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Principality of Phuan | |||||||||
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| 13th century–1893 | |||||||||
.png) Muang Phuan in bronze, betweenLuang Prabang to the north andVientiane to the south, withDai Viet to the east | |||||||||
| Status | Independent principality (13th-14th century) Autonomous principality (14th century–1791) Principality under theKingdom of Vientiane (1802–1828) Nguyễn dynasty province (1828–1848) Vassal to Siam (1848–1893) Protectorate ofFrance (1893–1899) | ||||||||
| Capital | Xieng Khouang | ||||||||
| Common languages | Lao | ||||||||
| Religion | Buddhism | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| King | |||||||||
• 1651–1688 | Kham Sanh | ||||||||
• 1880–1899 | Kham Ngon (last) | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 13th century | ||||||||
| 1893 | |||||||||
| 1899 | |||||||||
| Currency | Lat,Hoi | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Laos Vietnam | ||||||||
Part ofa series on the | ||||||||||||||
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| History ofLaos | ||||||||||||||
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| Lan Xang era | ||||||||||||||
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| Regional kingdoms era | ||||||||||||||
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Muang Phuan (Lao:ເມືອງພວນ,pronounced[mɯ́aŋpʰúan];Thai:เมืองพวน; Country of Phuan) orXieng Khouang (Lao:ຊຽງຂວາງ,pronounced[síaŋkʰwǎːŋ];Thai:เชียงขวาง), also known historically to the Vietnamese asTrấn Ninh (chữ Hán: 鎮寧; lit. "securement of peace"), was a historicalprincipality on theXiang Khouang Plateau, which constitutes the modern territory ofXiangkhouang Province,Laos.
TheXiang Khouang Plateau is semi-arid but has important iron ore resources and has been inhabited since theBronze Age (thePlain of Jars is an importantUNESCO archeological site). The region is an important area for trade as it occupies the major passes along theAnnamite Cordillera to accessVietnam and the coast.
TheTaiPhuan orPhuan people are aTheravada BuddhistTai-Lao ethnic group that migrated to the area that is nowLaos during the 13th century. According to legend, thePhuan people were led by Chet Chuong, the second son ofKhun Borom who founded the city-state of Muang Phuan. In the mid-14th century Muang Phuan was incorporated into theLan Xang Kingdom under KingFa Ngum. Under theMandala model, cities or even kingdoms would enter into tributary relationships with their neighbors depending on regional power; in exchange the tribute would maintain local autonomy. It was not uncommon to pay tribute to more than one power even concurrently. In 1434, Muang Phuan entered into a tributary relationship with theDai Viet. However, by 1478 theDai Viet attempted to annex Muang Phuan as a prefecture, which contributed to war betweenLan Xang and theDai Viet. TheDai Viet army ultimately withdrew during that conflict, and Muang Phuan returned as a tributary toLan Xang. However, the peace was short-lived and by 1531 Muang Phuan rebelled against KingPhotisarath who put down the rebellion after two years. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, Muang Phuan remained part ofLan Xang.
During the 16th century, expressive Buddhist art and architecture flourished. The capital was dotted with temples in a distinct Xieng Khouang style, i.e., simple low roofs with a characteristic ‘waist’ at the foundation. In 1930, Le Boulanger described it as ‘a large and beautiful city protected by wide moats and forts occupying the surrounding hills and the opulence of the sixty-two pagodas and their stupas, of which the flanks concealed treasures, obtained the capital a fame that spread fear wide and far.” In 1707 whenLan Xang was divided between the Kingdoms ofVientiane andLuang Prabang, Muang Phuan entered into tributary relations with theKingdom of Luang Prabang.
By the 1720s Muang Phuan was supporting theKingdom of Luang Prabang in wars against theBurmese, andSiamese. Under Chao Kham Sattha again, Muang Phuan went to war against the Governor ofThakhek, a tributary to theKingdom of Vientiane. In 1751 Chao Ong Lo went so far as to directly attack theKingdom of Vientiane and was totally defeated, retreating to Houa Phan (todaySam Neua) where he began to raise another army. TheKingdom of Vientiane named Chao Ong Lo's brother Ong Bun as regional governor of Muang Phuan. The armies of Muang Phuan split between the brothers in civil war, and ultimately Chao Ong Lo prevailed. However, the conflict drained the region so much so that for the next 37 years Muang Phuan remained a tributary toVientiane.
In 1779 theKingdom of Vientiane was captured by theSiamese led by GeneralTaksin, Muang Phuan as a tributary ofVientiane became aSiamese vassal state while maintaining tributary relations withDai Viet.Siam was severely depopulated from the history of warfare with theBurmese in the 18th century, and the destruction ofAyutthaya in 1767. To exert greater control of the lands and people of Muang Phuan, theSiamese launched the first of several forced migration campaigns to resettle large parts of thePhuan population to regions under firmSiamese control. Chao Somphou, the son of Chao Ong Lo, set about restoring and rebuilding the temples and defenses of Muang Phuan. According to some accounts, his palace grew to rival that of the King ofVientiane. In 1789 or 1790, King Nanthasen ofVientiane believed rebellion was possible and sent an army to capture Muang Phuan. Chao Somphou fled to Houaphanh, King Nanthasen continued north to captureLuang Prabang in 1792. In 1793 Chao Somphou was captured by King Nanthasen and imprisoned inVientiane. Muang Phuan appealed to theDai Viet, and a combined force of 6,000Phuan andVietnamese crossed intoXiengkhouang and began to march towardVientiane. King Nanthasen, not wanting to create a wider conflict, negotiated an arrangement where Muang Phuan would pay equal tribute to the Kingdoms ofVientiane and theDai Viet in exchange for the release of Chao Somphou. Chao Somphou returned to Muang Phuan where he began another building campaign. By 1800, King Inthavong ofVientiane feared a resurgence of power in Muang Phuan, and sent his brother ChaoAnouvong to capture Chao Somphou. Chao Somphou died as a prisoner inVientiane around 1803.
Chao Somphou's nephewChao Noy took control of Muang Phuan in 1803. He was an authoritarian ruler who increased taxes to augment his palace and the military. In 1814, he violently suppressed aKhmu rebellion. In 1823, he was accused by a half-brother of seeking independence, and was summoned toVientiane under the guise of answering for his actions during 1814. King Inthavong imprisoned Chao Noy for three years. On the death of his brother KingAnouvong ofVientiane, allowed Chao Noy to return to Muang Phuan where he sought a tributary relationship with theDai Viet EmperorMinh Mang. WhetherAnouvong's actions were part of a wider plot to rebel against theSiamese is controversial, what is clear is that ultimatelyAnouvong did rebel and sought to draw all theLao lands together in opposition toSiam. TheLao rebellion of 1826–1828 ultimately failed, and Chao Noy handed over the fleeing KingAnouvong to theSiamese. As KingAnouvong was also a tributary to theDai Viet, EmperorMinh Mang summoned Chao Noy in 1831 and had him executed for having acted without consultation.
In 1832 theDai Viet annexed Muang Phuan and named the regionTran Ninh meaning “To Keep the Peace” and imposedVietnamese taxes, culture and dress on the population. Under the guise of protecting theTai peoples in Muang Phuan, aSiamese garrison of 1,000 invaded and killed theVietnamese officials. TheThais then began a secondpopulation transfer, moving several thousand Muang Phuan. Several hundred tried to escape and return to Muang Phuan but were caught by theVietnamese and committed suicide. Disease and harsh treatment killed a number of the families that stayed with theSiamese, and left only around a thousand to be resettled aroundBangkok. In late 1831,Siam andVietnam had a series of wars (Siamese-Vietnamese War 1831–1834, andSiamese-Vietnamese War 1841–1845) over control ofCambodia, and theXieng Khouang region came under heavyVietnamese presence. During this period, Chao Po (son of Chao Noy) was allowed to return to Muang Phuan. In the 1850sSiam agitated a rebellion against theVietnamese, and Muang Phuan came underSiamese suzerainty.
Beginning in the 1840s theChinese sought to expand their military control and tax system over the hill peoples in southernChina.Lao Sung people including theHmong andMeo began to move into the mountainous uplands ofXieng khouang. The migration of these first peoples was relatively peaceful, as the peoples preferred to maintain their own communities in the upland territories which were not farmed by theLao Theung orLao Loum in the area. By the 1860s, the failedTaiping Rebellion inChina created a flood of new refugees along with marauders organized into gangs identified by the design of their flags including the Red, Yellow,Black and Striped. The gangs looted, burned, and warred in the areas of northernLaos andXieng Khouang. The capital of Muang Phuan was looted and destroyed repeatedly by warring bands ofHaw or Ho pirates. Due to the instability, theSiamese conducted a series of military campaigns known as theHaw Wars in the region. TheSiamese were unsuccessful at restoring order, and used the opportunity for more forced population transfers in 1875–1876. These deportations were recorded by a British observer in 1876.
The captives were hurried mercilessly along, many weighted by burdens strapped to their backs, the men, who had no wives or children with them and were therefore capable of attempting escape, were tied together by a rope pursed through a sort of wooden collar. Those men who had their families with them were allowed the free use of their limbs. Great numbers died from sickness, starvation and exhaustion on the road. The sick, when they became too weak to struggle on, were left behind. If a house happened to be near, the sick man or woman was left with the people in the house. If no house was at hand which must have been oftener the case in the wild country they were traversing, the sufferer was flung down to die miserably in the jungle. Any of his or her companions attempting to stop to assist the poor creatures were driven on with blows ... Fever and dysentery were still at work among them and many more will probably die. Already, I was told, more than half of the original 5,700 so treacherously seized are dead."[1]
The instability caused by theHaw engulfed the territories ofTonkin andAnnam, which were possessed by theFrench in the 1880s. TheFrench were aware thatSiamese control of territory was weak. In 1889,Auguste Pavie produced letters from King Mantha Tourath ofLuang Prabang seeking vassalage with EmperorMinh Mang from the period of the 1830s, and presented them toBangkok as evidence for theFrench right to extend a protectorate toXieng Khouang andLuang Prabang. Under the terms of the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1893, Muang Phuan came underFrench colonial protection. In 1899, the Phuan regions lost autonomy and became part of theFrench Protectorate of Laos inFrench Indochina.
