Ngô Dynasty

The Ngô Dynasty (939-967) was a dynasty in Vietnam ( then know as Tĩnh Hải Quân-The Military region of Tranquil Sea). Ngô Dynasty opened the beginning of Vietnamese national autonomy. Around the year 930, Northern Vietnam was military occupied by Southern Han and was treated as an autonomous province and vassal state of China. Every year, Jiedushi of Tĩnh Hải Quân had to pay tribute to China for exchange Peace. Beginning of the 10th century, China was domestically plagued and weakened by internal civil war during known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In the Duong dynasty, the border troops have the right to recruit soldiers to expand their country, so Duong Dynasty could not control that reason why they got civil war. The emperor of China was preoccupied with these civil struggles and lost their grip on Tĩnh Hải Quân preiodically. Tĩnh Hải Quân took advantage of this opportunity and initiated a full blown military campaign for independence, under the rule of Lord Protector Dương Đìng Nghệ

Dương Đình Nghệ (? - 938) was the self-appointed Jiedushi around 930. He was a skillful, lenient. He cornered the Southern Han garrison inside Dai La and defeated their force, afterwards establishing himself as Jiedushi. Dương Đình Nghệ was assassinated eventually by his general Kieu Cong Tien whom then moved up to the post of administrator(stupid guy). In this time, the map was not changed.

Ngô Quyền from internet

Ngô Quyền (897-944) was Dương Đình Nghệ's most general and son-in-law. Around 20 years old, he served under Dương Đình Nghệ's command and married one of his daughters. after he saw his father-in-law killed, Ngô Quyền was very anrgy and he sought revenge. He launched an attack and defeated Kiều Công Tiễn in 938. The latter, before his death in battle with Ngô Quyền, he send an emissary to Southern Han court to seek for military re-enforcement. The same year, Ngô Quyền's forces defeated the rebel Kiều Công Tiễn and cut Kiều Công Tiễn, hang his head on the gate. After that, Ngô Quyền foresaw the Southern Han intention. He quickly mobilized the armed forces and made war preparations well in advance. To defeat the Southern Han army, Ngô Quyền cleverly planted the pile spikes underneath the Bạch Đằng River and timed the attack of the Southern Han navy. At first, Ngô Quyền sent troops to lure enemy. After  the Vietnamese held the enemy in check for hours, the tides receded and the and the spikes impaled the Chinese armada. The Vietnamese forces followed this impalement with ferocious fire attacks, which annihilated hundreds of  giant warships. The Southern Han navy and the Prince of Southern Han were killed in the battle. Ngô Quyền was declared King and was officially recognized by Southern Han in 939. An Nam (Future VietNam) gained full independence and governmental autonomy ever since.


Dương Tam Kha reign : 944-950:

Dương Tam Kha was one of Dương Đình Nghệ's sons, brother of Ngô Quyền's wife, Before his death, Ngô Vương had Dương Tam Kha become regent for his son, Ngô Xương Ngập. However, Ngô Vương's wish was not fulfilled. Dương Tam Kha forced his nephew-in-law to abdicate and installed himself as King, He took Ngô Xương Ngập's younger brother, Ngô Xương Văn as his adopted son. Ngô Xương Ngập fled to Trà Hương village and was hidden by a leader of area named Phạm Lệnh Công is a title for a man who is leader of his kin and also of a large around his fee. In 950, Dương Tam Kha forced Ngô Xương Văn to quell the rebellion in Thái Bình province, but he turn edhis to dethrone Dương Tam Kha. After he took throne back, he did not kill Dương Tam Kha, but degraded him to "Envoy of Chương Dương".

Family Tree of Ngô Dynasty

Hậu Ngô Vương:

Ngô Xương Văn deposed Dương Tam Kha in 950 and styled himself "Nam Tấn Vương". He then searched out his brother Ngô Xương Ngập in order to share the throne with him. After arriving at the capital, Ngô Xương Ngập styled himself "Thiên Sách Vương"

Thiên Sách Vương: 

Ngô Xương Ngập soon abused his rights as the oldest son and began to rule Tĩnh Hải Quân as dictator, "Thiên Sách Vương". The country was ripe for open rivalries between different lords who fought each other to become the next successor.

After Ngô Xương Ngập's death in 965, his son Ngô Xương Xí succeeded him. However, he met a biggest problems which recognized by the open revelry between the 12 lords who fought one another as they vied for control of the country. It was best time to thrown into a chaotic period call the "Thập Nhị Sứ Quân Rebellion"

"The Anarchy of the 12 warlords (966-968)"


The 12 warlords were :

• Ngô Xương Xí (the nominal emperor whose reign and rule were contested)
• Đỗ Cảnh Thạc
• Trẫm Lãm
• Kiều Công Hãn
• Nguyễn Khoan
• Ngô Nhật Khánh
• Lý Khê
• Nguyễn Thủ Tiệp
• Lý Đường
• Nguyễn Siêu
• Kiểu Thuận
• Phạm Bạch Hồ

Source :

Việt Nam Sử Lược, by Trần Trọng Kim
http://www.worldlibrary.org