The Kingdom of Luang Prabang was formed in 1707 as a result of the split of the Kingdom of Lan Xang. When the kingdom split,

Muang Phuan Meuang Phuan ( Lao: ເມືອງພວນ; Country of Phuan) or Xieng Khouang (Lao: ຊຽງຂວາງ), also known historically to the Vietnamese as Trấn Ninh ( Hán Việt: 鎮寧; lit. "securement of peace"), was a historical principal ...

became a tributary state of Luang Prabang. Over the years the monarchy weakened even more, and was forced to become a vassal various times to the Burmese and the Siamese monarchies. A French consulate was established in the capital of

Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...

in 1885. The kingdom was at this time a Siamese vassal, who feared French plans of annexing of Luang Prabang. A treaty was signed on 7 May 1886 between Siam and France recognizing Siamese

suzerainty Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is cal ...

over Luang Prabang and neighboring Lao kingdoms. France conducted expeditions in the region, searching for the possibility of establishing French territory there. A particularly destructive attack during the

Haw wars The Haw Wars ( th, สงครามปราบฮ่อ) were fought against Chinese quasi-military refugee gangs invading parts of Tonkin and the Siam from 1865–1890. Forces invading Lao domains were ill-disciplined and freely demolished B ...

by the Chinese

Black Flag Army The Black Flag Army (; , chữ Nôm: 軍旗𬹙) was a splinter remnant of a bandit group recruited largely from soldiers of ethnic Zhuang background, who crossed the border in 1865 from Guangxi, China into northern Vietnam, then during the N ...

in 1887 saw King Oun Kham request French protection. This was accepted and signed on 27 March 1889, against Siamese protest. France and Siam went to war in 1893, culminating in the

Paknam incident The Paknam Incident was a military engagement fought during the Franco-Siamese War in July 1893. While sailing off Paknam on Siam's Chao Phraya River, three French ships violated Siamese territory and a Siamese fort and a force of gunboats fire ...

when France, contrary to promises it had made to

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

, entered

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

with warships. Siam was forced to accept the French ultimatum, to cede the lands east of the

Mekong The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , ...

including its islands. The French Protectorate of Laos was officially established, with the administrative capital moved from

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

. However, Luang Prabang remained the seat of the royal family, whose power was reduced to figureheads while the actual power was transferred over to French officials including the vice consulate and Resident-General.Carine Hahn, ''Le Laos'', Karthala, 1999, pp. 67–68 In January 1896, France and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

signed an accord recognizing the border between French Laos and British Burma.

Kings of Luang Prabang

Kitsarat Chao Kingkitsarat ( lo, ເຈົ້າກິງກິດສະຣາດ; died 1713), also known as Kitsarat or Kitsarath, was the king of Luang Phrabang (r. 1707–1713). Kingkitsarat was the only son of Prince Raxabut, who was the heir appa ...

(1707–1713) *

Ong Kham Chao Ong Kham ( th, เจ้าองค์คำ; died 1769 in Chiang Mai), also known as Ong Nok, was the king of Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Luang Phrabang from 1713 to 1723, later the king of Lanna from 1727 to 1769. Ong Kham was a son of Ind ...

(1713–1723) * Thao Ang (Inthason) (1723–1749) * Intharavongsa (1749) * Inthaphom (1749) * Sotika-Kuomane (1749–1768) (Burmese vassal, 1765–1768) *

Surinyavong II Surinyavong II (also spelled Surinyavongsa; lo, ເຈົ້າສຸລິຍະວົງສາ; died 1791 in Bangkok) was the king of Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Luang Phrabang from 1771 to 1788. Surinyavong was the ninth son of Inthasom. In Ma ...

(1768–1788) (Burmese vassal, 1768–1788) *Siamese occupation (1791–1792) *

Anurutha Chao Anurutha (also spelled Anouruttha or Anurathurat; lo, ເຈົ້າອານຸຣຸດທະ; 1737 – 31 December 1819) was the king of Luang Phrabang from 1792 to 1819. Anurutha was the fourth son of king Inthasom. He was appointed th ...

(3 February 1792 – 179..) (1st reign) *Siamese occupation (179.. – 2 June 1794) *

(2 June 1794 – 31 December 1819) (2nd reign) * Manthaturath (31 December 1819 – 7 March 1837) (Regent for Anurutha from 1817 until 31 December 1819; lives as a monk in Bangkok from 1825 until 1826, leaving Luang Phra Bang to be administered by Thai officials) * Unkeo (1837–1838) (Regent) * Sukha-Söm (1838 – 23 September 1850) *

Chantharath Chao Chantharath ( lo, ເຈົ້າຈັນທະຣາດ; 1799–23 August 1870) also known as Chandakumara, Chantharad or Tiantha-koumane, was king of Luang Phrabang under Siamese rule from 1852 to 1868. Chantharath was the second son ...

(23 September 1850 – 1 October 1868) * Oun Kham (1 October 1868 – 15 December 1895) ( Zakarine was regent for Oun Kham from April 1888 until 15 December 1895) * Zakarine (15 December 1895 – 25 March 1904) (in the French protectorate) *

Sisavang Vong King Sisavangvong ( lo, ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວົງສ໌, 14 July 1885 – 29 October 1959) Born Prince Khao , was one of the last kings of Luang Praba ...

(26 March 1904 – 27 August 1946) (in the French protectorate) From 12 October 1945 Sisavang Vong was officially King of Laos.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kingdom Of Luang Prabang History of Laos Early Modern Thailand Former countries in Southeast Asia

Former monarchies of Asia 18th century in Laos 19th century in Laos 20th century in Laos 18th century in Siam 19th century in Siam 20th century in Thailand States and territories established in 1707 States and territories disestablished in 1949 1707 establishments in Asia 1949 disestablishments in Asia Former protectorates Former monarchies of Southeast Asia States and territories established in 1945 States and territories disestablished in 1945 1945 establishments in Asia 1945 disestablishments in Asia