frankly a bit stale

here's the dirty little secret of Indian

history

we rarely learn about his most

interesting players only its most

convenient ones well that's about to

change right now

meet the Cholas a visionary maritime

Empire from the deep south of India in a

region known as Tamil country the Cholas

were many things warlike opportunistic

and politically manipulative but above

all they were ambitious by the medieval

era they had fashioned themselves into a

regional hegemon that dominated their

contemporaries in India and Southeast

Asia and established extensive

intercontinental trade networks perhaps

the single most impressive feat of the

Cholas was their naval invasion of

Southeast Asia in 1025 C e part of a

multi-generational effort to gain

supremacy over international sea trade

the story of that invasion in the

century of pseudo colonial intervention

that followed is one that challenges

conventional perceptions of indian

empire but let's dig into some

historical context first the chola

dynasty first came into being sometime

around 300 BCE in the Kaveri River Delta

from the beginning the trollers were

reliant on the sea for wealth their

ports visited by ships from lands as far

away as China and Rome

in the early medieval era the trollers

were nothing more than a mere vassal

Kingdom to the dominant pol of us that

all changed however when the pall of us

found themselves embroiled in a series

of conflicts in 850 Cee from their core

city of arrear

the troll has exploited an opportunity

to capture the city of donjev or from

the Pallavas there by resting control of

the region from their former overlords

over the next 150 years the Cholas went

through what might be considered a

civilizational Golden Age tamil arts

culture and language flourished

government administration was

centralized and improved using processed

palm leaves as a sort of paper

substitute the Cholas kept copious

records from administrative reports to

legal disputes to internal reviews of

official misconduct meanwhile surveys

and centralized revenue collection

ensured fairness in taxation the troll

has also introduced elected councils

whose officials were subject to regular

auditing these and other reforms

undercut the role of local feudatories

thus consolidating chola power and

creating the infrastructure necessary to

maintain a large well-run Empire but it

was this man Rajendra Chola the first

who would put them on the world stage as

Crown Prince

Rajendra led campaigns against

neighboring rivals under the command of

his father raja raja chola

he conquered the western ganga dynasty

the Cheras and the pandyas together they

extended the boundaries of the Empire

over much of South India and Sri Lanka

defeating their enemies in 14 deep

political and familial alliances with

developers of bengi thus by the time

Rajendra Chola the first send it to the

throne in 1014 seee

he had inherited an empire on the

precipice of historical greatness

freshly chlorinated and no doubt

influenced by his father's expansionary

policies Rajendra began to shape into

being a true cross regional Empire

Rajendra was a busy man in less than a

decade he uses Navy to blockade and

subdue rebellious Lords along the

Malabar Coast carved out territories

belonging to the western chalukyas

supported his nephew succession claims

in Telugu country finished his father's

conquest of Sri Lanka occupied the

Maldives and established chola dominance

over the Andaman Islands thus securing a

forward base into Southeast Asia he also

installed his sons as regional Viceroy

is to further entrench central control

over these dominions but even after all

of this he was just getting started in

10:23 seee Rajendra decided to raid

northern India he marched with his

armies to the northeast all the way up

to the banks of the river Ganges on the

way he defeated the forces of Kalinga

and with the path clear to Bengal

descended upon the pala Kingdom and

defeated them to Rajendra was so pleased

with himself that when he defeated the

pala Kingdom he filled up large tanks

with water from the river Ganges and

transported them all the way back to the

chola heartland to commemorate the

victory he constructed a formidable

temple at the center of a new capital

city gangaikondacholapuram meaning

conqueror of the ganges and blessed it

with his pillaged holy water

but why all this war mongering why risk

everything to subdue distant enemies see

the Indian subcontinent lies at the

center of an oceanic trade superhighway

known as the maritime Silk Road the

importance of the maritime Silk Road

cannot be overstated

for thousands of years ancient powers

moved significant cargo along these

routes early writings in Tamil country

describes streets packed to the brim

with goods from around the world while

government records in Tang Dynasty China

indicate that the quantity of goods

entering through his licensed ports

generated a large portion of the

country's total tax revenues control

over the maritime Silk Road was

invaluable military and administrative

dominance gave major powers the ability

to position their economic machinery

such as trade guilds more favorably in

the global markets the trolla military

offensives were part of the strategy to

suppress rivals that might otherwise

compromise their supremacy over the

maritime Silk Road trade it's hardly a

coincidence that nearly a half century

of conflict led to chola control over

most of the prominent trade centres

along India's coasts we've mentioned

trade guilds a few times so what role

did they play in all of this for most of

Tamil history trade guilds were

influential in both the economic and

political spheres by the medieval era

trade guilds had grown extremely

powerful with some wielding greater de

facto Authority than local few Tories

there were many trade guilds the 500

Lords of I Ivalo de Anjou venom and the

money grown among others each had their

own specialty history and supply

networks an 11th century inscription

describing the 500s of the following

about the guild famed throughout the

world having 18 cities of the four

points of the compass born to be

Wanderers over many countries by land

routes and water routes penetrating into

the regions of the six continents with

superior elephants well bred horses

large sapphires moon stones pearls

rubies diamonds cardamoms clothes sandal

camphor musk saffron and other perfumes

and drugs selling wholesale or hopping

about on their shoulders preventing the

loss of customs duties filling up the

Emperor's Treasury of gold and his

armory of weapons the guilds likely

wielded significant behind-the-scenes

influence we know that the trade guilds

would maintain their own flag standards

as well as their own private armies and

fleets we also know that some trade

guilds lent money to Kings

including raja raja chola and Rajendra

Chola it was a risky proposition to go

against the demands of the trade guilds

if rajendra were to get on their bad

side he might find his rivals suddenly

equipped and funded to stage a takeover

to put it bluntly the trade guilds

benefited from chola dominance of the

maritime Silk Road trade whether they

actively pushed for war remains a

mystery but it's fair to say yeah they

probably did having secured their

dominance over the maritime Silk Road

visa vie other Indian powers one would

think that the Cholas could finally sit

back and enjoy their hard-earned rewards

but that was not the case

Shri Vijaya a powerful thalis RC based

in the Malay Archipelago was actively

interfering with trade and damaging

chola interests see by the turn of the

11th century the maritime Silk Road was

undergoing some significant changes the

decline of the Abbasid Caliphate in

Baghdad was matched by the rise of the

Fatima dynasty in Egypt ships leaving

from the Fatima territories would scoot

past the Horn of Africa and toward chola

ports where goods would be sold and re

transported by tamil crews headed

towards Southeast Asia and China

meanwhile on the other side of Asia the

Song Dynasty ushered in an era of

unprecedented economic prosperity

everyone was lining up for an egg from

the Song Dynasty golden goose including

of course the fatimids thanks to the

creation of powerful pro trade dynasties

on both ends of the maritime Silk Road

the sea trade was booming in a way that

it had not for several centuries

normally ships would stop at both South

Indian and South East Asian ports but

advancements in shipbuilding technology

meant that ships could travel farther

faster and more safely than ever before

making two stops unnecessary soon the

central region of the maritime Silk Road

played host to an intense and

underhanded competition between Sri

Vijaya and the Cholas for years Sri

Vijaya bribed or wrung lout colloquially

known as sea gypsies to stop them from

engaging in piracy and interfering with

trade the sea gypsies were Aboriginal

communities who lived along the

coastlines of sri vidhyaa territory like

most pirates in history they were

frustrating and useful in equal measure

the sea gypsies received a portion of

customs proceeds from sri vidhyaa and in

turn promised to do something less

violent with their time like fishing

once the trade conflict with the chola

is heated up however sri Vijaya actively

encouraged the sea gypsies to re-engage

in piracy this time on their behalf the

sea gypsies began to force all passing

ships to dock it's free the Jaya ports

and pay customs resupply and more as a

result chola ports were being made

redundant there's also evidence that

Tamil trade guilds were being actively

suppressed in Southeast Asian ports due

to sri Vijay's influence interference

with maritime Silk Road trade no doubt

prompted Rajendra to attack the Sri

Vijaya and normalize the situation after

all he and his father had not spent

decades warring and subduing their

maritime rivals in India simply to have

the fruits of their labor rot on the

vine Sri Vijaya would have to be

punished

the chola invasion involves three major

Southeast Asian players sri vidhyaa of

course but also Thumba Linga a Malay

Kingdom based out of what is now

southern Thailand and Angoor an

ambitious Peninsular Kingdom based out

of what is now Cambodia in the early

11th century the Cholas were a staunch

ally of Angkor while sri vidhyaa was

allied with tumble in death it's

possible that religion played a part in

this diplomatic arrangement tomba lehnga

and sri vidhyaa were buddhist kingdoms

while angora and the chola empire were

hindu Shaivite in the year 1025 see the

Kingdom of Anwar was embroiled in a

conflict with tumblin and requested

military assistance from the Cholas

Patrol has agreed to help Angkor likely

knowing what would happen next when the

Cholas formally declared war on

thumbelina

sri Vijaya came to the aid of its ally

and declared war on the Cholas and

Angkor with their inevitable conflict

now made real Rajendra Chola gathered

his navy and prepped for the subsequent

invasion the trolan Navy was on the

leading edge of naval technology for

their time in years past Rajendra's

father had imported the talents of

Chinese and Arab shipbuilders to work on

research and development for the chola

navy with their help the Cholas

implemented critical naval technologies

including watertight haul innovations

that allowed their fleet to traverse

rougher seas a Mariners compass and

further advancement of a flamethrower

weapon not unlike the legendary Greek

fire utilized by the Byzantine fleets

[Music]

when the war began sri vidhyaa was the

main target rajendra split his

fire-breathing fleet into two groups the

main invasion fleet and on auxilary

force the auxilary force was sent to the

entrance of the Straits of Malacca where

the Sri Vijaya fleet was waiting

positioned to take on what they assumed

would be the bulk of the chola fleet

little did sri vidhyaa know that the

chola main invasion fleet was sent south

of sumatra positioned behind the island

with the element of surprise on their

side the chola fleets circled around the

island and made their way to palembang

the southern capital when they arrived

this season and sacked the city

afterwards the combined chola forces

pincer - Reba Jaya fleet in the straits

defeating them easily why was this

decisive maneuver allowed to happen

well sri vidhyaa did not anticipate that

the main chola invasion fleet had been

outfitted with technology that allowed

them to traverse the rough waters south

of sumatra

it wasn't an unreasonable blind spot

moving an entire fleet south of sumatra

during the monsoon season had never been

done before it and was seen as

impossibly risky after steamrolling -

sri vidhyaa navy the chola forces laid

siege to Kadir on the northern capital

of Sri Vidhya and captured this

important administrative and trade

center for themselves for the Cholas

conquest seems to have been

uncompromising they plundered countless

treasures and took the Sri Vijaya king

maharaja send Rama as their prisoner

with Sri Vijaya effectively subdued the

Cholas finally moved a portion of their

fleet to battle with Cumberland gut and

helped to quickly bring back Kingdom

under Angoras control the Southeast

Asian invasion was an unequivocal

success in just a few months the Cholas

had defeated the mighty Sri Vijaya and

ended a prosperous multi-century dynasty

though the invasion brought an end to

the shrevie Islander dynasty its impact

was manifold success emboldened chola

ambitions in Southeast Asia for the next

hundred years they became intimately

involved in Southeast Asian politics the

troll has formed new alliances performed

raids and generally used their influence

to bully the weaker players so screen

economically favorable situation

something of a pseudo colonial approach

to entrench themselves further the troll

has established permanent military

Garrison's in Sri Vijaya and Angoor

territory to serve as remote forces for

promoting their interests the soft

influence of the chola is increased to

Tamil trade guilds came to dominate in

the major commercial centres of

Southeast Asia and southern China in the

chola son regular political envoys to

China and war began Pegu Sri Vijaya and

other Asian powers establishing closer

diplomatic relations in the wake of the

invasion chola elite intermarried with

Southeast Asian royalty Rajendra for

example his beliefs have taken own on

cue the daughter of the captured tree

Vijaya King some drama as his wife since

that time Malay royalty claimed and

continued to claim chola heritage and

their princes have been variously named

raja cholan and attempted to recall this

unique past but intermarriage was more

than just a historical curiosity close

family relations methods the chola could

more legitimately prop up claims of

royalty that would be friendly to their

interests in 1077 seee for example a

succession dispute in cada rom led to

direct role intervention Rajendra's

grandson cool Otunga conquered Kadam on

behalf of Attila descended claimant to

the crown putting him on the throne as a

sort of puppet king but familial

connections would not always lead to

loyal service to the crown at the turn

of the 12th century Sri loom a chola a

half Tamil half Malay prince from

Sumatra was sent with the chola

expeditionary force to the Philippines

to scout the country ahead of a

potential invasion sensing an

opportunity to make himself into a king

Sri LeMay suddenly decided to defect

from the chola empire and conquer the

island of Cebu under his own banner

establishing the long-lived Raja native

Cebu

though the cholas lay forgotten by the

bulk of humanity their legacy survives

in the blood and culture of their

descendants in India and in Southeast

Asia for far too long the world has

lived in quiet ignorance of the great

power that once emerged from across the

sea and now you know