Lê Long Đĩnh

Lê Long Đĩnh
Emperor of Đại Cồ Việt Đại-thắng Minh Quang-hiếu Emperor
A statue of Lê Long Đĩnh in Hoa Lư
Reign	1005–1009
Predecessor	Lê Trung Tông
Successor	Lý Thái Tổ (of Lý Dynasty)
Born	986
Died	1009
Spouse	?
Issue	Lê Sạ (黎乍)
Full name Lê Long Đĩnh Era name and dates Ứng Thiên (應天): 1005–1007 Cảnh Thụy (景瑞): 1008–1009
House	Anterior Lê Dynasty
Father	Lê Đại Hành
Mother	Chi hậu Diệu Nữ

Lê Long Đĩnh ([le lɔŋ ɗǐˀɲ]; 黎龍鋌, 986–1009) was the last emperor of the Anterior Lê Dynasty of Đại Cồ Việt, from 1005 to 1009. After killing his predecessor and brother Lê Long Việt, he took the throne and named his era Cảnh Thụy.

Tyrannical and brutal reign

According to Complete annals of Đại Việt, he was one of the most brutal and sadistic rulers during Vietnam's dynastic era. His reign was considered a reign of terror at the time. He is comparable to the Roman Emperors Caligula and Commodus in their traits of excess cruelty and paranoia. Some of the acts of cruelty that he committed were:

• He often executed innocent people who were condemned to death for entertaining purposes by some frightful ways such as tying them with hay to burn to death or ordering an executioner called Liêu Thủ Tâm (廖守心) from Great Song to gradually mutilate victims to death slowly using dull bladed swords and axes. When the victims cried out in agony, this executioner would manipulate the victims into thinking they were not dying. The emperor was said to have delighted in the deaths of his victims.
• After capturing prisoners of war, he ordered his soldiers to march the prisoners along the riversides and crammed them into cages that were tied along the river banks. When the high tides came in at dusk, he would watch them drown slowly.
• The emperor himself often stuck livestock such as pigs or cows to death before he allowed servants to prepare them for feasts. At court banquets, he killed cats and served them to his guests and court officials and made them eat the cats. Afterwards, he would play around with their severed heads in front of the court audience, frightening them and reducing their chances of questioning his audacity.

Later life

According to historical records, he had contracted hemorrhoids and often held court while lying down, earning the popular name "Lê Ngọa Triều" ("Ngọa" means "lie" and "Triều" means "court"). He was not given a temple name because his successor usurped the Anterior Lê Dynasty and started the Lý Dynasty.

He held the throne for four years, until 1009, when he died at the age of 24. His son Sạ was but a child so under the management of an official named Đào Cam Mộc (陶甘沐). When Lý Công Uẩn became emperor of Ly dynasty, all the officials enthroned him without any debate. The Anterior Lê Dynasty was finished after only three reigns.

References