Chronology of Lao History - Welcome to Muang Lao new website

LAO HISTORY CHRONOLOGY
Sikhôttabong flourished in the middle Mekong Valley in the 1 st century. Muang Sua was
conquered in 698 by Khun Lo (the son of Khun Borom), and occupied by Nan-Chao in 709. The
Khmers founded Xay Fong near Vientiane and Champa expanded in southern Laos until 1070.
Muang Sua became Sri Sattanak circa 1169. By 1180 Sipsong Panna had regained their
independence from the Khmers. The Mongols destroyed Nan-chao in 1253 and renamed it Yunnan.
Phagna Lang began to rule Muang Sua in 1271 and was replaced in 1316 by his son Khamphong.
In 1282-84 Ramkhamhaeng of the Sukhothai dynasty eliminated the vestiges of Khmer and
Cham power in central Laos. In 1297-1301, Lao troops under Mongols invaded Dai Viet but were
repulsed. Troops from Muang Sua conquered Muang Phuan in 1292-97.
Khamphong exiled his son Phi Fa in favor of his grandson, Fa Ngieo. In 1335 Fa Ngieo’s two
sons were kidnapped and taken to Angkor. Fa Ngum grew up in King Jayavarman's court and
married one of his daughters. In 1349, he returned to reclaim Muang Sua at the head of a Khmer
army and moved his capital to Vientiane. In 1354 he was crowned king of Lan Xang (which then
extended China to Sambor and from Vietnam to Khorat). In 1368 Fa Ngum's Khmer wife died. He
then married the daughter of the king of Ayuthia (who gave him the Phrabang statue).
Fa Ngum’s son, Ounhuan, ascended to the throne in 1393. He reigned for over 43 years and was
surnamed Samsenethai (based on his 300,000 Tai-Lao subjects).
During the 15 th and 16 th centuries, 16 kings reigned amidst in-fightings and foreign aggression
from Vietnam (1478-79), Siam (1536), and Burma (1571-1621).
In 1520 Phothisarath ascended to the throne, following Visounnarath’s death. He married a
Chiang Mai princess and in 1548 named Sayasetthathirath king of Chiang Mai (Lanna).
After Phothisarath’s death in 1549, Sayasetthathirath returned to Muang Sua to take over the
throne of Lane Xang. Between 1563 and 1565, he moved his capital from Muang Sua (Xiengdong
Xiengthong) to Vientiane. A Burmese army led by Ba Ying Nong raided Chiang Mai and Vientiane,
but was forced to retreat. In 1569-1570 the Burmese made another attempt and were again forced to
retreat. Sayasetthatthirath built the Ho Phra Keo shrine for the Emerald Buddha, and erected the That
Luang stupa, the symbol of the Lao nation.
Uprisings and struggles prevailed over the last chaotic 24 years of the 16 th century.
Sourignavongsa assumed the throne in 1637. His long (1637--1713) reign was most peaceful and
prosperous for the Lan Xang in education, literature, poetry and trade. Van Wuystoff (1694), a Dutch
merchant of the East Indian Company, and two Italian missionaries, Leria and Marini (1696) wrote
about rich and beautiful palaces, temples, and splendid religious ceremonies, and referred to
Vientiane as the most magnificent city in South East Asia.
After Soulignavongsa, the country was divided into three kingdoms --Luang Prabang, Vientiane,
and Champasak. In 1765, the Burmese attacked Luang Prabang, which in turn attacked Vientiane in
1771. The Siamese captured Vientiane in 1778-79, and made it a vassal state to Siam. Luang
Prabang’s King Mathathourath (1817-36) tried his best to stay out of the Siam-Vientiane conflict.
In the 19 th century, the Hmong emigrated in mass from mountainous southern China.
In 1827-28, Chao Anou led a fierce battle against Siam. After his defeat, Siamese troops
ransacked and destroyed Vientiane, and took with them the two most sacred Buddha statues - the
Phra Keo and the Phra Bang. The Phra Keo Emerald Buddha came from Chiang Mai over a century ago.
The Hô bands of armed horsemen from Yunnan appeared in 1869 in the upper valley of the
Nam Ou when Louang Prabang was ruled by Tiantha Kumane. An army from Louang Prabang
attacked these bands and withdrew with prisoners. After Tiantha Koumane’s death, Oun Kham, at
the age of 58, started his 22-year reign (1872-1894). It was not until 1873 that the Siamese sent an
army up the Nam Ou to attack the Hô and drive them out in three years.
In 1893, Laos became a French protectorate. Auguste Pavie arrived at Louang Prabang in 1887.
In July 1893, the French dispatched two warships to the Gulf of Siam (Paknam), declared a blockade

of Bangkok and on October 3, 1893 forced Siam to sign a treaty renouncing all claims to territories
on the left bank (Sayaburi) and to islands in the river (Champasak).
Sackarin reigned from 1888 to 1903, and was succeeded by Sisavangvong (r. 1904-1959). The
Treaty of August 29, 1941 attached the provinces of Vientiane, Xiangkhouang and Louang Namtha
to Louangphrabang, which already included Phôngsali and Houaphan. It also reinstituted the
position of viceroy (later occupied by Phetsarath).
In the early 20th century, many resistance movements took place, led by ethnic leaders such as
Father Kadouad (1901-1902), Sithon Kommadam (1901-1937), and Chao Fa Bachay (1918-1922).
Japanese troops occupied Laos and took power from France in March 1945. But the the 2 nd
world war soon ended in May 1945. The Laos Issara government made an early declaration of
independence on October 12,1945 after the Japanese pullback. Franco-Lao troops retook power
from the Lao Issara and forced their leaders to set up a government-in-exile in Bangkok in 1946. A
Franco-Siamese agreement signed in Washington on November 17, 1946, restored the right-bank
provinces of Sayaburi and Champasak to Laos.
On December 15, 1946, forty-four delegates to the Kingdom of Laos's first popularly elected
Constituent Assembly were chosen. Sisavangvong promulgated a constitution on May 11, 1947,
declaring Laos an independent state within the French Union. On November 26, 1947, a government
headed by Prince Souvannarath was formed. France granted full independence to Laos in 1949. On
February 7, 1950, the United States and Britain recognized Laos.
On April 19, 1951 Souphanouvong formally established the Pathet Lao government in
Houaphan Province. In elections to the National Assembly held on August 26, 1951, the National
Progressive Party (Phak Xat Kao Na) under returning Lao Issara leaders (Souvanna Phouma, and
Katay Don Sasorith) won 15 of 39 seats, with 17 other seats won by independents (Phoui
Sananikone). Souvanna Phouma formed a government on November 21, 1951.
In 1953, the Pathet Lao, assisted by North Vietnam, occupied Samneua, Xiengkhouang,
Khammouane, Attopeu, and the Boloven Plateau. In 1954, the French lost the battle of Dien Bien
Phu. The 1954 Geneva Accord acknowledged the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial
integrity of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. The Accord also acknowledged the provinces of
Phongsaly and Samneua as regrouping zone for the Pathet Lao forces.
A US-French joint communique was signed on September 29, 1954, as a legal basis for direct US
assistance to Laos. On March 22, 1955,the Lao People’s Party was founded. Laos became a member
of the U.N. in December 1955.
At the May 1958 Elections, the Lao Patriotic Front won 13 of 21 seats. To counterbalance this
new force, on June 10, 1958, a new political grouping called the Committee for the Defense of the
National Interests (CDNI) made its appearance.
Viceroy Phetsarath died in October 1959. King Sisavangvong, who had reigned for 54 turbulent
years, died days later. Sisavangvong was succeeded by Savangvatthana (1959-78), the last Lao king.
After the April 24, 1960 elections, Pathet Lao members of the government were jailed and later
escaped on May 23, 1960. On August 9, 1960 Kong Le staged a coup d'état leading to two rival royal
governments (Boun Oum in Vientiane and Souvanna Phouma in Khang Khay). From 1965 to 1973,
the civil war seesawed back and forth in northern Laos.
The Vientiane peace agreement was signed on February 21, 1973 calling for a new coalition
government and for Vientiane and Louang Prabang to be neutralized by the arrival of Pathet Lao
security contingents. Lao PDR was proclaimed on 2nd December 1975.
Imprisoned in Camp 01, Crown prince Vonsavang died on May 2, 1978, and King Savangvattha
11 days later. Souvanna Phouma died in Vientiane in January 1984.
Lao PDR-US Ambassadorial relations resumed in 1992.