Kingdom of Vientiane
When Lan Xang fell apart in 1707, it became an independent Kingdom of Vientiane. In 1779, it was conquered by the Siamese general Phraya Chakri and made a vassal of Siam. When King Anouvong tried to assert himself as an independent kingdom, and raised an unsuccessful rebellion, it was obliterated by Siamese armies in 1827. The city was burned to the ground and was looted of nearly all Laotian artifacts, including Buddha statues. The Siamese routed Anouvong and razed the city leaving only Wat Si Saket in good shape. Vientiane was in ruins, depopulated, and disappearing into the forest when the French arrived in 1867. It eventually passed to French rule in 1893. It became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899. The French rebuilt the city and repaired Buddhist temples such as "Pha That Luang", "Haw Phra Kaew", and built colonial buildings. By a decree signed in 1900 by Governor-General Paul Doumer, the province was divided into four "muang": Borikan, Patchoum, Tourakom, and Vientiane. Two years earlier, men from these four "muang" were responsible for building a house for the first administrator of Vientiane, Pierre Morin.