| PEAK PERIOD OF KINGDOM OF LAN XANG | |
| 1353 | ADPrince Fa Ngoum is crowned King of Lan Xang |
| Lan Xang's territory is extended to include parts of | |
| present day Thailand and to Champa in the east | |
| 1371AD | Fa Ngoum is deposed by his ministers |
| - Phya Sam Sene Thai is enthroned - monks assume high position under his rule | |
| 1478AD | Le Thanh Ton (Vietnam) sacks Luang Prabang |
| 1563AD | King Setthathirath transfers the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane |
| - builds Wat Phra Keo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) | |
| - builds That Luang | |
| 1500sAD | conflict between Siam, Burma, Vietnam and Lao empire |
| - Burma dominates for most of the period | |
| 1591AD | Lao independence is restored - Nokeo becomes King |
| 1596-1622AD | King Thammikarath reigns until executed by his son in 1922 |
| - a period of dynastic struggles ensues.... | |
| GOLDEN AGE OF LAOS | |
| 1637AD | ...ending with King Souligna Vongsa's seizure of power |
| 1694AD | Souligna Vongsa's rule ends - |
| - a period of dynastic struggles follows - | |
| - the Empire of Lan Xang is divided into 3 separate territories:Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champassak | |
| - the former empire falls under Siamese, Vietnamese, and Chinese influence | |
| 1788AD | Siam invades Vientiane |
| - the Emerald Buddha is removed to Siam | |
| - 50 years of conflict follows | |
| 1828AD | Siam defeats King Chao Anou (1805-1828AD) |
| - Siamese destroys Vientiane and its kingdom | |
| - there is forcible resettlement of Lao people in Siam | |
| - Siam now controls most of Laos | |
| - the Kingdom of Luang Prabang is in control of the rest of a much reduced territory | |
| Later 1800s AD | Laos consists of a confusing array of small states contested by Siam and Vietname |
| FRENCH COLONIAL PERIOD | |
| 1885AD | French colonial period begins |
| - Siamese domination ceases | |
| - a unified state emerges as the kingdom of Laos | |
| 1899AD | the formal union of the disparate states into the Union of Laos takes place under the Protectorate of France |
| 1939-1945AD | World War II - Laos is occupied by Japan |
| 1945AD | Prince Phetsarath declares Laos an independent monarchy |
| - the Lao Issara is formed | |
| - the French regain control - struggle against French rule develops | |
| 1946AD | King Sisavang Vong is enthroned as King of Laos |
| 11-05-1947 | First constitution of the Lao constitutional monarchy |
| 1949AD | Laos is granted token independence within the French Union |
| 1954AD | the French are defeated at Dien Bien Phu - (Vietnam) |
| - the Geneva Conference on Indo-China takes place, and Laos is granted full independence. |
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