Nguyen Thi Anh
Encyclopedia
Nguyễn Thị Anh was a queen consort of Vietnam
, mother of the Vietnamese King Le Nhan Tong
, and effective head of state of Vietnam from 1451 until she allowed a servant to kill her in 1459 to avoid being captured or killed in a coup.
Anh was a beautiful woman of noble birth (perhaps related to Nguyễn Xí, a friend and advisor to Le Loi). In 1440 she became a consort of the young king Le Thai Tong
at the same time as Nguyen Thị Dao. They both attracted the King's attention and both gave birth to sons shortly before the king, Lê Thái Tông, died in 1442. Although the king had an older son, Nghi Dân, that boy's mother was not from a noble family and he was passed over, instead the kingship was given to Nguyễn Thị Anh's son, now called Lê Nhân Tong.
At the time of his elevation to the kingship of Vietnam, Lê Nhân Tong was just an infant (just over one year old). By tradition, the infant king's mother had great power and she was also officially named the regent on behalf of her son. In reality, the real power behind the throne was Trinh Kha
, a close friend and senior advisor to Lê Lợi.
Together, Trinh Kha and Nguyen Thi Anh managed to rule Vietnam reasonably well, though there was some friction. This friction grew as they clashed over how the king should be educated and who really got to make decisions in the government. In 1451 Nguyễn Thị Anh ordered the execution of Trinh Kha and his eldest son. The reason for this is lost and just two years later, Trịnh Khả was officially pardoned and his family was given new lands.
Nguyễn Thị Anh's son, Lê Nhân Tông was officially given the powers of government in 1453 even though he was only 12 years old. This was unusual and seems to have made little real difference, the queen ruled while the other noble families acted as a brake on her power.
The government did not do very much during this time, one later Vietnamese historian said this was a peaceful, harmonious time. The official court history written some 30 years later said it was a time of calamity for Vietnam and that for a woman to rule was as unnatural as "a hen crowing at daybreak".
In 1459, the oldest son of Lê Thái Tông, Nghi Dân, staged a coup. He and some 100 men secretly entered the palace late in October and killed the king. The next day, Nguyễn Thị Anh, facing certain death at the hands of Nghi Dân's men, allowed herself to be killed by a loyal servant.
The rule by Nguyễn Thị Anh was far from a disaster for Vietnam but equally, not much happened. Certainly there was a marked contrast between her rule, and the rule of her (sister's? cousin's?) son, Le Thanh Tong
. For another example of women ruling Vietnam see the Trung Sisters
and Ly Chieu Hoang
.
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, mother of the Vietnamese King Le Nhan Tong
Le Nhan Tong
Lê Nhân Tông was king of Vietnam from 1453 till his murder in a coup. He was a grandson of the hero-king Le Loi. During nearly all of his short reign, the real power behind the throne was his mother, Nguyen Thi Anh....
, and effective head of state of Vietnam from 1451 until she allowed a servant to kill her in 1459 to avoid being captured or killed in a coup.
Anh was a beautiful woman of noble birth (perhaps related to Nguyễn Xí, a friend and advisor to Le Loi). In 1440 she became a consort of the young king Le Thai Tong
Lê Thái Tông
Lê Thái Tông was an emperor of Vietnam from 1438 till his early death four years later.- Biography :...
at the same time as Nguyen Thị Dao. They both attracted the King's attention and both gave birth to sons shortly before the king, Lê Thái Tông, died in 1442. Although the king had an older son, Nghi Dân, that boy's mother was not from a noble family and he was passed over, instead the kingship was given to Nguyễn Thị Anh's son, now called Lê Nhân Tong.
At the time of his elevation to the kingship of Vietnam, Lê Nhân Tong was just an infant (just over one year old). By tradition, the infant king's mother had great power and she was also officially named the regent on behalf of her son. In reality, the real power behind the throne was Trinh Kha
Trinh Kha
Trịnh Khả close advisor to Lê Lợi, chief ruler of Vietnam during the 1440s, and founder of the powerful Trịnh family.Trịnh Khả, like most of Lê Lợi’s chief aids and generals, was from Thanh Hóa province which is where Lê Lợi was born. During the decade-long war against the Ming dynasty, Trịnh Khả...
, a close friend and senior advisor to Lê Lợi.
Together, Trinh Kha and Nguyen Thi Anh managed to rule Vietnam reasonably well, though there was some friction. This friction grew as they clashed over how the king should be educated and who really got to make decisions in the government. In 1451 Nguyễn Thị Anh ordered the execution of Trinh Kha and his eldest son. The reason for this is lost and just two years later, Trịnh Khả was officially pardoned and his family was given new lands.
Nguyễn Thị Anh's son, Lê Nhân Tông was officially given the powers of government in 1453 even though he was only 12 years old. This was unusual and seems to have made little real difference, the queen ruled while the other noble families acted as a brake on her power.
The government did not do very much during this time, one later Vietnamese historian said this was a peaceful, harmonious time. The official court history written some 30 years later said it was a time of calamity for Vietnam and that for a woman to rule was as unnatural as "a hen crowing at daybreak".
In 1459, the oldest son of Lê Thái Tông, Nghi Dân, staged a coup. He and some 100 men secretly entered the palace late in October and killed the king. The next day, Nguyễn Thị Anh, facing certain death at the hands of Nghi Dân's men, allowed herself to be killed by a loyal servant.
The rule by Nguyễn Thị Anh was far from a disaster for Vietnam but equally, not much happened. Certainly there was a marked contrast between her rule, and the rule of her (sister's? cousin's?) son, Le Thanh Tong
Lê Thánh Tông
Lê Thánh Tông was emperor of Đại Việt from 1460 until his death. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest emperors of Vietnamese history and the Vietnamese "Hammurabi."-Early years:...
. For another example of women ruling Vietnam see the Trung Sisters
Trung Sisters
The Trưng sisters were leaders who rebelled against Chinese rule for three years, and are regarded as national heroines of Vietnam. Their names are Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị ....
and Ly Chieu Hoang
Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng was the eighth and last sovereign of the Lý Dynasty from 1224 to 1225 and the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam. Chosen by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as his successor at the age of only six, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the country under the total influence of Trần Thủ Độ and the...
.