Triệu Việt Vương

Triệu Quang Phục was recognized by Emperor Lý Nam Đế as the best lieutenant and general in the army. Both were occupied with fighting the invasion of the Chinese Liang Dynasty and, through his military excellence, Triệu Quang Phục gained considerable political influence at court.

Recognizing the superior strength of the Chinese army, Triệu Quang Phục would often retreat to more favorable terrains where he could employ guerrilla warfare and wage a war of attrition against the enemy. Triệu Quang Phục was the first general to understand and make extensive use of guerilla and attrition warfare methods as a means of to decimating and slowly demoralizing the enemy. Triệu Quang Phục withdraw his troops to an undeveloped region, full of swamps, muddy area called đàm Dạ Trạch. In this area he established small camps and at nightfall would go surprise the enemy, and steal their supplies and arms as well.

After Lý Nam Đế stepped down from the ruling position in 548, he appointed Triệu Quang Phục to co-rule the country along with his (the emperor's) brother, Lý Thiên Bảo. Lý Thiên Bảo died of an illness in 555 and left no heirs, making Triệu the effective head of the nation. Still, he did not proclaim himself emperor (taking the name Triệu Việt Vương) until Lý Nam Đế died of an illness in 548.

As strong as the Chinese were, they could not make headway against the type of warfare devised by the emperor-general Triệu Việt Vương. This undecisive period lasted until 557 when finally a respite came for the Vạn Xuân (northern Vietnamese) country. China at this time was under the chaotic rule of the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the famous Chinese general Chen Pa H'sien's (Trần Bá Tiên) skills and troops were needed in his homeland to quell a revolt. The Vietnamese forces, however, had no time to rejoice at the news of this temporary respite.

Shortly after Lý Thiên Bảo died, a Lý family member, Lý Phật Tự (Lý Thiên Bảo's cousin) made claim to the emperor's throne and challenged him. Both sides vied against one another for the throne with no decisive victory. Wary about engaging in internal fighting that would only frustrate the people, Triệu Việt Vương negotiated a truce and peace. From Long Biên northward would be Lý Phật Tự's new territory and the land south of Long Biên would belong to Triệu Việt Vương.