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Samsenethai

Type Figure Region Lan Xang Time c. 1330–1373 Also known as Lan Xang Samsenethai

Second king of Lan Xang, his name means 'Lord of Three Hundred Thousand Thai'; he acceded c.…

Timeline

  1. 1353–1356Luang Prabang · Luang PrabangSucceeded Fa Ngum as the second ruler of Lan Xang. According to Lao chronicles, his royal title 'Samsenethai' derived from a census early in his reign that counted three hundred thousand subjects, symbolizing the kingdom's population and royal authority.
  2. 1356–1373Vientiane · VientianeDuring his reign he shifted the political center south to Vientiane and consolidated rule over the peoples of the middle Mekong. He established Buddhism as the state religion and reformed the aristocratic hierarchy and local administration, moving Lan Xang from its founding expansion phase into institutional consolidation and laying the groundwork for its later prosperity.

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