Photisarath

Photisarath (born 1501—died 1547) was a ruler (1520–47) of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang whose territorial expansion embroiled Laos in the warfare that swept mainland Southeast Asia in the latter half of the 16th century. Photisarath was a pious Buddhist who worked to undermine animism and Brahmanic religious practices and promote Buddhism. He resided much of the time not in the capital at Luang Prabang but in Vientiane, which was located farther south and...