Lan Xang, sometimes spelled Lan Sang and meaning Million Elephants, was a Lao kingdom that controlled the territory of present-day Laos from 1353 to 1707, founded by Fa Ngum with military support from the Khmer Empire of Angkor. For roughly three and a half centuries Lan Xang ranked among the largest and most enduring kingdoms of mainland Southeast Asia, and it adopted Theravada Buddhism as a unifying state religion that shaped Lao art, architecture and culture for centuries afterward. The kingdom's capital shifted over its history among cities including Luang Prabang and later Vientiane, both of which remain major centers of Lao political and religious life today. Succession disputes fragmented Lan Xang in 1707 into three smaller and weaker successor kingdoms, Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak, and the unified kingdom is remembered as the historical basis for the modern Lao national and cultural identity.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.