The first Lao kingdom was called "A Million Elephants". Lan Xang, founded in 1353, took the name as a boast of military might: elephants were the heavy force of Southeast Asian armies.

1353

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The event

• The Kingdom of Lan Xang1353 · Luang Prabang. Fa Ngum, a Lao prince raised at the Khmer court, united the principalities of the Mekong with a Khmer army and in 1353 proclaimed the kingdom of Lan Xang, 'a Million Elephants'. Its capital, Muang Sua, was later renamed Luang Prabang after the sacred Phra Bang Buddha. In 1707 the kingdom split into three.

14th century

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