Mueang

Mueang (Thai: เมือง, ) or Muang (Lao: ເມືອງ, ), Muong (Vietnamese: Mường), Mong (Shan: မိူင်း, ) were historical semi-independent city-states or principalities in present-day Thailand, Laos, parts of northern Vietnam, of southern Yunnan, of western Guangxi and the Shan State of Myanmar. Smaller Mueang were subordinate to more powerful neighboring Mueang, which in turn were subordinate to the central king, as described by the Southeast Asian political model. The more powerful Mueang, sometimes called kingdoms, occasionally tried to liberate themselves from their suzerain and sometimes enjoyed times of independence. Mueang large and small often shifted allegiance, or paid tribute to more than one powerful neighbor.