Fa Ngum
In 1354, when Fa Ngum founded the kingdom of Lan Xang, Vientiane became an important administrative city, even though it was not made the capital. King Setthathirath established it as the capital of Lan Xang in 1563, to avoid a Burmese invasion. For the following several centuries Vientiane's position was unstable: at times it was strong and a regional centre, but many times it came under the control of Vietnam, Burma, or Siam.