1353 - 73
Reign of Fa Ngum, king of Lan Xang; beginning of recorded Laotian history.

1373 - 1547
Successors of Fa Ngum continue to organize Lan Xang; Phetsarath (r.1520-47) involves Lan Xang in battles against Burma and Siam lasting two centuries.

1574 - 78
Lan Xang reduced by Burma to vassal state.

1603
Lan Xang renounces tributary ties to Burma.

1621 - 1713
Succession struggles for throne of Lan Xang result in accession of King Souligna Vongsa (r. 1633-90); his death engenders succession struggle among his nephews, culminating in division of Lan Xang into kingdoms of Louangphrabang and Vientiane; south further divides into Kingdom of Champasak in 1713.

Eighteenth century
Lao states of Louangphrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak try to maintain independence from Burma and Siam but eventually come under Siamese control.

1772
Suryavong seizes throne of Louangphrabang.

1778
Beginning of Siamese domination of Champasak, Vientiane, and Louangphrabang.

1867 - 87
Mekong expedition of Doudart de Lagrée and Francis Garnier arrives in Louangphrabang, 1867; Siam contends with France, which established protectorate over Vietnam, to extend influence in Indochina; France eventually installs Auguste Pavie in Louangphrabang as first vice consul, February 1887.

Source: © Laos A Country Study

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