Tambralinga

Tambralinga
Tāmbraliṅga
c. 2nd century CE–1277
Tambralinga at their largest extent in 1244 after the Sri Lankan conquest
Political entities in mainland Southeast Asia in 1180 CE
CapitalNakhon Si Thammarat (on the Malay Peninsula)
Common languagesOld Malay, Mon, Sanskrit, Old Khmer
Religion
Hinduism, Buddhism
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
 1230–1262
Chandrabhanu
 1263–1277
Savakanmaindan
History 
 First mentioned in the Mahaniddesa:19
c. 2nd century CE
 Tambralinga conquered Lavo
927
 First mentioned in medieval Chinese sources
970
 Vassal State of the Srivijaya Empire:22
775–969
 Late Independent
970–1277
 Tambralinga conquered the Angkor:22–23
1003
 Cholas attacked Tambralinga:22
1025
 Vassal of Pagan?
1060 or 1130 – 1176
 Tambralinga invaded Sri Lanka
1247
 Fall of Tambralinga
1277
 Refounded and became Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom
1278
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Srivijaya
Pan Pan
Takkola
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Today part ofThailand, Malaysia

Tambralinga or Ho-ling:182–4 was an Indianised Malay kingdom located on the Malay Peninsula (in modern-day Southern Thailand), existing at least from the 2nd to 13th centuries CE.:19 It possibly was under the influence of Srivijaya for some time, but later became independent from it or were generally allies rather than conqueror and vassal.:23 The name had been forgotten until scholars recognized Tambralinga as Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nagara Sri Dharmaraja). In Sanskrit and Prakrit, tām(b)ra means "copper", "copper-coloured" or "red" and linga means "symbol" or "creation", typically representing the divine energy of Shiva.

Tambralinga first sent an embassy to China under the Song dynasty in 1001. In the 12th century it may or may not have been under the suzerainty of the Burmese Pagan Kingdom and a kingdom of Sri Lanka. At its height in the mid-13th century, under King Chandrabhanu, Tambralinga was independent, regrouping and consolidating its power and even invading Sri Lanka. By the end of the 13th century, Tambralinga was recorded in Siamese history as Nakhon Si Thammarat, under the suzerainty of the Tai Sukhothai Kingdom.