Fa Ngum - King of Lan Xang (Million Elephants)

King of Lan Xang (Million Elephants)

Fa Ngum conquered Nghe An and Vinh as well as the Red and Black River (Red Thai & Black Thai) valleys in Vietnam (Tonkin) and modern day Isan in Thailand. In 1352-1354, he conquered Muang Sing, Muang Houm, Jing Hong, Pak Ou and Pak Beng. In 1353, he conquered Vietiane, Xiang Khoang and then Luang Phrabang. He fought the ultimate battle against his uncle near Xiang Dong Xiang Thong and won, becoming the undisputed master of the land, which he named Lan Xang and in keeping with his Siamese wife's wishes, made Theravada Buddhism the state religion.

In 1373, the royals and nobles of his own court exiled him. His son Oun Huan, often called Samsenethai, a name adopted for the 300,000 Tai people of Lan Xang; then ascended to the throne of Lan Xang. Who was barely 18 when he acceded the throne. He was named after the 1376 census, which concluded that he ruled over 300,000 Tais living in Laos; samsèn means, literally, 300,000. He set up a new administrative system based on the existing muang, nominating governors to each that lasted until it was abolished by the Communist government in 1975. Samsènthai's death was followed by a period of unrest. Under King Xaiyachakkaphat-Phènphèo (1441-1478), the kingdom came under increasing threat from the Vietnamese. King Xaiyachakkaphat's eldest son, the Prince of Xianglo, secured a holy white elephant. The emperor of Vietnam, learning of this momentous discovery, asked to be sent some of the beast's hairs. Disliking the Vietnamese, the Prince dispatched a box of its excrement instead, whereupon the Emperor formed an improbably large 550,000 man army. The Prince's army numbered 200,000 and 2,000 elephants. The massive Vietnamese army finally prevailed and entered and sacked Luang Prabang. But shortly thereafter they were driven out by Xaiyachakkaphat-Phènphèo's son, King Souvanna Banlang (1478-1485). Peace was only fully restored under King Visounnarath (1500-1520).