One of the most important leaders of Vietnam in it's early years was the founder of the Dinh Dynasty Emperor Dinh Bo Linh. He was born in Hoa Lu in 923, the illegitimate son of a Ngo Dynasty governor. As he grew older he became a leading figure in his native village and eventually became general of the army forces in his local area. In 963 the last king of the Ngo Dynasty died and in the ensuing power struggle Dinh Bo Linh defeated his enemies and seized power. He began the reign of the Dinh Dynasty and named his country Dai Co Viet (Great Viet). Whereas the Chinese and their successors had generally exercised power from the Red River delta, Dinh Bo Linh moved his capitol to Hoa Lu and married a princess of the Ngo Dynasty to add legitimacy to his new dynasty.
While his reign was still in its infancy Dinh Bo Linh took care not to offend the Chinese, namely the Southern Han Empire at Quangzhou. However, in 966 Vietnam passed a national milestone when Dinh Bo Linh declared himself the equal of the Emperor of China by taking the title Hoang De, august emperor, and making it clear that Vietnam was a free country and not a self-governing dependency of China. Still, there was a definite need to maintain peace with China if at all possible and when the Sung Dynasty gained control of China, Dinh Bo Linh sent them tribute to assure peaceful relations. The Emperor of China then recognized Dinh Bo Linh (and subsequent Vietnamese emperors) as An-Nam Quoc Vuong (King of Annam).
In the area of his administration of Dai Co Viet, Dinh Bo Linh issued many new reforms to update the national government and the armed forces. Vietnamese owe him a deal of credit for forming the basis of the modern nation of Vietnam. However, in 979 Emperor Dinh Bo Linh and Crown Prince Dinh Lien were murdered as they slept and in the chaos that followed the general Le Hoan assumed power and the Dinh Dynasty was replaced by the Le Dynasty (Early period). |
