The First Kingdoms and Empires of Southeast Asia

OBJECTIVES
1. To discuss the first kingdoms and empires of Southeast Asia
2. To enumerate the first kingdoms and empires of Southeast Asia
3. To understand the culture and beliefs of the people on the first kingdom and
empires of Southeast Asia.

CONTENT

Maritime Southeast Asia

 The ancient civilization in Southeast Asia comes from the historical documents of
India and China.
 In the 1st century, the Indians called it “Yavadipa” or Land of God.
 Chinese monk Fa Hsien also traveled to parts of Southeast Asia.
 Economy of maritime states was based on a combination of agriculture and
trade.
 Geography influenced the political systems of maritime.
 The system of patronage where the two personal relationships between two
parties was given more importance prevailed.
 These features are evident in the empires and kingdoms that flourished in the
maritime region of Southeast Asia.

The Kingdom of Mataram (732-1292 CE, Central Java, Indonesia)

 In 732, Sanjaya founded a kingdom in Mataram, Java.

 Sanjaya was a Javanese a devoted follower of Hinduism.
 The founded dynasty called Sailendra, means “king of mountain.”
 In 750 CE, the Strong influence of Mahayana Buddhism entered entered the
kingdom from India.
 The most renowned of these temples was Borobodur. (750-850 CE)
 Borobodur was convinced as a burial place for kings.
 Became known as a Buddhist temple.
 The center for the study and learning of Buddhism.
  Merapi volcano erupted in 928 CE.
 The people of Mataram evacuated and resettled in East Java.
 Airlangga became king and was recognized as one of the best rulers of the era in
1016 CE.
 In 1037 CE, he reunited the domains of the old kingdom Mataram.
 Kediri dynasty prevailed over East Java after his death in 1049 CE.
 The Kediri dynasty became powerful.
 In 1222 CE, the kingdom was invaded by a commoner known as Angrok.
 Founded the Singosari or Singhasri dynasty.
 The last King of the dynasty was Kertanagara (1268-1292 CE).

The Sri Vijayan Empire (650-1290 CE, Sumatra, Indonesia)

 The Sri-Vijayan Empire dominated trade in Southeast Asia from 650 CE.
 The empire was based in Palembang, Sumatra.
 The power and wealth of the empire did not come from its agricultural lands.
 Sri Vijaya also controlled the distribution of important products such as Egyptian
glass, Indian textile, and Chinese porcelain.
 Palembang also became a locus of Buddhism in the area.
 In 13th century CE, Indian traders introduced Isma, which then became the major
religion in the empire.

The Kingdom of Malacca (1400-1511, Malaysia)

 In 1400 CE, Parameswara, a Malay Prince, reached Johor where he stopped to

hunt.
 Parameswara decided to establish a kingdom in this place which he called
Malacca, named after the tree he rested.
 Malacca was in the middle of the waters and straits connecting India and China.
 The trading point for silk and porcelain from China, Indian textile, spices from the
Moluccas, and valuable wood from Borneo and Timor.
 Population grew to 50, 000 after a short period of only 50 years.
 In 1414 CE, Parameswara married a Muslim Indonisian Princess and converted
to Islam.
  Adapted the name Raja Iskandar Shah and Malacca became an Islamic
sultanate.
 Portuguese forces under Alfonso de Albuquerqiue invaded Malacca in 1511 CE.
 They were not able to regain Malacca.
 Since it was now defended by a Portuguese fortress named A Famosa of Porta
de Santiago.
 As a consequence, the Portuguese would control Malacca for the next 150 years.

The Civilization of Southeast Asia

 Oftentimes, Chinese and Indian writers or historians wrote such records.

 The Southeast Asia had its own civilizations and culture.
 It is true that there were outside influences.

Political Order

 The source of power is not land but the distribution and organization of laborers
in agriculture and trade.
 Common people work for protection.
 A share in the harvest or trade, and for personal or family honor,
 The patronage system became an important characteristic of political
organization and social order in Southeast Asia.

Economy

 The economists of Southeast Asia during this period were agriculturally based
with rice as the major food and trading crop of the region.
 The people employed technologies ranging from the simple slash-and-burn-
system to the use of irrigation.
 The region also traded various products aside from crops.
 The prevailing system of commerce was the highland-lowland trade.
 Highlanders or residents from hinterlands exchanged their products.
 Products were brought together with other marine resources such as pearls, to
countries like India, China, and sometimes, to the Middle East or Europe.
  There were those who collected forest products, while others traded highland
and lowland goods as they journeyed along the coastal areas.
 It can be said that the economy o Southeast Asia was a successful interaction.

Material

 The material cultures of Southeast Asia share similar characteristics.

 Clothing materials tended to be simple and adapted to weather and working
conditions.
 Westerners were surprised and impressed when they first saw the golden
costumes and jewelries of the ordinary folk.
 The domestic lifestyles in Southeast Asia showed the people’s mastery in
weaving, metalworking, pottery making, woodworking, and much more.

Women in Region

 Southeast Asian societies were more flexible and easier to shape.

 Men and women were equal before the law and society.
 Women also had more extensive roles.
 They could be traders, warriors, or record keepers.
 The woman also assumed important roles as government officials, translators,
and artists.
 Women also became leaders in many kingdoms.
 Including the territories of the Bugis or Buginese and Pattani.

WAYANG KULIT: The Puppet Theater in Indonesia

 The material culture of Southeast Asia cannot be separated from its arts.
 The one most renowned is the wayang kulit.
 It is performed during important occasions such as weddings.
 The stories in the wayang kulit come from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
 Wayang kulit puppets are made of goat or cow skins.
 The making of a puppet is no ordinary process as each character.
  Even more than the puppets, the most important element of the wayang kulit is
the dalang.
 He should have memorized the stories and accompanying lessons from the
Mahabharata and Ramayana.
 Each play begins with an offering and a prayer that the audience might
understand the message behind the play.
 At the end of the performance, a puppet called the golek appears before the
audience and asks them behind the meaning relevance of the play that they have
just seen.
 The puppet theater integrates the arts of carving, painting, music, drama, and
strength of Indonesian beliefs and philosoph The puppet’s shadows are projected
behind a white cloth that serves as the stage.

Mainland Southeast Asia

Countries in the mainland have common characteristics. One is the political

system. The mainland is composed of a primary state and secondary state. The
primary state does not have a fixed boundary and its power over secondary state
weakens in proportion to the latter’s distance from the center.

The Pagan Empire (ca. 850-1100 CE)

The Pagan Empire of Burma, now known as Myanmar, was founded by

Tambadipa. It expanded into the Irrawaddy delta and nearby areas. The major
religion was Theravada Buddhism. Pagan also borrowed a variety of religious
concepts from Indian civilization.

The Empire of Angkor (800-1200 CE)

Almost simultaneous with Pagan’s rise, Angkor started around the Tonle Sap
Lake in Cambodia. Today, the temple of Angkor Wat is recognize as the largest
religious structure in the world. The fertile land resulted in a triple harvest of rice per
year.
One of the most famous kings of Angkor was Yasovarman I who ruled from 889
to 900 CE. He called his new kingdom Kambujadesa, and invaded all of Cambodia,
Thailand and South Vietnam.
They rationalized it as the concept of devaraja or god-king that Yasovarman I
came from the race of gods.
 When Suryavarman was king from 1113-1150 CE, he constructed another group
of religious structures in Angkor Thom, the most famous of which was Angkor Wat. It is
one of the best-known architectural styles in Southeast Asia.
The empire also built a vast system of irrigation, paddy fields, water storage, and
distribution and other structures for water utility.

The Kingdom of Nam-Viet (Vietnam, ca. 939 CE)

In 939 CE, a successful rebellion againts China freed the Vietnamese from1000
years of Chinese rule. The Vietnamese, still influenced by the Chinese, based their
political system on the Chinese set-up. Examples include the rule of an emperor, the
administration of a civil service examination, and the establishment of a bureaucracy
within the government.

The Kingdom of Sukhothai (Chao Phraya River, North Thailand, 1238- late 15th
century CE)

Sukhothai is recognized as the first indigenous Thai kingdom. It was founded in

1238 CE alter the successful rebellion of two Thai kings. Khun Bang Klang Tao and
Khun Pa Muang, againts the Khmer who ruled over the territory. Khun Bang Klang Tao
became its first king. Si Inthrahit was succeeded by his son Ramkhaemheng whose
reign is acknowledge as the Golden Age of Thailand. The effective leadership of the king
resulted in agricultural abundance.
Plates, howls and other ceramics, known as the sangkhalok, were traded. In
1378 CE, Ayutthaya invaded Sukhothai.

The Kingdom of Ayutthaya (1350-1767 CE, Central Thailand)

The city of Ayutthaya was established at the center of three large rivers. The
Chao Phraya, Pasak, and Lopburi. The location of the city resulted in the three important
developments namely:
 The flooding made agricultural land fertile, resulting in good harvest that
allowed Ayutthaya to feed its population and export rice to other
countries.
 The flooding serve as the effective defense for the city. As a result,
enemies found it difficult to invade the kingdom.
 Ayutthaya’s proximity to the sea made trade with other provinces and
countries easier. This resulted in power and wealth for Ayutthaya.
 Ayutthaya was established in 1350 CE under its first king Ramathibodi I who
invaded Sukhothai in the north and Angkor in the east.
International trade also flourished during the Ayutthaya period.
The port of Ayutthaya was full of Chinese and Muslim traders. Consequently, the
prosperous trade attracted the Europeans led by the Portuguese. In 1516 CE, they were
permitted to stay in Ayutthaya in exchange for arms and bullets paid to the king. The
Spaniards arrived in the 16th century CE, followed by the Dutch, French and English in
the 17th century.

Fornier, J.N, Banasihan, M. et’al (2006): ASIA, History, Civilization, and Culture, Anvil
Publishing Inc.
 The First Kingdoms and Empires of Southeast Asia

Exercise 1
Direction: Identify the word needed in each number. Write the answer in the space
provided.

_____________1. In the 1st century, the Indians called Southeast Asia _________ or
Land of God.
_____________2. Became known as a Buddhist temple.
_____________3. The founded dynasty called Sailendra, means ___________.
_____________4. It is performed during important occasions such as weddings.

_____________5. __________ volcano erupted in 928 CE.

_____________6. The economists of Southeast Asia during this period were
agriculturally based with _______ as the major food and trading crop of the region.
_____________7. ___________ is recognized as the first indigenous Thai kingdom
_____________8. In 1414 CE, Parameswara married a ________ ________ Princess
and converted to Islam.
_____________9. Chinese monk __________ also traveled to parts of Southeast Asia.
_____________10. The temple of __________ is recognize as the largest religious
structure in the world.

EXERCISE 2
Enumeration
1-8. Enumerate the 8 kingdoms and empires of mainland and maritime Southeast Asia.
9-10. Give at least 2 to the 3 large rivers where the Kingdom of Ayutthaya established.

EXERCISE 3
Essay
1. If you were given a chance to rule or to govern a one kingdom or empire on
Southeast Asia, what will you choose? Why?
2. On the first kingdom and empire of Southeast Asia, which one has the biggest
contribution?
 The First Kingdoms and Empires of Southeast Asia
KEY TO CORRECTION
EXERCISE 1

1. Yavadipa
2. Borobodur Temple
3. King of Mountain
4. Wayang Kulit
5. Merapi
6. Rice
7. Sukhothai
8. Muslim Indonesian
9. Fa Shien
10. Angkor Wat

EXERCISE 2

1-8. Kingdom of Mataram, Sri-Vajayan Empire, Kingdom of Malacca, Pagan Empire,

Empire of Angkor, Kingdom of Nam-Viet, Kingdom of Sukhothai and Kingdom of
Ayutthaya.
9-10. Chao Phraya, Pasak, and Lopburi.