The Early Le Dynasty
Reigner :Le Hoan (Dai Hanh) (980 - 1005) / Le Long Viet (Trung Tong) (1005) / Le Long Dinh (Dai Thang Minh Quang Hieu) (1005 - 1009).
Period :
Reign's Titles :Thien Phuc / - / Ung Thien.
Country's Name :Dai Co Viet.
Capital :Hoa Lu.
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Sung Dynasty ( 960 - 1279 ).

History :
Le Hoan ascended the throne in 980, kept unchanged the country name Dai Co Viet and capital in Hoa Lu . Many Dinh's policies were also kept unchanged. In the administration system, the King held also the utmost power in politics, military, law, religion with the assists of Thai Su and Dai Su like in the Dinh time. The officials were divided into 3 groups of: Civil, Military and Religious . The system of Lo (prov.), Phu and Chau (dist. and region) was the same . The army organization was also unchanged . The economy in the Le time developed more highly for many investments in the transportation, roads, hydraulic systems were made.The society, education, and religion in the Le time was similar the Dinh.
In 981, the Sung invade troop attacked Dai Co Viet with both navy at Bach Dang River mouth and infantry at Chi Lang (Lang Son). Le Hoan arranged two ambush at these sites. The first ambush in Bach Dang destroyed most of Sung navy and the second wiped out the left of Sungs and ended the invasion.
In 1005, Le Hoan died and his 3rd son Le Long Viet was appointed to succeeded the throne by him before his death, but a fierce struggle between 4 princes for the throne broke out right after the mourning and only lasted after 7 months when Long Viet won at last. His reign lasted 3 days after by a coup staged by Long Dinh, his younger brother . Long Viet was killed in the coup.
Long Dinh ursurped the throne, proclaimed himself Dai Thang Minh Quang Hieu Hoang De (The Great Emperor of Glory,Wise and Victory). Being a wicked character man, Long Dinh was very lustful and brutal in ruling the country. For his extremely lustful life, he could only lie when attending the court ceremonies and famous with the name Le Ngoa Trieu (Le the King lay in Court). He died in 1009 in his 24.
Because his son was still a baby, the Court Council decided to raise Ly Cong Uan, a top rank general of the Court and famous for excelence in both politics and military to the throne. The Ly Dynasty began in 1009.

Famous Names of the Reign :
+ Le Hoan was a brave and talented general in the Dinh's army who achieved a lot of feats during the war and was confered the highest military rank of the Court at his 30 age. His glorious victory over the Sung was a proof that the Dinh Court's decision of handling over the Dinh's throne to him was appropriate in the situation.


Ly Dynasty
Reigner :Ly Cong Uan (Thai To) (1010-1028) / Ly Phat Ma (Thai Tong) (1028-1054) / Ly Nhat Ton (Thanh Tong) (1054-1072) / Ly Can Duc (Nhan Tong) (1072-1128) / Ly Dzuong Hoan (Than Tong) (1128-1138) / Ly Thien To (Anh Tong) (1138-1175) / Ly Long Can (Cao Tong) (1176-1210) / Ly Sam (Hue Tong) (1211-1224) / Ly Chieu Thanh (Chieu Hoang) (1224-1225) .
Period :
Reign's Titles :Thuan Thien / Thien Thanh / Long Thuy / Thai Ninh / Thien Thuan/ Thieu Minh / Trinh Phu / Kien Gia / Then Xuong .
Country's Name :Dai Co Viet (1010-1054) / Dai Viet (1054 ..)
Capital :Hoa Lu (1010) / Thang Long (1010 ...)
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Sung (960 - 1229)

History :
Ly Cong Uan was born in 974 and brought up by a Buddhist monk for his mother died right after giving birth. He was trained on all necessary knowledges of a leader, a scholar and a military general because the monk, who took care of him was a wise bonze-superior and could foresee the future. And Ly had become a famous general in the Le Court when he was still very young. In 1009, after the death of the last Le Emperor, Ly was raised by the Court to the throne and became the first Ly Emperor (Thai To).
In 1010, Ly Thai To ordered to move the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La (now Hanoi) and re-named it Thang Long (Ascending Dragon) for he saw a dragon ascended from the citadel at the moment he'd just arrived by boat,according to ancient history documents. Royal palaces, citadels, pagodas were constructed in Thang Long. He reorganized the government,with the Emperor on top who decided everything and important positions in the court belonged to his relatives. The country was divided into 24 Lo (province) comprising Huyen (District). Huyen was composed of Xa (Villages). The Emperor appointed the rulers for Lo only, the Huyen and Xa were ruled by elected council. All discontents could be submitted directly to the Emperor by ringing a huge bell hung in front of royal palace.
In 1042, the Lys released 'Criminal Code' to protect royal and people's property, in which the crime of killing buffalo would be fined seriously . The army was comprised from two : royal and local armies, the soldiers in the latter could be allowed to come home to work after 6 months in army and come back the army after 6 months at home.
In 1054 the Lys re-named the country Dai Viet (Viet the Great).
On agriculture, the Lys encouraged people to break soil by allowing them to possess that soil as own property (The other soil belonged to Emperor), built up the dike system, outlawed the killing or stealing buffallo, cut the tax in the crop-failured years. Other handicrafts also developed, especially the weave from worm-silk and pottery.
The villages were the communes with their own regulations, most of people in commune were peasants who cultivated on the land of King or Confered mandarins and paid the rent. The slaves belonged to the lowest rank of society.
The education was in the first step. In 1070, the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) was established. A school opened in the capital to study Confucianism, literature, philosophy,etc. In 1075, the first examination was held to choose the talents. Chinese scripts was official letters.
Buddhism was the national religions, the pagodas were constructed everywhere.
Architecture and sculpture were prosperous : The 12-stages Bao Thien Stupa, 60m-high and One-pillar pagoda in Thang Long, the huge 3-tons weighted bell in Ha Bac, the big statue of Dzi Lac Buddha in Quang Ninh, etc., all were constructed at that time.
In 1075, the Sung of China,took the oppotunity that Ly Nhan Tong was still a 7 years old child,the ruling was made by his mother - Queen Mother Y Lan, prepared a invasion of Vietnam by stored their military ordnances in Nanning. Ly Thuong Kiet, commander - in - chief, a very talented general, sent his special force to Nanning to destroy all these stores and by this, stopped the invasion. On the other hand, he ordered to construct a 100 km-defence line on the south bank of Cau river (now Bac Giang) to prevent the other attempt to invade by the Sung. At the beginning of 1077, as predicted,the Sung sent 100,000 soldiers, 10,000 horses to invade Vietnam, but they had been stopped at the Song Cau line for 2 months, suffered from ferocious attacks by Ly Thuong Kiet and took flight at last. The country was rid of a invasion.
Ly Dynasty started to decline at Ly AnhTong (1138 - 1175) reign, and the next Cao Tong did nothing to improve the situation, but at his youth he indulged in play, ignored the ruling. The country fell in chaos by rebellions raised everywhere and the misery of people. In 1208, the Quach Boc rebellion caused the Court taking flight from the capital, the Emperor hiden in Phu Tho now and crown prince Sam hiden in Nam Dinh now. Sam then got married with Tran Thi Dzung, daughter of a fisherman of that region and was supported by Tran family to fight against the Quach rebellion and won at last. The members of Tran family were confered the important positions in the Court.
The crown prince Sam reigned in 1211 with the court that most important titles belonged to Tran family. Being a feeble spirit, Hue Tong (Sam) suffered a great pressure from Trans and became geting drunk all day, the ruling was almost done by Trans. In 1224, he was forced to hand down the throne to his younger daughter, the Chieu Thanh princess, because he had no son, and went into a Buddhist monastery. In 1227, he was forced to commit suicide by Tran Thu Do, Thai su (one of 3 positions at highest rank of the court) at his 33.
Ly Chieu Hoang or Phat Kim, Chieu Thanh princess, reigned at her 7 years old. In an attempt to usurp the throne, Thai su Tran Thu Do sent Tran Canh, his 8-years old nephew to serve Chieu Hoang as a courtier and a boy friend and Chieu Hoang was very fond of him . At this stage, Thu Do spreaded a rumour that Chieu Hoang wished to get married with Tran Canh and the wedding was soon hold under his pressure. The last result was, in 1225, Ly Chieu Hoang ceded the throne to her husband, Tran Canh. The Ly Dynasty ended, the Tran opened.

Famous Names of the Reign :
+ The First Royal Concubine Y Lan (? - 1117), real name Le Thi Yen, was the daughter of a poor peasant family. Her mother died when she was still a little girl and she had to suffer a bitter childhood with the allday long working on the field. Although the harsh conditions, she grew up,being famous for beauty, intelligence and working skills. That year, Emperor Ly Thanh Tong came to Dau Pagoda of this village to pray for having a son because at his 40, he was too much worry about the succeeder. Unlike the other people who come to see the Emperor, Yen kept singing on working on the field. Suprised at this and admired her for characters through a short interview, Thanh Tong got married with her and confered the title of First Royal Concubine, title name Y Lan (beauty, who rested against michelia tree). In 1066, she had a son later Emperor Nhan Tong. In the palace, she was wrapped in study and soon became a scholar. In 1069, Thanh Tong commanded himself a troop to fight the Champa, Y Lan was appointed Regent and she was very decisive to distribute relief to people in a famine for crop failure and by this, avoid the rebellions, chaos. When she acted as a regent for her 6 years old son, Emperor Nhan Tong, she trusted Ly Thuong Kiet to command the army and expectedly, he got a glorious victory over the Sung. Besides,she was kind-hearted Queen- Mother who always loves and helps the working people.

+ Thai uy (Commander- in- chief) Ly Thuong Kiet (1019 - 1105) was born in a Ngo family (his real name Ngo Tuan), father was a low rank general. In 1036, he served the Emperor as a captain in calvary. With his brave, intelligence and loyalty, he was granted to change to royal name Ly Thuong Kiet and given the important positions in the Court. In 1075 and 1077 he got 2 glorious victories over Sung invade troops and stopped their attempt to extend south.He was the Vietnamese leader, who wrote the First Declaration of Independence of the nation (in the form of a poem) :
The Emperor of south reigns the south country,
That's determined forever in the celestial book,
Why those savage people dare to invade ?
Their audacity is doomed to ignominious failure !
Ly Thuong Kiet is one of the National Hero, his name has been used to name the big street of Hanoi,on that street the PACIFIC R.I.M office situated.

+ To Hien Thanh (? - 1179), a scholar, general,the commander - in - chief of the Anh Tong Court, he was very famous loyalty and indomitable will.He also got a lot of military feats inthe wars against Ai Lao (Laos) and Champa. In 1176 when Anh Tong died, although the Queen - Mother Chieu Linh used gold and gem to bribe him but failed then brought pressure on him to ask him to change the Emperor's will of crown prince, but nothing could change his loyalty to the Emperor.
Le Phung Hieu (? - ?) served 2 reigns of Thai To and Thai Tong as a captain of special force. He was excellent in art of fighting. In 1028, when Thai To died, the court faced a coup led by three princes, Phung Hieu stopped that by a short battle, in which he cut the head of one prince and swept out the left. He got also many feats in the war against Champa. When the country became peaceful, he refused to keep any positions of the court to come back home. To reward him, Thai Tong allowed him to own the area of land which diameter was the distance of throwing a sword from the top of a mountain by Phung Hieu. The area then measured more than 1,000 Mau ( almost 400 Ha) according to legend.

Tran Dynasty
Reigner :Tran Canh (Thai Tong) (1225-1258) / Tran Hoang (Thanh Tong) (1258-1278) / Tran Kham (Nhan Tong) (1279-1293) / Tran Thuyen (Anh Tong) (1293-1314) / Tran Manh (Minh Tong) (1314-1329) / Tran Vuong (Hien Tong) (1329-1341) / Tran Hao (Du Tong) (1341-1369) / Duong Nhat Le (Usurped the throne) (1369-1370) / Tran Phu (Nghe Tong) (1370-1372) / Tran Kinh (Due Tong) (1373-1377) / Tran Hien (Phe De) (1377-1388) / Tran Ngung (Thuan Tong) (1388-1398) / Tran An (Thieu De) (1398-1400)
Period :
Reign's Titles :Kien Trung/ Thieu Long / Thieu Bao / Hung Long / Dai Khanh / Khai Huu / Thieu Phong / Dai Dinh / Thieu Khanh / Long Khanh .
Country's Name :Dai Viet
Capital :Thang Long (now Hanoi)
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Sung (... -1279 ) / Yuan (1279 - 1368) / Ming (1369- ...)

History :
Tran Canh, the first Emperor of Tran Dynasty, crowned at his 8 with title Thai Tong as a result of an attempt to usurp the throne from the Lys, directed by Tran Thu Do. After quickly supressed the opposing forces, the Trans re-organized the administration system, appointed the royal family members for the important positions, encouraged development of agriculture, reclaimation and consolidation of dike system. Handicrafts and trade was also developed.The country divided into 12 Lo (province), each composed of numbers of Phu (Region), and Huyen (District), ruled by the officials appointed by the King. Huyen consisted of numbers of Xa (Village) - the smallest administrative unit. Xa was ruled by an official from the Court and an elected council. The basic laws of Ly reigns were re-confirmed.The Tran society was somewhat democratic : common people sometimes can meet the Emperor directly to ask his help. The society and economy, disordered under later Lys now recovered step by step. Military force was developed specially . Buddhism continued to be the National Religion.
In 1257, the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty in China invaded Dai Viet with a 100,000 soldiers troop after conquered almost all China and most of Europe. Their cavalry was famous for skill and effect all over the world at the time. To avoid facing the tough force of Yuans, Thai Tong retreated his army into forest and waged a guerilla war that slowly eroded the enemy before launched a counter-attack in 1258 and swept out them. The First Resistance War ended successfully.
In following reigns, the country became prosperous for appropriate policies encouraging peasant to break fresh land, to establish new farms and villages, helping the poors, and encouraging study, organizing examinations to select talents. The Dai Viet culture developed well, many famous scholars had made their appearance in this period. The history books of Vietnam compilled by Le Van Huu was also first time published. The other works on science, medicine, military, weapon technology (cannon), ship-building were also released. On defence, Trans tried to train army, store rice and ammunition for a possible war,because of the growing threaten from the Yuans now completely controled over China.
In the reign of Nhan Tong (1279 - 1293), two invations of Yuans occured as predicted. In 1285, half million Yuans invaded Dai Viet with the best team of generals and best facility. Facing such a tough force, Nhan Tong appointed Tran Hung Dao, the most talented general to be Commander-in-Chief to direct the resistance war and summoned a conference of the village elders of all over the country to ask : Should we surrender to the Yuans or fight against them ? By that way he assembled all the nation behind him in the war. Hung Dao retreated the army into forest and conducted a guerilla war like he did in the war of 1257. When the Yuans became exhausted for climate, for prolonged war and disturbance from guerilla, he attacked them everywhere and soon got the win after fierce battles in Chuong Duong, Ham Tu, Van Kiep, etc. Half million of Yuan was destroyed completely, most of tough generals were cut their heads in the battles. The Second Resistance War ended after 6 months.
Two years after, in 1287, another time the Yuans attacked Dai Viet to revenge their defeats. This time, by a miraculous ambush with the wooden poles sharpened at the top which were laid in the Bach Dang River mouth at high tide, most of the Yuan's ships were sank when tried to escape from the ambush at low tide and more than 400 ships left were all captured together with crew, Hung Dao soon ended the 3rd Resistance War against the Yuan. They never dared come back Dai Viet anymore. Few years after the war, in 1293, Emperor NhanTong ceded the throne to his crown prince and went into Buddhist pagoda in Yen Tu Mountain to live a religious life. Later he became the First Ancestor of Truc Lam Buddhist sect.Over that period, Buddhism reached the top of its development, Buddhist pagoda were constructed in every villages. The architecture and sculpture were developed at a higher level of skills, especially proved in construction of royal palaces and pagodas.Some constructions left until now : Pho Minh pagoda (Nam Dinh), Citadel of Ho (Thanh Hoa), etc.
Tran Dynasty began to decline at Du Tong reign (1341 - 1369), when Emperor indulged in playing, neglected affairs of the Court. The country disordered, rebellions raised up everywhere, people lived in miserable conditions. In the later reigns, Champa Kingdom in the south invaded Dai Viet many times, among which were two times they occupied Thang Long and plundered valuables and girls then set Royal palaces in fire before gone away.
In the reign of Thuan Tong (1388 - 1398),the ruling power was almost concentrated in hand of Ho Quy Ly,a high-ranking mandarin and father-in-law of the Emperor. Being a smart and tough character, Quy Ly realized the end of Tran Dynasty was coming. In 1394, he ordered to build a new capital in Thanh Hoa and in 1397 he forced the Emperor to move the capital over there. Next year,he forced the Emperor to cede the throne to 3 years old crown prince then leave the Court to go into a pagoda. The Thieu De was the last Tran reign (1398 - 1400). In 1400, Quy Ly forced Thieu De to cede the throne to him, after killed Thuan Tong at the pagoda. Tran Dynasty ended after 175 years.

Famous Names of the Reign :
+ Tran Thi Dzung (? - ?), a famous woman, who influenced profoundly the birth, and the founding days of Tran Dynasty. As a girl of a fisherman in Nam Dinh now, she got married with Ly Dynasty crown prince Sam when he refuged there, in the rebellion of Quach Boc, under ruined Ly Cao Tong reign (1176 - 1210). Tran family then supported Sam to swep out the rebellion and then to ascend the throne. It was the first steps for Tran Dynasty's birth. But everything done at the time and later were under the influence of Ms. Dzung, who secretly hidden her love with Tran Thu Do, her cousin and the most important hero in founding the Tran Dynasty, to devote to her Tran family's cause.

+ Tran Thu Do (1194 - 1264) was main architector of Tran family. He was a smart and decisive, full of tricks. It was him who forced Ly Hue Tong to hand the crown to princess Ly Chieu Hoang and then arranged the marriage between Chieu Hoang with his nephew Tran Canh and then, the handing over the throne to Tran Canh. As a Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of new Dynasty with a 10 years old king, he directed the court so skillfully, while suppressed resolutely the oppositions and re-organized the administrative system from the central to village. Under his ruling, the country became orderly and stable. He also took a very important role in the 1st resistance war against the Yuans. He was a typical politician in the history of Vietnam.

+ Tran Hung Dao (1228 - 1300), real name Quoc Tuan, the outstanding military general , who 3 times winned over the Yuans, the most skilled army all over the world. He was also a scholar who left many valuable works on military, and literature. After his death, he was worshipped as a national hero and saint all over the country. People believed that saint Tran (Hung Dao) was magicious and ready to help the miserables.

+ Tran Quang Khai (1240 - 1294) was second position after Hung Dao in army, he achieved many glorious feats in the 2nd and 3rd war against the Yuans. He was also a politician, poet.

+ Tran Nhat Duat (1253 - 1330) was very famous for intelligence and ability to know many languages. He took a very important role in solidifying the community of multi-nations on Dai Viet country through the wars. He was also a talented general, who achieved many feats, especially in Ham Tu battle. He was worshipped as a Saint by people. ' The 7th Prince ' was his name in public.

+ Tran Khanh Dzu (? - !329), a talented general wiht glorious feats in the wars.

+ Tran Binh Trong, a famous hero who sacrificed his life when being captured by Yuans in a battle and refusing the title ' King of the North ' that the Yuans offered to barter for some military secrets.

+ Tran Quoc Toan, being a 16 years old boy, he was not allowed to join the army in the war against the Yuans.But he founded himself his own army that most were the teens. His army was the panic of Yuans. He achieved many feats but sacrified his life at the last battle to swep out the Yuans from Dai Viet at his 16.

+ Pham Ngu Lao (1255 - 1320), a very famous general in the 2nd, and 3rd wars against the Yuans.

+ Nguyen Che Nghia, was also another famous general.

+ Le Van Huu (1230 - 1322), the outstanding historian and scholar. He was famous from his childhood for inteligence and quick-minded.In 1247, he got his doctor title at his 17. His work ' Dai Viet Su Ky ' (History of Dai Viet) composed in 22 books, published in 1272, was the first ever written history books of Vietnam.


Ho Dynasty
Reigner :Ho Quy Ly (1400-1401) / Ho Han Thuong (1401-1407)
Period :
Reign's Titles :Thanh Nguyen/ Thieu Thanh
Country's Name :Dai Ngu
Capital :Tay Do (Thanh Hoa)
Contemporary Chinese Dynasty:Ming (1369 - ...)

History :
Ho Quy Ly usurped the throne from Trans in 1400 and changed the name of the country into Dai Ngu, settled capital in Tay Do (Thanh Hoa). Quy Ly was an outstanding ruler, who made a lot of reforms during his ruling time. On the ideology, he released his book ' Minh Dao ' to criticize the old school of Confucianism and encourage the policies of limiting the area of land of one's own, also the number of slaves, of reducing number of monks, of limiting the power of lords, etc. On agriculture, he ordered to re-measure the cultivative land, to take a population census. On finance, he issued notes. On education and society, he reformed the examination regulations, opened new educational center, opened the public health department. On legislate, he compiled penal code and laws on organization of government. On transportation and hydraulics, he built many new national roads, canals, settled post-offices. On military, he enforced to the army, built the defence lines, built up the arm moulding factories, etc. Quy ly's reforms were progressive and surpassing his era.
In 1401, Quy Ly ceded the throne to his son, Ho Han Thuong, and himself became The Extreme High Father, but still decided the Court affairs himself.
In 1406, Chinese Ming Dynasty,under the pretext of usurping the throne by Ho Quy Ly, sent 800,000 soldiers to invade Dai Ngu. Quy Ly waged a resistance war, but he could'nt assemble the people behind him for being accused by people of killing all Tran royal family and mandarins on his coup in 1400. He failed to stop the Mings and had to retreat into Thanh Hoa. In 1407, the Mings sieged his last citadel and captured Quy Ly and his son at last. The Ho Dynasty ended.
The Mings applied a brutal dominion on former Dai Ngu by gathering all valuables, harsh rulings, raping women while killing men and castrating boys in an attempt to assimilate Vietnamese to Chinese.


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