Angkor and The Khmer Empire.

A few short questions on something I've been thinking about for a while.

I've always wondered about Angkor, the city, the seat of power for the Khmer Empire. It seems so strange that such a large and magnificent city just faded and collapsed into oblivion. What would it have taken to see it survive in some discernible form into modern times?

Also, what would it have taken for the Khmer Empire to not have fallen into such a sharp decline?
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
It was abandoned because the Thais invaded. Angkor was sacked and the Khmer court moved to a more secure location. You need the Thais not to invade.
 
And the Thais invaded due to a whole series of domino-like population movements in the wake of the Mongol conquests. So alter the Mongol conquests and you butterfly the Thais, allowing the Khmers to remain the dominant power in SE Asia.
 
A few short questions on something I've been thinking about for a while.

I've always wondered about Angkor, the city, the seat of power for the Khmer Empire. It seems so strange that such a large and magnificent city just faded and collapsed into oblivion. What would it have taken to see it survive in some discernible form into modern times?

Also, what would it have taken for the Khmer Empire to not have fallen into such a sharp decline?

It's not that strage really, happened a lot of times. Even without much research I can name:

Egypt: Memphis, Thebes, Amarna.
Mesopotamia: Nivenah, Babylon, Ur, Assur
Iran: Susa, Persepolis
Mongolia/China: Karakorum, Shangdu (Xanadu)
Mexico: Tikal, Palenque, Chichen Itza
Peru: Machu Pichu
Greece: Knossos, Mycenae, Sparta.
 
Another theory is that the collapse was caused by the collapse of the Khmer irrigation and reservoir system, due to population increases and mismanagement of the land. If we go by this theory, the Khmer are pretty much doomed unless one of the emperors decides to start a massive construction project.
Another theory is that the adoption of Buddhism supplanted the authority of the king, leading to infighting among nobles as the ruler was no longer consider a representitive of the gods on earth. To prevent this,
have Emperor Sridravarman decide not to make Buddhism the state religion.
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
Another theory is that the collapse was caused by the collapse of the Khmer irrigation and reservoir system, due to population increases and mismanagement of the land. If we go by this theory, the Khmer are pretty much doomed unless one of the emperors decides to start a massive construction project.
Another theory is that the adoption of Buddhism supplanted the authority of the king, leading to infighting among nobles as the ruler was no longer consider a representitive of the gods on earth. To prevent this,
have Emperor Sridravarman decide not to make Buddhism the state religion.
Still, the Thai threat would probably force the Khmers to abandon Angkor for a more secure capital.
 
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