Tran Hung Dao was born in Nam Dinh and was the nephew of the Emperor Tran Thai Ton of Dai Viet, the first emperor of the Tran Dynasty. His royal background meant that he was well placed to be of service to his country and gained a great deal of military and diplomatic experience that would be invaluable in Dai Viet's hour of need. He so distinguished himself that in 1283 he was made supreme commander of all Vietnamese land and sea forces by Emperor Theiu Bao (Tran Nhan Tong). The Mongols had already conquered most of Asia, but now a campaign southward was soon planned by the legendary Mongol conqueror, grandson of Genghis, Kublai Kahn, who completed the conquest of China and was the fist Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty.
The Dai Viet Emperor Thieu Bao could see well enough the great odds against his country. The Mongol armies had been everywhere victorious, and it seemed that the Vietnamese would not be able to mount an effective resistance to their advance. Faced with these facts, the Emperor tried to negotiate with Kublai Kahn to reach an agreement that would spare his country. Alas, all of his efforts were rebuffed and a large Mongol army was soon marching south. Full of righteous indignation, Emperor Thieu Bao called upon his people to rush to the defense of the kingdom and meet the invaders. The Vietnamese responded as they always have when their independence is threatened. People of all ages, from every section of society rallied to the Emperor's call, even Prince Quoc Toan, at only 16 years of age, recruited a thousand men to lead against the invaders. Theiu Bao chose Tran Hung Dao to command all forces set to oppose the invasion.
In 1284 the massive Mongol army of General Thoat Hoan marched into Dai Viet through Lang Son. The Vietnamese fought fiercely but were pushed back. The capital was taken and many commanders in the Mongol camp likely thought Dai Viet all but pacified. Tran Hung Dao, however, was determined never to give up and called upon the Emperor and the people to remain steadfast in their defiance in the patriotic message "Hich Tuong Si". Although outnumbered, Tran Hung Dao and his 200,000 men rallied, defeated the Mongols, recaptured the capital and finally drove the enemy out of Dai Viet and back into China.
For the Mongols, defeat was not something which came easy and Kublai Kahn was all the more determined to conquer Dai Viet for the Yuan Empire once and for all. In 1287 he sent another army south, this time numbering between 3 and 500,000 troops. Their primary means of movement was by armed junks down the Red River. Tran Hung Dao, with the aid of his general Pham Nhu Lao, prepared a brilliant trap for the Mongol fleet in what would become known to history as the Battle of Bach Dang. Large, spike-tipped bamboo stakes were planted in the bottom of the river at low tide. Timing the fight perfectly, Tran Hung Dao hid his men in ambush while sending a smaller group to attack the Mongols and feign a retreat. It worked perfectly. When the Mongols pursued the fleeing Vietnamese, by which time the tide had risen to conceal the spikes, and the Mongol junks were impaled and crippled. Tran Hung Dao then launched his hidden forces from each side of the river in a massive attack that annihilated the invasion force.
After the battle, a peace agreement was reached with the Yuan Emperor ensuring the continued peace and security of Dai Viet. After the death of Tran Hung Dao, Emperor Theiu Bao honored the beloved hero with the name and title of "Hung Dao Dai Vuong" or Great King. Still to this day Vietnamese people remember and honor his courage and brilliance which saved their country from foreign domination. Thousands still come to worship him at Kiep Bac temple where a special veneration ceremony is held every year to honor this man and his great victories.
