Lý Thái Tông
Encyclopedia
Lý Thái Tông (1000–1054) was the posthumous title of Lý Phật Mã (李佛瑪), emperor
of the Lý Dynasty
of Đại Việt (Northern Vietnam) from 1028 to 1054. His father was Lý Công Uẩn (李公蘊), posthumously known as Lý Thái Tổ (李太祖), the founder and the first emperor of the Lý Dynasty. During his reign, he built the basic bureaucratic infrastructure for the dynasty and was considered one of the greatest kings and emperors in Vietnamese history.
At the beginning of his reign, Thái Tông relied mostly on his father’s advisers who were left to him and together they crushed a rebellion
led by two of his brothers challenging his throne. Later, he personally led an army to defeat yet another unsatisfied brother.
When his rule became more secure, Thái Tông started to demonstrate his unconventional style of governing. He promoted one of his favorite concubines to royal status. He rejected his officials’ advice and plowed the land himself during the spring plowing ceremony.
In 1039, Thái Tông had a serious discussion with his official about whether a good government depended upon strong personal leadership or a sophisticated institution. In the end, he accepted his official’s opinion and started to reform the government.
One of those reforms was to reorganize the royal family and make it into a parallel of the government, which was a bureaucratic system. Another significant reform was the publication of a new law, which replaced the old law that was either copied or borrowed from China
’s Tang Dynasty
.
In 1044, Thái Tông with his army invaded Champa
. The war was won and the Champa king was killed. The amount of the plunder was considerable and there was even a reduction of taxes.
Starting around 1049, Thái Tông became less occupied with worldly affairs. He began to seek solutions of life through religion. He died in 1054 and a few months before his death, he transferred the governing job to his son Lý Nhật Tôn (Lý Thánh Tông
). The succession went much smoother than the one in 1028 and proved the success of Thái Tông’s institutional reform.
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of the 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...
of Đại Việt (Northern Vietnam) from 1028 to 1054. His father was Lý Công Uẩn (李公蘊), posthumously known as Lý Thái Tổ (李太祖), the founder and the first emperor of the Lý Dynasty. During his reign, he built the basic bureaucratic infrastructure for the dynasty and was considered one of the greatest kings and emperors in Vietnamese history.
At the beginning of his reign, Thái Tông relied mostly on his father’s advisers who were left to him and together they crushed a rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
led by two of his brothers challenging his throne. Later, he personally led an army to defeat yet another unsatisfied brother.
When his rule became more secure, Thái Tông started to demonstrate his unconventional style of governing. He promoted one of his favorite concubines to royal status. He rejected his officials’ advice and plowed the land himself during the spring plowing ceremony.
In 1039, Thái Tông had a serious discussion with his official about whether a good government depended upon strong personal leadership or a sophisticated institution. In the end, he accepted his official’s opinion and started to reform the government.
One of those reforms was to reorganize the royal family and make it into a parallel of the government, which was a bureaucratic system. Another significant reform was the publication of a new law, which replaced the old law that was either copied or borrowed from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
’s Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
.
In 1044, Thái Tông with his army invaded Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
. The war was won and the Champa king was killed. The amount of the plunder was considerable and there was even a reduction of taxes.
Starting around 1049, Thái Tông became less occupied with worldly affairs. He began to seek solutions of life through religion. He died in 1054 and a few months before his death, he transferred the governing job to his son Lý Nhật Tôn (Lý Thánh Tông
Lý Thánh Tông
Lý Thánh Tông was the posthumous title of the third emperor of the Lý dynasty of Vietnam. Like his father, he was considered as one of the most talented and benevolent kings in Vietnamese history.-Genius Crown Prince:...
). The succession went much smoother than the one in 1028 and proved the success of Thái Tông’s institutional reform.