Lesson 1.3 · Unit 1 · CED topic 1.3
South and Southeast Asia, c. 1200 to c. 1450
South and Southeast Asia in 1200 combined several religions and many states. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam all shaped societies, and rulers used religion to support their power. This lesson covers the belief systems of the region, the Hindu and Buddhist states that developed there, and the Muslim states that arrived from outside.
Learning objectives.
- 1G. Explain how the various belief systems and practices of South and Southeast Asia affected society over time.
- 1H. Explain how and why various states of South and Southeast Asia developed and maintained power over time.
Historical developments.
- 3.1.III.D.iv. Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism, and their core beliefs and practices, continued to shape societies in South and Southeast Asia.
- 3.2.I.B.i. State formation and development demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, including the new Hindu and Buddhist states that emerged in South and Southeast Asia.
Belief systems and practices
Hinduism was the main religion of much of the Indian subcontinent. It included a wide range of beliefs and practices, a caste system that ranked social groups, and temples that were centers of wealth and learning. The bhakti movement emphasized personal devotion to a god, such as Vishnu or Shiva, expressed in poetry and song in local languages. Many bhakti poets criticized caste and rigid ritual and welcomed followers from many social groups, including women and lower castes.
Buddhism had begun in India but had lost much of its support there by 1200. It remained strong in Sri Lanka, Burma, and mainland Southeast Asia, where Buddhist monasticism was central to society. Monasteries educated boys and received gifts from rulers who wanted merit and legitimacy.
Islam arrived in India through two routes: military conquest from the northwest and trade by sea. Sufism was especially important, since Sufi teachers drew converts with a message of devotion and equality that overlapped in tone with bhakti. In Southeast Asia, Islam spread mainly through merchants, and rulers of trading ports such as Malacca adopted it in the fifteenth century.
The CED notes that these systems continued to shape societies, and that in this region they often coexisted and influenced one another rather than replacing one another.
Hindu and Buddhist states
The CED lists several states that were Hindu and Buddhist.
- Vijayanagara Empire (founded 1336 in southern India). It ruled the south after the decline of earlier kingdoms, defended its territory against northern Muslim states, and drew wealth from agriculture and the trade in spices and cloth. Its rulers used Hindu temples and ceremonies to support their rule.
- Rajput kingdoms. These were regional kingdoms in northwestern India led by warrior clans who defended their territory against the Delhi sultans and others.
- Sinhala dynasties in Sri Lanka, which supported Buddhist monasteries.
- Srivijaya Empire (about 650 to 1200s). A maritime empire based on the island of Sumatra that controlled the Strait of Malacca and gained wealth from taxing trade between China and India. It supported Buddhism.
- Khmer Empire (about 800 to 1400s). A land-based empire in Cambodia that built the huge temple complex of Angkor Wat and relied on rice farming and a large system of canals and reservoirs.
- Majapahit (1293 to c. 1500). A Hindu-Buddhist empire on Java that grew powerful through sea trade.
- Sukhothai kingdom (founded c. 1238). An early Thai kingdom that supported Theravada Buddhism.
Notice that some of these states relied on sea trade (Srivijaya, Majapahit) and others on land and agriculture (Khmer). That difference matters in the comparison lesson at the end of the unit.
The Delhi Sultanate
In 1206, a Turkic general established the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled northern India until the 1500s. Its rulers were Muslim, but most of their subjects were Hindu. Sultans ruled through military force and a system of land grants and tax collection, and they usually allowed Hindus to practice their religion in exchange for a tax. The sultanate also built mosques, patronized Persian culture, and brought new technologies, such as new kinds of irrigation and papermaking, to India. It repelled Mongol attacks in the thirteenth century.
Description of the carved reliefs at Angkor Wat, built in the early twelfth century under the Khmer king Suryavarman II. This is a description, not a quotation.
The temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is decorated with long carved walls that show scenes from Hindu epics and the king's own armies and court. The temple was the king's burial monument as well.
Sourcing (HIPP). The temple was built by a king for religious and political reasons, so its point of view is royal. Its purpose was to honor Vishnu, to associate the king with the god, and to display his power to subjects and rivals. The audience was the people of the kingdom, the priests, and later visitors. Because it was a royal monument, it shows how rulers wanted to be seen, not what ordinary farmers who built and fed the kingdom believed.
Claim. Khmer kings used religion to support their rule.
Evidence. The huge temple was dedicated to Vishnu, decorated with scenes of epics and of the king's own army, and was a burial monument for the king.
Reasoning. Placing the king's image beside a Hindu god and showing his armies in sacred space tied his power to divine authority. The size of the temple also displayed the king's ability to command labor and resources. A limit is that the monument reflects the ruler's view, so it does not show how ordinary people experienced Khmer rule.
Question. Explain how one South or Southeast Asian state developed and maintained power.
Model. The Srivijaya Empire grew powerful by controlling the Strait of Malacca, the narrow sea route between India and China. Its rulers taxed the merchants who passed through and used the wealth to support a navy and to patronize Buddhism, which gave them prestige and links to other Buddhist states.
Learning Objectives 1G and 1H ask about belief systems and state building. For beliefs, know Hinduism and bhakti, Buddhism and monasticism, and Islam and Sufism. For states, give one Hindu or Buddhist example and one Muslim example (Delhi), and say how each developed and maintained power (trade, land, religion, or military force).
- What was the bhakti movement?
Show answer
A Hindu devotional movement that stressed personal devotion to a god, expressed in poetry and song in local languages, and often criticized caste and rigid ritual.
- How did Islam spread in Southeast Asia?
Show answer
Mainly through merchants and trade, and rulers of trading ports such as Malacca adopted it.
- Name two Hindu or Buddhist states of the region.
Show answer
Vijayanagara, Srivijaya, the Khmer Empire, Majapahit, Sukhothai, or the Rajput kingdoms.
- How did Srivijaya gain wealth?
Show answer
By controlling the Strait of Malacca and taxing trade between China and India.
- Why was the Delhi Sultanate unusual?
Show answer
Its rulers were Muslim but most of their subjects were Hindu, so they had to govern a mostly non-Muslim population, usually by allowing Hindus to practice their religion in exchange for a tax.
- What was the Khmer Empire known for?
Show answer
Building the temple complex of Angkor Wat and relying on rice agriculture and a large system of canals and reservoirs.