Lê Hoàn

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Lê Hoàn (941–1005; Hán tự: 黎桓), posthumous name Lê Đại Hành, was a king of Vietnam under the Anterior Lê Dynasty. He was the commander in chief of the armies of Emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, who also had and illicit relationship with the Queen Mother, dethroned Đinh Bộ Lĩnh’s heir and proclaimed himself king in 980. He retained the capital in Hoa Lu 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 Viet 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 toe the line to 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 relied to a considerable degree 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 mandarin by the name of Le Cong Uan was placed on the throne and founded a new Ly Dynasty.

In 1005, after 24 years of difficult rule, Lê Đại Hành died. The Tien Le 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 royalties. He is thus known by the default name, Lê Đại Hành (黎大行, literally "Lê the departed").