Kingdom of Champasak

Quick Facts: Who was Kingdom of Champasak?

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Kingdom of Champasak

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A historical Lao kingdom situated on the Mekong River, existing from 1713 to 1904.

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Origins & Early Life

The Kingdom of Champasak (Lao: ຈຳປາສັກ [tɕàmpàːsák]) or Bassac, (1713–1904) was a Lao kingdom that emerged under King Nokasad, a grandson of King Sourigna Vongsa, the last king of Lan Xang. Bassac and the neighboring principalities of Attapeu and Stung Treng emerged as power centers as a mandala. The kingdom was sited on the eastern or Left Bank of the Mekong, south of the Right Bank principality of Khong Chiam where the Mun River joins; and east of where the Mekong makes a sharp bend to the west to return abruptly and flow southeasterly down to what is now Cambodia. The Kingdom of Champassak was founded in 1713 when the southern part of the Lan Xang seceded. The remainder of Lan Xang in the north had already split into the Kingdom of Luang Prabang and the Kingdom of Vientiane, in response to the throne being taken over by a nephew of Souligna Vonsa after his death with the help of the Vietnamese army.

Career & Major Achievements

Due to a scarcity of information from the periods known as the Post-Angkor Period, the Khorat Plateau seems to have been largely depopulated, and Left Bank principalities began to repopulate the Right. In 1718, a Lao emigration in the company of an official in the service of King Nokasad founded Muang Suwannaphum as the first recorded population of Lao in the Chi River valley—indeed anywhere in the interior of the plateau. Around 1766, Vorarad-Vongsa, a dignitary in the Kingdom of Vientiane, started a rebellion. His plan failed, but he submitted to the King of Champasak, which led to the conflict between Champasak and Vientiane. In 1777, King Taksin of Siam sent an invading army to the Kingdom of Vientiane and Champasak, and the kingdom was occupied without major resistance; Champasak were made a dependency of Siam in 1778, joining Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

King Pothi (Sayakumane) was taken prisoner to Krung Thep (Bangkok). In 1780, King Sayakumane was allowed to return to Champasak as vassal to the Siamese king. The kings of Champassak were allowed to rule their kingdoms but had to pay tribute, which kings ruled were also chosen by Siam. At the beginning of the 19th century, and ignoring the worldwide agricultural disaster accompanying the 1816 Year Without a Summer, Bassac was said to be on a prosperous trade route for the outlet for cardamon, rubber, wax, resin, skins, horns, and slaves from the east bank to Ubon, Khorat, and Bangkok. The region then fell victim to Siamese and French struggles to extend their suzerainty.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1713: 1713 Milestone — The Kingdom of Champasak (Lao: ຈຳປາສັກ [tɕàmpàːsák]) or Bassac, (1713–1904) was a Lao kingdom that emerged under King Nokasad, a grandson of King Sourigna Vongsa, the last king of Lan Xang.
2. 1718: 1718 Milestone — In 1718, a Lao emigration in the company of an official in the service of King Nokasad founded Muang Suwannaphum as the first recorded population of Lao in the Chi River valley—indeed anywhere in the interior of the plateau.
3. 1766: 1766 Milestone — Around 1766, Vorarad-Vongsa, a dignitary in the Kingdom of Vientiane, started a rebellion.
4. 1777: 1777 Milestone — In 1777, King Taksin of Siam sent an invading army to the Kingdom of Vientiane and Champasak, and the kingdom was occupied without major resistance; Champasak were made a dependency of Siam in 1778, joining Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
5. 1780: 1780 Milestone — In 1780, King Sayakumane was allowed to return to Champasak as vassal to the Siamese king.
6. 1816: 1816 Milestone — At the beginning of the 19th century, and ignoring the worldwide agricultural disaster accompanying the 1816 Year Without a Summer, Bassac was said to be on a prosperous trade route for the outlet for cardamon, rubber, wax, resin, skins, horns, and slaves from the east bank to Ubon, Khorat, and Bangkok.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kingdom of Champasak

True or False: “The Kingdom of Champasak maintained full sovereignty over its territory throughout the period of French colonial influence in the late 19th century.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Following the Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893, the Left Bank fell under direct French rule as an administrative block, stripping the royalty of many privileges.

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