Lê Hoàn
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Lê Hoàn posthumous name
Lê Đại Hành, was a king and emperor of Đại Cồ Việt (Vietnam) under the Anterior Lê Dynasty
. He was the commander in chief of the army of Emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, but he also had an illicit relationship with the Empress Dowager, dethroned Đinh Bộ Lĩnh’s heir and proclaimed himself king in 980. He retained the imperial capital at Hoa Lư and succeeded in warding off several Chinese invasions by the Song Court
, but continued paying them tributes every three years in exchange for a peaceful relations.
Lê Đại Hành’s reign marked the first attempt to consolidate the Vietnamese nation. He devoted a great deal of energy to developing the road network in order to better administer the country’s different regions. However, the local forces were still reluctant to conform with the central authority and mounted a succession of revolts.
Lê Hoàn’s 25 year reign was marked by foreign wars. The Song Dynasty
in China had hoped to take advantage of the instability in Vietnam by launching an invasion of its ex-dependency, but Lê Hoàn defeated the Chinese armies in 981 (see: Battle of Bạch Đằng (981)) and obtained official Chinese recognition of Vietnamese independence.
On the domestic scene, the reign of Lê Hoàn was marked by efforts to strengthen the fragile structure of the infant Vietnamese state. He largely relied on his sons, several of whom he appointed as governors of key provinces. Lê Hoàn died in 1005, leading to a fratricidal strife among his heirs. The victor himself died two years later, leaving an infant son as successor. Through intrigues at court, a popular mandarin (bureaucrat)
by the name of Lý Công Uẩn was appointed to the throne and founded a new Lý Dynasty
.
In 1005, after 24 years of difficult rule, Lê Đại Hành died. The Tiền Lê dynasty eventually collapsed after the death of one of Lê Đại Hành’s heirs in 1009.
His successor, Lê Trung Tông, neglected to give him a posthumous name
in accordance with other East Asian royal traditions. He is thus known by the default name, Lê Đại Hành (黎大行, literally "Lê The Great Conqueror").
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
Lê Đại Hành, was a king and emperor of Đại Cồ Việt (Vietnam) under the Anterior Lê Dynasty
Anterior Lê Dynasty
The Early Lê dynasty was a dynasty that ruled Vietnam after the Đinh Dynasty and before the Lý Dynasty. They ruled for a total of three generations and was known for repelling the Song invasion.-Lê Đại Hành Hoàng Đế :1...
. He was the commander in chief of the army of Emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, but he also had an illicit relationship with the Empress Dowager, dethroned Đinh Bộ Lĩnh’s heir and proclaimed himself king in 980. He retained the imperial capital at Hoa Lư and succeeded in warding off several Chinese invasions by the Song Court
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, but continued paying them tributes every three years in exchange for a peaceful relations.
Lê Đại Hành’s reign marked the first attempt to consolidate the Vietnamese nation. He devoted a great deal of energy to developing the road network in order to better administer the country’s different regions. However, the local forces were still reluctant to conform with the central authority and mounted a succession of revolts.
Lê Hoàn’s 25 year reign was marked by foreign wars. The Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
in China had hoped to take advantage of the instability in Vietnam by launching an invasion of its ex-dependency, but Lê Hoàn defeated the Chinese armies in 981 (see: Battle of Bạch Đằng (981)) and obtained official Chinese recognition of Vietnamese independence.
On the domestic scene, the reign of Lê Hoàn was marked by efforts to strengthen the fragile structure of the infant Vietnamese state. He largely relied on his sons, several of whom he appointed as governors of key provinces. Lê Hoàn died in 1005, leading to a fratricidal strife among his heirs. The victor himself died two years later, leaving an infant son as successor. Through intrigues at court, a popular mandarin (bureaucrat)
Mandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
by the name of Lý Công Uẩn was appointed to the throne and founded a new Lý Dynasty
Lý Dynasty
The Lý Dynasty , sometimes known as the Later Lý Dynasty , was a Vietnamese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty and ended in 1225 when the queen Lý Chiêu Hoàng was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a...
.
In 1005, after 24 years of difficult rule, Lê Đại Hành died. The Tiền Lê dynasty eventually collapsed after the death of one of Lê Đại Hành’s heirs in 1009.
His successor, Lê Trung Tông, neglected to give him a posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
in accordance with other East Asian royal traditions. He is thus known by the default name, Lê Đại Hành (黎大行, literally "Lê The Great Conqueror").