Trịnh Kiểm

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm (1503Ã¢ÂÂ1570) posthumously titled ThÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ TÃ¡Â»Â Minh Khang ThÃÂ¡i VÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (Ã¤Â¸ÂÃ§Â¥ÂÃ¦ÂÂÃ¥ÂºÂ·Ã¥Â¤ÂªÃ§ÂÂ), was an influential political and military figure of ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i ViÃ¡Â»Ât during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. In name, he served as a supporter of the Revival LÃÂª dynasty emperors, but in reality, he was the actual leader of the Southern Dynasty from 1545 onwards. Though his highest title during his lifetime was ThÃÂ¡i QuÃ¡Â»Âc CÃÂ´ng (Grand Duke of the State), he is often regarded as the first ChÃÂºa (Lord) of the TrÃ¡Â»Ânh family. He established his family as hereditary governors of Vietnam, ruling in the name of the figurehead Later LÃÂª emperors.

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm was born into a poor family in VÃÂ©nh LÃ¡Â»Âc now known as modern day Thanh Hoa. During his youth, he witnessed the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c Dynasty usurp the LÃÂª throne, leading him to join Grand Duke NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim who was raising an army and war against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c, supporting LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng as emperor. Recognizing TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs exceptional prowess and strategic abilities, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim married his daughter, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân ThÃ¡Â»Â NgÃ¡Â»Âc BÃ¡ÂºÂ£o, to him, entrusted him with military command, and promoted him to the title DÃ¡Â»Â±c NghÃÂ©a HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u (Marquis). TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm achieved numerous victories against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c forces. Which led the Emperor LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng himself trusting him greatly, promoting him to ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i tÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng quÃÂ¢n (Grand General) with the noble title DÃ¡Â»Â±c QuÃ¡ÂºÂn CÃÂ´ng (Grand Duke), in 1539 when he was 37 years old.

After his father-in-law NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KimÃ¢ÂÂs death in 1545, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm took over leadership of the government and military of the LÃÂª Dynasty until his death, serving under three LÃÂª emperors: LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng, LÃÂª Trung TÃÂ´ng, and LÃÂª Anh TÃÂ´ng. He played a major role in organizing the Southern DynastyÃ¢ÂÂs government through key decisions such as establishing his headquarters in VÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i, holding civil service examinations in Confucian studies, strengthening the military, recruiting individuals based on talent and merit rather than bureaucrats, repelling MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c invasions in Thanh Hoa and NghÃ¡Â»Â An–, reclaiming ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a and QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng Nam from MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c control, and launching major northern campaigns. Although he did not achieve a decisive victory over the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c in his lifetime, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm laid the foundation for his descendants to complete the restoration of the LÃÂª Dynasty, reclaim ÃÂÃÂ´ng Kinh (modern-day Hanoi), and establish the long-lasting LÃÂª-TrÃ¡Â»Ânh era in Vietnamese medieval history. Although he was the de facto ruler of Vietnam, he never assumed a higher position for himself. When he died, his son TrÃ¡Â»Ânh TÃÂ¹ng declared himself a lord and conferred this title posthumously upon his dead father.

Early life

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs childhood name was TrÃ¡Â»Ânh PhiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n (Ã©ÂÂÃ°ÂÂªÂ¤), later changed to KiÃ¡Â»Âm. He was born on September 14, 1503 to TrÃ¡Â»Ânh LÃÂ¢u, and HoÃÂ ng ThÃ¡Â»Â NgÃ¡Â»Âc DÃ¡Â»Âc, during the CÃ¡ÂºÂ£nh ThÃ¡Â»Âng era of Emperor LÃÂª HiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n TÃÂ´ng. He was the third of seven siblings, with four brothers and two sisters. TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£, his great-grandfather was a regent during the reign of child-king LÃÂª NhÃÂ¢n TÃÂ´ng, and was a close ally to LÃÂª LÃ¡Â»Â£i considered to be one of VietnamÃ¢ÂÂs greatest heroes. His birthplace was his motherÃ¢ÂÂs birthplace the village of HÃ¡Â»Â, in VÃ¡Â»Â QuÃ¡Â»Âc commune, YÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh district, Thanh Hoa province. It was said that when he was born, a red light filled the entire room, astonishing the entire village. From a young age, he was known to be intelligent and stood out from others.

When KiÃ¡Â»Âm was six years old, his father, the family's breadwinner died. This caused his family's financial and social status to deteriorate, and they faced disdain and discrimination from other villagers. As a result, he and his mother had to relocate to the village of SÃÂ³c SÃÂ¡n. To survive, KiÃ¡Â»Âm worked as a buffalo herder in the LÃ¡Â»Â SÃÂ¡n mountains at a young age. While tending buffalos, he often gathered groups of other village children, where at times due to poverty and hunger they stole chickens and ducks for food. They often played war gamesÃ¢ÂÂsplitting into teams, using the buffalo as war elephants and horses, reeds as banners, practiced fighting armed with knives and salt pots, and organizing different battle formations.

One day he came across a injured buffalo in a nearby area; knowing it was going to die eventually, he killed and cooked it to treat his friends. A villager gathering firewood came across the scene and confronted them. All the children fled except for KiÃ¡Â»Âm, who remained seated where he was. When questioned, he calmly replied:

The villagers then accused him of theft, dragged him to the village hall for punishment, where many debated whether to drown him to death in the river or report him to the officials. Ultimately, the village chief decided to expel him and his mother from returning. After being expelled, KiÃ¡Â»Âm moved to BÃ¡Â»Â XuyÃÂªn village in YÃÂªn MÃÂ´ district.

At the age of 24 (1526), he married a woman from the TrÃ¡ÂºÂ§n family, whose name is recorded as NgÃ¡Â»Âc LÃÂ©nh. He lived with her in BÃ¡Â»Â XuyÃÂªn, but historical records do not provide further details about her fate.

Stealing his masterÃ¢ÂÂs horse

In 1527, Dai Viet was in chaos. The ruling LÃÂª dynasty had been overthrown by MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c ÃÂÃÂng Dung, a former general who seized the throne. Many loyalists of the LÃÂª dynasty refused to accept this change and fled to organise resistance movements. Among them was NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim, a powerful noble who retreated to the remote region of CÃ¡Â»Â LÃÂ©ng (modern-day CÃ¡ÂºÂ©m ThÃ¡Â»Â§y District) to plan an uprising against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c, and advanced his troops. During this time, a MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c general named Ninh Bang HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u established his base in VÃÂ©nh Ninh (Modern day VÃÂ©nh LÃ¡Â»Âc). His army controlled the surrounding regions, ensuring they retain their loyalty to the new MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c rulers. KiÃ¡Â»Âm and his mother sought refuge under Ninh Bang HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u, hoping for stability and a better life. His mother personally begged the general to take her son into service as a household retainer, pleased with his spirit, he agreed. He assigned TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm to oversee the farming estates in the hamlet ThÃ¡Â»Â LiÃÂªu where he was responsible for raising livestock, including buffaloes and horses, something he was specialized and experienced in. During his daily routine, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm befriended a Cham man who also worked in the estate named VÃÂ© ThÃÂ¬ An, who was an expert in training horses. Under his teachings, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm also learned how to recognise and train superior horses breeds himself.:

Ambitious, and dissatisfied with his role realizing that he had no real future of progression, one day KiÃ¡Â»Âm stole the best horse from his masterÃ¢ÂÂs stables and fled. Riding at full speed, he crossed the border into MÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng SÃÂ¹ng CÃ¡Â»Â LÃÂ©ng (modern-day BÃÂ¡ ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âc), which was then part of Ai Lao (Laos) where he intended to join a cousin TrÃ¡Â»Ânh Quang, who was already fighting under the army of NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KimÃ¢ÂÂs against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty. Due to going hastily, he arranged plans for his mother to reunite with him once he was settled down. His mother, however, who was left behind, fled back to her home village in VÃ¡Â»Â QuÃ¡Â»Âc knowing Ninh Bang Hau would be sworn with vengeance for this offense. When Ninh Bang HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u discovered that KiÃ¡Â»Âm had stolen his horse and fled, he felt betrayed and was enraged. He ordered his soldiers and the villagers of SÃÂ³c SÃÂ¡n and BiÃ¡Â»Ân ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng to hunt down TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm and his mother no matter what, offering rewards for their capture. After an extensive search, they only managed to capture his mother. Ninh Bang HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u gave her an ultimatum.

His motherÃ¢ÂÂs execution

After searching, his mother found KiÃ¡Â»Âm where she decided they needed to go into hiding immediately. They hid at her brotherÃ¢ÂÂs house in the village of BiÃ¡Â»Ân ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng. However, when the village chief discovered them, much to their surprise, instead of turning him in, feeling pity, he chose to help KiÃ¡Â»Âm. After discussing a plan among them, one night seeing a good opportunity, he threw a rock which signaled for KiÃ¡Â»Âm to escape. He quickly crawled through several layers of fences then fled to the home of a contact named NÃ¡Â»Â¯u in YÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh. NÃ¡Â»Â¯u concealed TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm by placing him into a large grain bin and covering it with rice where he was to be transported out the region. When KiÃ¡Â»Âm later in life rose to power, NÃ¡Â»Â¯u had already died. In gratitude for his past kindness, KiÃ¡Â»Âm rewarded NÃ¡Â»Â¯uÃ¢ÂÂs family with a great pension for ancestral offerings and daily expenses. Despite these efforts, the villagers eventually recaptured KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs elderly mother and handed her over to Ninh Bang HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u. Three days later, he forced the village of SÃÂ³c SÃÂ¡n to place her in a bamboo cage, weighing it down with a large rock, and throwing it into the river where she drowned a slow and humiliating death. KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs close friend from the estate, VÃÂ© ThÃÂ¬ An, learned of the execution and immediately sent his son, VÃÂ© ÃÂÃÂ¬nh TÃÂ¹ng, to inform KiÃ¡Â»Âm. At first, KiÃ¡Â»Âm feared it was a trap, but when he realized the truth, he was devastated. Overcome with grief, he wept and swore:

He then turned to VÃÂ© ÃÂÃÂ¬nh TÃÂ¹ng and said:

:

Early one morning, a fisherman named Mai, who had moved from ÃÂÃÂ´ng BiÃ¡Â»Ân village to NgÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng village, spotted a body floating in the river. He went home to fetch a hoe to bury it, but when he returned, he saw something mysteriousÃ¢ÂÂa swarm of termites had gathered around the corpse, forming what looked like a burial mound. Word of this reached KiÃ¡Â»Âm, whoÃ¢ÂÂalong with his cousin TrÃ¡Â»Ânh QuÃÂ¡ng and loyal friends TrÃ¡Â»Ânh BÃÂ¡ Di and VÃÂ© ThÃÂ¬ AnÃ¢ÂÂretrieved his motherÃ¢ÂÂs body and performed funeral rites. Fearing that MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c soldiers would desecrate her grave, he had VÃÂ© ThÃÂ¬ An and his son wrap the body in a mat and secretly transport it through the ÃÂÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng CÃÂ¡n Mountains to a hidden burial site in ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng RÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ng (YÃÂªn ViÃ¡Â»Ât Village) to rebury.

Military Career, Following NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim

After MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c ÃÂÃÂng Dung usurped the throne, the descendants of LÃÂª dynasty officials and loyal members, especially those from Thanh Hoa, refused to accept his rule and continuously rebelled. Nguyen KimÃ¢ÂÂa noble from a prestigious family that had served the LÃÂª dynasty for generationsÃ¢ÂÂfled to Ai Lao (modern-day Laos) to gather troops and plan the restoration of the LÃÂª dynasty. By 1533, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim placed the son of Emperor LÃÂª ChiÃÂªu TÃÂ´ng on the throne, naming him LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng. The new emperor granted NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim the title ThÃÂ¡i sÃÂ° HÃÂ°ng QuÃ¡Â»Âc CÃÂ´ng (Grand Duke). This marked the beginning of the conflict between the Southern Court (LÃÂª-NguyÃ¡Â»Ân forces) and the Northern Court (MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty).

Kim stationed his forces in MÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng SÃÂ¹ng, a region in Ai Lao. During this time, KiÃ¡Â»Âm had already joined KimÃ¢ÂÂs army and was already gaining a reputation as a renowned and skilled warrior who was quickly rising in the ranks. Kim summoned him one day and began questioning him, seeing that KiÃ¡Â»Âm was articulate, brilliant, and exceptionally courageous, Kim quickly recognized his potential. Eventually, Kim appointed KiÃ¡Â»Âm as Tri MÃÂ£ CÃÂ¡ a (Commander of the Cavalry), placing him in charge of the militaryÃ¢ÂÂs horses and entrusted him with leading soldiers into battle. KiÃ¡Â»Âm and his forces stationed themselves in VÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i and achieved a great victory against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army. According to Ã¢ÂÂHistory of the Kingdom of ÃÂÃÂ ng NgoÃÂ iÃ¢ÂÂ (LÃ¡Â»Âch sÃ¡Â»Â vÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng quÃ¡Â»Âc ÃÂÃÂ ng NgoÃÂ i) by Alexandre de Rhodes, when MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c forces launched a massive attack on the capital, Kim and his army found themselves trapped in an enemy siege. In desperation, Kim made a promise:

Ã¢ÂÂI will marry my daughter to whoever can break through the enemy lines and rescue me and my men!Ã¢ÂÂ

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm mounted his horse and charged fearlessly into battle, cutting down enemy soldiers one after another and opened a path for KimÃ¢ÂÂs army to escape. Keeping his word, Kim married his daughter Princess NgÃ¡Â»Âc BÃ¡ÂºÂ£o to KiÃ¡Â»Âm and assigned him more important military duties, especially the training of cavalry for the resistance forces. In 1539, KiÃ¡Â»Âm was assigned to escort Emperor LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng back to Vietnam from Ai Lao. Having himself heard of KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs extraordinary prowess and victories, LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng promoted him to ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i TÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng QuÃÂ¢n (Grand General) and granted him the title DÃ¡Â»Â±c QuÃ¡ÂºÂn CÃÂ´ng (Duke). At that time, KiÃ¡Â»Âm was 37 years old. The emperor viewed him as a trusted individual and in high esteem, granting him the military seal and placing him in charge of battles against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty in Thanh Hoa Province. KiÃ¡Â»Âm later secured a major victory against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c forces at LÃÂ´i DÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng.

After these successes, KiÃ¡Â»Âm returned to his hometown to hold a grand banquet and pay respects to his ancestors. Duke, LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i ThÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ Vinh, the elder brother of KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs second wife LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i NgÃ¡Â»Âc TrÃÂ¢n, gifted him lands in YÃÂªn HoÃ¡ÂºÂ±ng Commune to build a residence and military base. In 1540, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim led his army to NghÃ¡Â»Â An, expanding their influence. His growing reputation caused many local forces to surrender without resistance. The following year (1541), MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c ÃÂÃÂng Dung died. Seizing the opportunity, KimÃ¢ÂÂs forces launched an offensive, capturing Thanh HÃÂ³a and NghÃ¡Â»Â An. By 1543, they had successfully recaptured TÃÂ¢y ÃÂÃÂ´ (modern-day Thanh HÃÂ³a Province) from the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty.

Obtaining the Reigns of Power

In 1545, a former general of the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty, DÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng ChÃ¡ÂºÂ¥p NhÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t, poisoned NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim, killing him. Before his death, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim entrusted full military command to KiÃ¡Â»Âm because his two sons, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân UÃÂ´ng and NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HoÃÂ ng, were still too young to lead. With KimÃ¢ÂÂs passing, all military power of the LÃÂª dynasty ultimately fell into the hands of him.

Later that year, in August of the lunar calendar, MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc HÃ¡ÂºÂ£i, the emperor of the Northern Court, ordered his General MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc TÃÂ° to launch a surprise attack on LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ngÃ¢ÂÂs headquarters. As MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c forces advanced to the PhÃÂ¹ ChÃ¡ÂºÂ©n River, LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng personally led his army to face them. KiÃ¡Â»Âm, serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, led the vanguard forces. Where his army crushed the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c forces, killing a devastating number of enemy soldiers. General Phuc Tu fled back to the north in defeat. Later that year (1545), Emperor LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng granted TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm the rank and title of:

He was also granted the noble rank of ThÃÂ¡i SÃÂ° (Grand Mentor) and the title LÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng QuÃ¡Â»Âc CÃÂ´ng (Duke of LÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng).

From that point onward, KiÃ¡Â»Âm held absolute control over the LÃÂª dynastyÃ¢ÂÂs military and political affairs. Even though Emperor LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng remained on the throne, all important decisionsÃ¢ÂÂsuch as military campaigns and government appointmentsÃ¢ÂÂwere made by KiÃ¡Â»Âm first, and the emperor would only approve them afterward. This marked the beginning of KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs dominance over Vietnam, eventually leading to the establishment of the TrÃ¡Â»Ânh Lords, who were the real rulers of Dai Viet for the next two centuries.

Pillar of the Southern Court, Manipulating Power

In 1546, KiÃ¡Â»Âm withdrew his troops to Thanh HÃÂ³a, established a temporary royal court for LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng in VÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i, and began recruiting brave and skilled warriors, training soldiers in mass, stockpiling provisions, and strategizing for battles against the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty. At this time, ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i ViÃ¡Â»Ât was divided into two regions: from Thanh HÃÂ³a southward was under the rule of the LÃÂª dynasty, commanded by TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm; from SÃÂ¡n Nam northward belonged to the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty, known as the Northern Court. Whenever military campaigns were launched, KiÃ¡Â»Âm led them and was victorious wherever he fought. As a result, many warriors seeking glory, honor, prestige, from Hoan and DiÃ¡Â»Ân (NghÃ¡Â»Â An, ÃÂ (ThÃ¡Â»Â«a ThiÃÂªn, HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿), and QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng (QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng Nam, ÃÂÃÂ NÃ¡ÂºÂµng) flocked to join him, including notable figures such as PhÃÂ¹ng KhÃ¡ÂºÂ¯c Khoan, LÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng HÃ¡Â»Â¯u KhÃÂ¡nh, ÃÂinh BÃ¡ÂºÂ¡t TuÃ¡Â»Âµ, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i Khang, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân ThiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n, and LÃÂª KhÃ¡ÂºÂ¯c ThÃ¡ÂºÂn. The land of ÃÂi ChÃÂ¢u (Thanh HÃÂ³a) gradually stabilized.

During the reign of LÃÂª ThÃÂ¡i TÃ¡Â»Â the country was divided into five military districts: The Eastern District, Southern District, Western District, Northern District, and HÃ¡ÂºÂ£i TÃÂ¢y District. By the time of LÃÂª ThÃÂ¡nh TÃÂ´ng, the country was reorganized into 13 administrative provinces. When MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c ÃÂÃÂng Dung usurped the LÃÂª throne, the entire country fell under MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c rule, except for 11 military districts in TuyÃÂªn Quang, which were controlled by VÃÂ© VÃÂn MÃ¡ÂºÂt. Later, when NguyÃ¡Â»Ân Kim launched his campaign, he first captured ÃÂi ChÃÂ¢u (Thanh HÃÂ³a) and gradually took control of the southern territories, including ChÃÂ¢u Hoan, DiÃ¡Â»Ân, and ÃÂ LÃÂ½ (NghÃ¡Â»Â An, ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a). This resulted in Vietnam being divided into two rival dynasties, the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c and the LÃÂª Restoration. TuyÃÂªn Quang, under the leadership of VÃÂ© VÃÂn MÃ¡ÂºÂt, pledged allegiance to the LÃÂª-TrÃ¡Â»Ânh faction.

According to The History of the Kingdom of ÃÂÃÂ ng NgoÃÂ i, all power was in the hands of TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm, while the emperor had no real authority:

In 1556, Emperor Trung TÃÂ´ng died without an heir. At that time, the main LÃÂª royal bloodline had ended, prompting royal officials to discuss the matter. Some suggested selecting a descendant from the emperorÃ¢ÂÂs maternal family, while others insisted that the throne should remain within the LÃÂª paternal bloodline. KiÃ¡Â»Âm then ordered a search for LÃÂª descendants, eventually finding LÃÂª Duy Bang, a fourth-generation descendant of LÃÂª TrÃ¡Â»Â« (the elder brother of LÃÂª ThÃÂ¡i TÃ¡Â»Â), who was living in the village of BÃ¡Â»Â VÃ¡Â»Â, in ÃÂÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n. TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm brought him back and enthroned him as LÃÂª Anh TÃÂ´ng. During TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs rule, the LÃÂª Restoration Court only held two Confucian scholar examinations in 1554 and 1565. Regarding the military system, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm maintained the previous military structure, establishing five ÃÂÃÂ´ ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âc military commands and organizing troops into five military camps, each with different ranks and divisions. However, recruitment was limited to soldiers from Thanh HÃÂ³a and NghÃ¡Â»Â An only.

The Pacification of ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng

In 1554, KiÃ¡Â»Âm moved King LÃÂªÃ¢ÂÂs temporary court to BiÃ¡Â»Ân ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng. Seeing an opportunity with morale high, he ordered his generals to launch a military campaign to reclaim HÃÂ³a ChÃÂ¢u in the south. This region was controlled by a MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c general, HoÃÂ ng BÃÂ´i. The Southern CourtÃ¢ÂÂs army defeated and killed HoÃÂ ng BÃÂ´i, securing control over HÃÂ³a ChÃÂ¢u, which included the provinces of ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a and QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng Nam. Afterward, Grand Chancellor KiÃ¡Â»Âm appointed local leaders and officials to restore order, ensuring stability in the newly reclaimed lands.

By October 1558, KiÃ¡Â»Âm proposed a long-term strategy to King Anh TÃÂ´ng. He believed securing the southern region would allow him to focus entirely on defeating the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c dynasty in the north. In his petition, he argued that ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a was a crucial military stronghold with a resilient population and abundant resources. He recommended appointing NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HoÃÂ ng, a capable and level-headed leader, as the governor of the region. The king agreed, granting NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HoÃÂ ng full control over ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a, except for the requirement to send annual taxes to the royal court. From this point on, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HoÃÂ ng worked alongside BÃÂ¹i TÃÂ¡ HÃÂ¡n, the governor of QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng Nam, to defend the southeastern frontier of the LÃÂª dynastyÃ¢ÂÂs stronghold.

In March 1568, BÃÂ¹i TÃÂ¡ HÃÂ¡n died, and KiÃ¡Â»Âm appointed NguyÃ¡Â»Ân BÃÂ¡ QuÃÂ½nh, a general from NghÃ¡Â»Â An, to take his place as the regionÃ¢ÂÂs military commander. By 1569, King LÃÂª Anh TÃÂ´ng formally recognized TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs power, bestowing upon him the titles of Supreme General and Grand Duke, as well as the honorary title Supreme Father of the kingdom. By this time, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs influence had completely overshadowed the royal court. Though he had not yet recaptured the capital, his leadership was instrumental in restoring the LÃÂª dynasty. His growing power also marked the beginning of the TrÃ¡Â»Ânh familyÃ¢ÂÂs rule as hereditary warlords (ChÃÂºa).

Later that year, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HoÃÂ ng traveled from ThuÃ¡ÂºÂn HÃÂ³a to Thanh Hoa to visit the king and pay respects to TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm. Their meeting was warm and friendly, with TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm advising him:

War with the Mac Dynasty

In 1546, the Northern emperor MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc HÃ¡ÂºÂ£i died, and his son MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn took the throne. However, because PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn was still young, factions within the court began plotting to overthrow him. Feeling unsafe, he abandoned the main royal palace in ThÃÂng Long and moved outside the city, throwing the capital into chaos.

After Emperor LÃÂª Trang TÃÂ´ng of the Southern court died in 1548, his son LÃÂª Trung TÃÂ´ng, still a child, ascended the throne. Because of the kingÃ¢ÂÂs youth, General KiÃ¡Â»Âm chose to focus on stabilizing the regions and protecting the people rather than launching any major northern campaigns. As a result, both sides of the conflict briefly experienced peace, and the people enjoyed a few years of stability. In 1550, Northern grand chancellor LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly, after being slandered at court, defected from the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c and surrendered to the Southern LÃÂª court, following him over 13,000 troops from SÃÂ¡n TÃÂ¢y and SÃÂ¡n Nam. He also wrote letters encouraging other northern advisors and generals, like NguyÃ¡Â»Ân HÃ¡Â»Â¯u LiÃÂªu and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ·ng HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¥n, to follow his lead. According to historian LÃÂª QuÃÂ½ ÃÂÃÂ´n in Ã¢ÂÂKiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n VÃÂn TiÃ¡Â»Âu LÃ¡Â»Â¥cÃ¢ÂÂ, this marked the beginning of the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c DynastyÃ¢ÂÂs decline and the rise of the LÃÂª armyÃ¢ÂÂs reputation.

In 1551, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm assigned LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly to attack SÃÂ¡n Nam and VÃÂ© VÃÂn MÃ¡ÂºÂt to attack TuyÃÂªn Quang, then convened with them in ThÃÂng Long. Before the campaign, he wrote a letter in the NÃÂ´m script, urging everyone to remember King LÃÂª ThÃÂ¡i TÃ¡Â»ÂÃ¢ÂÂs past efforts in expelling the Ming invaders and gaining independence for Vietnam, to now once again unite in supporting the LÃÂª king and eliminate the Mac usurpers.

The three generals launched simultaneous attacks. In 1552, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm led troops to suppress the southwestern region, and MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c general NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i Khang surrendered. After capturing the citadel, he withdrew to TÃÂ¢y ÃÂÃÂ´ to avoid a surprise attack from MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c reinforcements. In May 1552, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm launched an offensive from HÃ¡Â»Â§ng HoÃÂ¡, crossing the Thao River to An LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c. He defeated MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c troops commanded by Prince KhiÃÂªm, MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân. He then advanced to XuÃÂ¢n Canh LÃÂ¢m HÃ¡ÂºÂ¡, winning several more battles. MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn, frightened, fled to Kim ThÃÂ nh. The LÃÂª army entered ÃÂÃÂ´ng Kinh and held a banquet to reward the soldiers. They captured several prefectures in the SÃÂ¡n TÃÂ¢y and SÃÂ¡n Nam regions; the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c retained only the Eastern and Northern routes. NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i Khang and LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly proposed bringing the emperor back to ThÃÂng Long, but TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm believed the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c were still strong and public sentiment hadnÃ¢ÂÂt fully shifted to the LÃÂª. Therefore, he didnÃ¢ÂÂt sign the petition. Upon reading the petition and understanding TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»ÂmÃ¢ÂÂs intentions, the king ordered a retreat. MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn, upon hearing of the Southern armyÃ¢ÂÂs withdrawal, dispatched troops to pursue them at Nam CÃÂ´ng Mountain. However, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm defeated the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c pursuers and returned to Thanh Hoa. From then on, ÃÂÃÂ´ng Kinh and the SÃÂ¡n TÃÂ¢y and SÃÂ¡n Nam regions reverted to MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c control.

By August 1555, the Northern court regained strength. Emperor MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn ordered MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân to invade Thanh Hoa, appointing Duke ThÃ¡Â»Â as commander of the Southern route army, leading 100 warships as the vanguard, advancing straight to the ThÃ¡ÂºÂ§n PhÃÂ¹ estuary. Sau MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân hÃ¡Â»Âi quÃÂ¢n ÃÂÃÂ³ng Ã¡Â»Â sÃÂ´ng ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i, Later, MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»ÂnÃ¢ÂÂs forces camped at the ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i River, assigning Duke ThÃ¡Â»Â to station at Kim SÃÂ¡n. Prince KhiÃÂªm, MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân, was a formidable opponent to Duke LÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm, and the LÃÂªÃ¢ÂÂTrÃ¡Â»Ânh faction. As acknowledged by LÃÂª historians in the Ã¢ÂÂÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i ViÃ¡Â»Ât SÃ¡Â»Â kÃÂ½ ToÃÂ n thÃÂ°Ã¢ÂÂ: Ã¢ÂÂKÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân was benevolent, brave, intelligent, resourceful, perceptive, experienced in hardships, diligent, and loyal.

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm convened a meeting with his generals:

He instructed the villagers on both riverbanks to remain calm. He personally led troops to set up ambushes at BÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ch ThÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ch Mountain phÃÂa BÃ¡ÂºÂ¯c SÃÂ´ng, lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i sai binh tÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng hÃÂ¹ng mÃ¡ÂºÂ¡nh mai phÃ¡Â»Â¥c dÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi nÃÂºi Kim SÃÂ¡n, lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i sai ThÃÂ¡i ÃÂºy HÃÂ¹ng quÃ¡Â»Âc cÃÂ´ng ÃÂÃÂ¬nh CÃÂ´ng ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âc suÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t cÃÂ¡c tÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng cÃÂ© cÃ¡Â»Â§a NhÃÂ MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ§u hÃÂ ng quÃÂ¢n Nam triÃ¡Â»Âu lÃÂ LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i Khang,... cÃÂ¹ng quÃÂ¢n bÃ¡ÂºÂ£n bÃ¡Â»Â mai phÃ¡Â»Â¥c Ã¡Â»Â phÃÂa nam sÃÂ´ng. TÃ¡Â»Â« nÃÂºi YÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh cho tÃ¡Â»Âi nÃÂºi QuÃÂ¢n YÃÂªn, north of the river, deployed strong elephant troops to ambush at the foot of Kim SÃÂ¡n Mountain, and ordered Grand Marshal Duke HÃÂ¹ng, ÃÂinh CÃÂ´ng, to lead former MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c generals who had defected to the Southern court, such as LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly and NguyÃ¡Â»Ân KhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i Khang, along with their troops, to ambush south of the river. From YÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh Mountain to QuÃÂ¢n YÃÂªn Mountain, he assigned PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âc and NguyÃ¡Â»Ân QuyÃ¡Â»Ân to lead naval forces to occupy the upper reaches from the HÃ¡Â»Â¯u ChÃ¡ÂºÂ¥p River to the Kim BÃÂ´i River to create a strategic advantage. As the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army passed through Kim SÃÂ¡n to ÃÂng TÃ¡ÂºÂp market, they remained overconfident, unguarded, and their troops were known for playing music and singing, as if entering an uninhabited area.

At noon, ÃÂinh CÃÂ´ng and LÃÂª BÃÂ¡ Ly signaled with seven cannon shots, launching their attack; troops and war elephants from the lower river crossed to intercept the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c rear guard, while the upper river naval forces attacked the front, and troops from all sides overwhelmed the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army. Duke ThÃ¡Â»Â had to jump into the river and was captured alive by Duke TriÃ¡Â»Âu, VÃÂ© SÃÂ° ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âc. MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c general VÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n ÃÂÃÂ´n HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u and several dozen officers drowned; KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân gathered the remnants and retreated to ThÃÂng Long. TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm reported the victory to King LÃÂª Trung TÃÂ´ng. The king ordered the execution of Duke ThÃ¡Â»Â and several dozen other MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c generals at ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng LÃ¡Â»Âc Mountain.

In July 1557, MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c PhÃÂºc NguyÃÂªn ordered MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân to attack Thanh Hoa again, assigning generals PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m QuÃ¡Â»Â³nh and PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m Dao to lead naval forces across the sea to attack NghÃ¡Â»Â An. MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»ÂnÃ¢ÂÂs naval forces reached the ThÃ¡ÂºÂ§n PhÃÂ¹ River and TÃ¡Â»Âng SÃÂ¡n, Nga SÃÂ¡n Nga SÃÂ¡n regions, burning all floating bridges of the Southern court. TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm stationed Duke Thanh at Nga SÃÂ¡n and Duke ThÃ¡Â»Â¥y at TÃ¡Â»Âng SÃÂ¡n, preventing the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army from advancing. TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm personally led troops, secretly moving along YÃÂªn MÃÂ´ Mountain to the estuary, launching an attack on the MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c armyÃ¢ÂÂs rear, trapping them. During the battle, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm ordered VÃÂ© LÃÂng HÃ¡ÂºÂ§u, PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â©c KÃ¡Â»Â³ of HoÃ¡ÂºÂ±ng HÃÂ³a, to lead the vanguard. Encountering MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»ÂnÃ¢ÂÂs ship, PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â©c KÃ¡Â»Â³ leaped onto it, drew his sword, and cut the umbrella bearer in half, causing the body to fall into the river. KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân, caught off guard, jumped into the river to escape. The MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army was defeated, with soldiers fleeing into the mountains; the Southern court captured many weapons. MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c KÃÂnh ÃÂiÃ¡Â»Ân swam into a cave in TrÃ¡Â»Â NÃ¡Â»Âi village, YÃÂªn MÃÂ´ district, hiding for three days without food. One night, seeing a banana tree floating by the cave entrance, he clung to it, swam back, and fortunately reached Trinh NÃ¡Â»Â¯ wharf in YÃÂªn MÃÂ´, where someone rescued him, allowing him to return safely.

Succession

In 1569, in failing health, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm passed power to his eldest son, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh Coi. In 1570, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh KiÃ¡Â»Âm died. In the same year, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh Coi was defeated by a MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c army and was replaced by his younger, more capable brother, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh TÃÂ¹ng.

Notes

References

External links

Annam and its Minor Currency Chapter 16 (downloaded May 2006)
A Glimpse of Vietnams History (downloaded May 2006)

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