Tang (Chinese) Domination
Reigner :Chinese Governors
Period :
Reign's Titles :-
Country's Name :-
Capital :-
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Tang (618 - 906)

History :
In 671, the Tang re-established Chiaozhou into 12 zhou (small provinces),59 districts under Department of Annam Domination (DAD) . The Chinese rulers kept the administration of zhou and districts up. The DAD headquarter was in Tong Binh (Hanoi) with a big garrison. Beside the annual tributes, people had to pay many kinds of tax on capitation, family,production etc. Taxes were very high. However, agriculture and handicraft achieved certain developments for importing new technologies from China, India.The highly developed Tang culture also influenced strongly Vietnamese, the Tang opened many schools teaching Chinese scripts and culture. Buddhism took a very important role in society, the monks were also teachers, doctors, advisers, etc.
But the Tang's rule was so harsh, brutal that many uprisings had been broken out along that period. Most noticeable were :
Mai Hac De (Mai the Black Emperor) (722) : Mai Thuc Loan was born in a poor peasant family,and was very famous for his strength, intelligence and the black complexion. In 722, being one of porters who were exhausting in transportation of Lychee fruites to Tang Emperor 's favourite concubine Yang Kuei-fei, Mai called for a rebellion and was warmly responded by the people. The rebels swept out the Tang from Vietnam and proclaimed Mai Thuc Loan Black Emperor, capital was in Van An (now Nghe An). But Mai Hac De could'nt stop the 100,000 soldiers of Tang reinforcing troop and had to shrink into the jungle and died there for a jungle disease. His son succeeded the father for a short time and was known as Mai Thieu De (Juvenile Emperor). The rebellion was collapsed not long after.
Bo Cai Dai Vuong (Emperor the Great Father) (791 -802) : Phung Hung, a local official and son of a former Mai Hac De's warrior, was very famous for kind-hearted and strength (he once killed a tiger to save a life of a man). In 766, he risen up a rebellion against the Tang's rule and resisted for 25 years until he could attack the headquarter of Tang troop in Hanoi and occupied the citadel after 7 days of fierce battles,in 791. The Tangs had to run away. Phung Hung got on throne in Hanoi and was honoured Bo Cai Dai Vuong by people. Phung Hung ruled the country for 7 years until he died in 799.His son, Phung An, succeeded to throne and ruled until 802 when he was defeated by Tang army.
Khuc Thua Du (905 - 907): He was a rich man, admired by people for good-natured. The Tang's tyranized rule made him to call for an uprising. His army swept out the Tangs in 905 and his demand of being Governor of Vietnam was accepted by the Tang Dynasty at last. He became the first Vietnamese chaired the seat of Governor.

The Autonomous Period
Reigner :Khuc Thua Du (905-907) /Khuc Hao (907-917) / Khuc Thua My (917-930) /Duong Dinh Nghe (931-938).
Period :
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Capital :-
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Tang (618 - 906) / The Five Dynasties period (907 - 960)

History :
At the end of the 9th century,the situation of China was unrest, the Tang could'nt control Vietnam as before. Took that chance, Khuc Thua Du, a village notable raised a rebellion in 905, attacked the Tang garrison in Tong Binh (now Hanoi), wiped them out and proclaimed himself Governor, established the autonomous administration .The Tang was reluctant to admit the position. This was very important step to the independence. He died 2 years after and Khuc Hao, his son, replaced the father to seat the position.He applied many progressive policies, re-arranged the administration system with 5 local hierarchy. At the time the situation had changed in China : Tang Dynasty collapsed and the south of China fragmented into ten independent states, among them the Later S'ung Dynasty took control over Annam.The S'ung also accepted Khuc Hao as Governor of Annam and his rule lasted in 917 when he died. Khuc Thua My, his son succeeded the seat under S'ung adoption. In 930, the South Han encroached the S'ung did'nt admit the situation and sent a troop to invade. Khuc Thua My was captured and the Annam now was under ruling of a South Han Governor again.In 931, Duong Dinh Nghe or Dien Nghe, a former general of Khuc's army, lead a rebellion and expelled the South Han from Annam, re-established the autonomy. But the situation ended in 938 when Duong Dinh Nghe was assasinated by Kieu Cong Tien, one of his escorts who coveted the position of Governer. The assasination evocked a hatred of Tien and many uprisings occured after that. Fearful of the people's revenge, Tien entreated the help from the South Han Dynasty and they immediately sent army and navy to invade the Annam again.

Ngo Dynasty
Reigner :Ngo Quyen (Ngo Vuong) (939 - 944) / Duong Tam Kha (Duong Binh Vuong) (944 - 950) / Ngo Xuong Van (Nam Tan Vuong) (950 - 965 ) and Ngo Xuong Ngap (Thien Sach Vuong) (951 - 965).
Period :
Reign's Titles :-
Country's Name :-
Capital :Co Loa (Hanoi)
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:South Han / South T'chiu / Han An Ti / Later Chou (... - 959 ).

History :
Ngo Quyen was Duong Dinh Nghe's son - in - law and a talented general who commanded a garrison in Chau Ai (now Thanh Hoa) under Duong time. Heard about the assasination, he immediately sent his army to kill Kieu Cong Tien and planned an ambush for the South Han troop. He ordered to lay the wooden poles with sharp spikes on tops in the Bach Dang River mouth at high tide and enticed the South Han ships to pass the site into an ambush. Being fiercely attacked from the ambush at the time of low tide, the ships tried to sail away and most of them were pierced and sank.The South Han lost most of their navy and had to stop the invation. This was The First Bach Dang Victory in 938. A new era opened to Vietnam nation : the era of independence from Chinese Dynasties.
In 939, Ngo Quyen ascended the throne, named Ngo Vuong (King Ngo), settled the capital at Co Loa (now Hanoi), established an independent state of Annam.In his primitive administration system, the King was on top and himself decided everything. The court was very simple with two groups of officials : military and civil. Only the important region would be ruled by governors appointed by the King. The society under his reign was peaceful. He died in 944.
After Ngo Quyen's death, his brother - in - law Duong Tam Kha usurped the throne,proclaimed himself Duong Binh Vuong and ruled from 944 to 950.
In 950, Ngo Xuong Van, the younger son of Ngo Quyen staged a coup against Duong Binh Vuong.He crowned as Nam Tan Vuong and sent the envoys to find his older brother, Ngo Xuong Ngap, escaped from Duong Court in 944 and hid in the countryside. In 951, Ngo Xuong Ngap also crowned as Thien Sach Vuong, and there were two Kings co-ruled Vietnam that period.
From 944, the situation of the Ngo Dynasty had became unstable, many rebellions risen everywhere to claim to the territory. The wars between Ngo and the lords had prolonged almost 20 years. In one of the such battles in 965, Nam Tan Vuong was killed and Ngo Dynasty collapsed, the country was fractioned into 12 regions with 12 warlords ruled.

Famous Names of the Reign :
+ Ngo Quyen was confered as National Hero, who opened an era of independence for Vietnam nation. His victory on South Han in Bach Dang is one of the most glorious in the Vietnam history .


Dinh Dynasty
Reigner :Dinh Bo Linh (968 - 979) / Dinh Toan (979 - 980) .
Period :
Reign's Titles :Thai Binh / Thai Binh .
Country's Name :Dai Co Viet
Capital :Hoa Lu
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Sung Dynasty (960 - 1279)

History :
The war between 12 warlords reached its top in the period of 966 - 968, leaving the hardships and misery in the life of people. Dinh Bo Linh, adopted son of Lord Tran Lam, who ruled the region of Bo Hai Khau (now Thai Binh), had succeeded Lam after his death and suppressed successfully the other 11 warlords in 968, took control over the country. In the same year, Dinh Bo Linh ascended the throne, proclaimed himself Dinh Tien Hoang De (The First Emperor of Dinh) and named the country Dai Co Viet , settled the Capital at Hoa Lu (now Ninh Binh). He also confered the most important titles of the Court : Nam Viet Vuong (King of Nam Viet) on his elder son, Dinh Lien, and Thap Dao Tuong Quan - General of Ten Corps (means Commander - in - Chief) on Le Hoan, a talented general of the Court. In the Dinh reigns, the King kept in his hand utmost power in politics, military, law, religion. Two officials assisting him were : Thai Su (highest rank in the court), Dai Su (a famous Buddhist monk). There were 3 groups of officials : Civil, Military and Religious (Buddhism only). The country was divided into 10 Lo (prov.). Lo comprised of Phu and Chau (dist. and region). But only the important areas were ruled by officials from the Court . The army was also divided into central and local. The economy based on agriculture but handicrafts were also encouraged, many working sites opened in Hoa Lu for weapon making, weaving, minting, ship-building,etc.. Many palaces and pagodas were constructed in that time.The basic unit of Dinh society was village, in which the land was common property that peasants could rent, and pay tax and responsible to fulfil duty toward the King. The education was not developed. Most of the literate persons were Buddhist monks and they were the advisors for the court and the common people also. The Buddhism was very venerated. The crimes were treated seriously in the Dinh reign.
In 979, Dinh Tien Hoang and Dinh Lien were assassinated by Do Thich, an eunuch and the younger son of Dinh Tien Hoang, Dinh Toan succeeded the throne at his 6 age.
Took this chance, the Sung Dynasty in China sent their army to invade Dai Co Viet in 981. On the difficult situation of the country, Queen-Mother Duong Van Nga decided to pass the throne to Thap Dao Tuong Quan Le Hoan, incompliance with the Court's requirement. During one month from ascending the throne, Le Hoan stopped both navy and infantry of Sung by fierce battles in Chi Lang river (now Lang Son) and Tay Ket, captured alive both general-commanders of two these troops, broke the attempt to invade of the Sungs. By this victory, the Vietnamese had affirmed national sovereignty.

Famous Names of the Reign :
+ Dinh Bo Linh, son of general in Duong Dinh Nghe Court, was very intelligent and brave boy at his childhood. His father died soon and he had to pasture buffalo for living. When on the field with the other boys, he used to order them to carry him onto their arms to march as if he was King, in the game of battle. Grew up in the chaos situation, witnessing the people's misery, he soon became desirous of stopping it and himself established a military troop for that purpose. With the troop, he attended Lord Tran Lam's force and became his most close assistant, then adopted son.

+ Duong Van Nga, wife of Dinh Bo Linh, was another noticeable character of the period. Being juvenile Empweror's mother, she was brave to pass the throne to Le Hoan in the situation of a coming invation. However,later she became Le Hoan's wife.



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