To understand who we are and where we came from, we have to look all the way back to the Khun Burom Rasathirath era who sent 7 sons out to become king in a different part of Suvannaphoumi (the "land of gold" or also called "Lamthong").

Khun Lor, the oldest son of Khun Burom was first Lao King of Muang Sawa (Luang Phrabang). There were 12 Kings ruled Muang Sawa after Khun Burom, and the last king was Phaya Wang.
After Phaya Wang died, his son (Thao Lang) took the throne and named as Phaya Langthirath in 1271.

Phaya Langthirath (1271-1316) ruled for 45 years and died in 1316. He had one son (Thao Suvanna Khamphong) that became a King Suvanna Khamphong.

King Souvanna Khamphong (1356-1353) had two sons named "Chao Fa Ngiew" (also called Khun PhiFah) and "Chao Fa Khamhiew". During his ruler as a King of Muang Sawa, he became a grandfather with 4 grandchildren, two boys and two girls but the youngest one (Chao FaNgum) who was known to be born with teeth.

King Souvanna Khamphong then expelled his own son (Chao Fa Ngiew) and his grandson (Chao FaNgum). They followed the Mekong River from Muang Sawa to Kheng Leephii (Khong) south of present day Laos. They took refuge at the AngKor court, where FaNgum eventually married to a Khmer princess named Nang YordKeo (YotKeo).

With the support of the Khmer troops, Chao FaNgum fought his way upnorth and subsequently defeated his grandfather in Muang Sawa (LuangPrabang) and created a unified Lao kingdom called LanXang Hom Khao in 1353. From here the LanXang Kingdom was born, Chao FaNgum was the first Lao king of LanXang Kindom. He renamed his town from Muang Sawa to LuangPrabang.
In 1353, the territories of which modern Laos is now part of, was named LanXang Hom Khao (Million elephants - white parasol). He died in 1573, ruled for 20 years and he was 58 years old.

His son (Prince OunKham, born in 1536) took the throne and named as King Samsenthai (Lord of 300,000 Thai - derived from a census of adult males living in LanXang kingdom in 1376).
King Samsanthai had two wives:
His first wife was princess KeoYotFa of Ayudthaya Kingdom. They had three sons together: Prince Lankhamdeng, Prince Sai Tia Kaphut (Vangburi)and Prince KhamTem.

His second wife was princess Noy Onsa of Chiang Mai, Lanna Kingdom. King Samsenthai died in 1416, ruled for 43 years and he was 60 years old.

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