Sourigna Vongsa
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Souligna Vongsa ສຸຣິຍະວົງສາທັມມິກຣາດ | |
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King of Lan Xang | |
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Souligna Vongsa (ສຸຣິຍະວົງສາທັມມິກຣາດ [sū.lī(ʔ).ɲā wóŋ.sǎː tʰám.mīk.râːt]) was the king of Lan Xang whose reign is considered the golden age of Laos. He ascended to the throne in 1637.
King of Lan Xang
In 1637, Sourigna Vongsa ascended the throne after the nobles elected him over his two older brothers. King Sourigna Vongsa reigned for 57 years during which Laos experienced "The Golden Age" with regard to territory, prestige and power.
He assured stability by immediately banishing any possible rivals, sending one of his brothers to
Much of what we know about seventeenth-century Laos comes from the descriptions of these visitors. Despite the disruptions that spanned the period from
("the first musk that has appeared in Europe from this part of the world." - de Marini) and other products. The palace of the king, de Marini would describe,- "the structure and symmetry of which are remarkable can be seen from afar. It is truly vast and is so extensive that one would take it for a city... The King's quarters... have a very beautiful and magnificent façade... embellished inside and out with splendid bas reliefgilded so finely that they appear to be covered with gold laminations.... I would have to fill an entire book... to describe all the other parts of the palace in detail, their richness, their apartments, their gardens...."
The king claimed to recognize no other as his equal, though he concluded friendly treaties with neighboring countries. With King
In contrast to his friend Narai, however, who received ambassadors with great pomp, wore splendid and elaborate vestments and enjoyed the use of the finest foreign luxuries—velvets and rich
In the golden age of Lan Xang, wealth was primarily spent on religion, rather than on equipping the army with European weapons.[1] It was one of the crucial reasons why the kingdom declined following his rule.
Death
In 1694, Sourigna died and was heirless. He had 2 sons, the eldest one having been executed for adultery and the other son having fled to Ayutthaya with his mother, step-mother and 600 followers in February 1686, after his father ordered their execution because he was found to be co-habiting with his half-sister with their full knowledge. This was a chaotic time in Laotian history wherein the empire completely collapsed with the kingdom splitting into 3 new kingdoms: Vientiane, Luang Phrabang and Kingdom of Champasak.
Family
- Father: Tone Kham
- Mother: name unknown
- Consorts and their respective issue:
- name unknown
- Prince Indra Brahma (Enta-Prohm), Chao Raja Yudha (Ratsavuth) - (b.1642) father of Kings of Luang Phrabang Kingkitsarath (r.1707–1713) and Intha Son(r.1737 1738)
- Princess Sumangala Kumari - mother of Kings
- Prince Indra Brahma (Enta-Prohm), Chao Raja Yudha (Ratsavuth) - (b.1642) father of Kings of
- Princess Kinichandra (Kène Chan) - (m.1652) - daughter of Princess Kham San of Xieng Xouang
- a daughter of King Lê Thần Tông of Annam
- name unknown
- Princess Suman... Kumari - (d.1696) she married (~1694) the King of Lan Xang Tian Thala (r.1694 or 1695)
- A son, who fled to Ayutthaya with his mother, step-mother and 600 followers in February 1686 after his father ordered their execution because he was found to be co-habiting with his half-sister.
References
- ^ John Holt (2009). Page 70. Spirits of the Place: Buddhism and Lao Religious Culture. University of Hawaii Press.