kingdom · Mainland Southeast Asia

Kingdom of Vientiane

1707 CE – 1828 CE · capital Vientiane

The central Lao kingdom formed when Lan Xang split in 1707, destroyed by Siam after King Anouvong's revolt of 1826 to 1828.

Origins

When Lan Xang's succession dispute erupted, Setthathirath II, with Vietnamese backing, took power at Vientiane around 1707, while Luang Prabang broke away. Vientiane kept the old capital and much of the Lan Xang heritage, including the Emerald Buddha.

Rule and society

The kingdom ruled the central Mekong valley and much of the Khorat plateau, but it was weakened by wars with Luang Prabang. In 1779 the Thonburi Kingdom captured Vientiane and carried off the Emerald Buddha to Bangkok, and Vientiane became a Siamese vassal. King Anouvong built Wat Si Saket and tried to restore Lao power.

Decline and legacy

In 1826 Anouvong rebelled against the Rattanakosin Kingdom and marched toward Bangkok, but was defeated. In 1828 Siamese armies razed Vientiane, deported much of its population to the Khorat plateau; Anouvong was captured and died in captivity in Bangkok. The kingdom was abolished, and Vientiane was refounded under French rule.

Lineage

Lan Xang 1353 CE – 1707 CEKingdom of Vientiane

Connections (5)

More states of Mainland Southeast Asia →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Vientiane. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-vientiane
MLA
“Kingdom of Vientiane.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-vientiane. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Vientiane.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-vientiane.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Vientiane’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-vientiane (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻