Ngô Quyền facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ngô Quyền |
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| King of Tinh Hai | |||||
Ngô Quyền's statue in Hai Phong
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| Grand Prince of autonomous oblast Tĩnh Hải quân | |||||
| Reign | 938-939 | ||||
| Predecessor | Post established | ||||
| Successor | Dương Bình Vương | ||||
| Monarch of Ngô family | |||||
| Reign | 1 February 939 – 14 February 944 | ||||
| Predecessor | Dynasty established | ||||
| Successor | Dương Tam Kha | ||||
| Born | 17 April 898 Đường Lâm, Vietnam |
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| Died | 14 February 944 (aged 45) Cổ Loa |
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| Spouse | Dương Hậu (Daughter of Dương Đình Nghệ) Dương hậu Đỗ phi |
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| Issue | Prince of Thiên Sách Ngô Xương Ngập Prince of Nam Tấn Ngô Xương Văn Ngô Nam Hưng Ngô Càn Hưng |
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| House | Ngô | ||||
| Father | Ngô Mân | ||||
| Mother | Phùng Thị Tinh Phong | ||||
| Religion | Buddhism | ||||
| Ngô Quyền | |
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| Vietnamese name | |
| Vietnamese | Ngô Quyền |
| Hán-Nôm | 吳權 |
| Formal name | |
| Vietnamese alphabet | Ngô Vương |
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| Hán-Nôm | 吳王 |
Ngô Quyền (born in 897, died in 944) was a very important leader in Vietnam. He is often called the First King Ngô. He ruled the independent kingdom of Tinh Hai from 939 to 944.
Ngô Quyền is famous for defeating the Southern Han kingdom in the Battle of Bạch Đằng River. This battle happened near modern Haiphong. His victory ended about 1,000 years of Chinese rule over Vietnam. This long period of control started in 111 BC under the Han dynasty. Ngô Quyền's win made Vietnam truly independent. Today, a central district in modern Haiphong is named after him.
Contents
Early Life and Rise to Power
Ngô Quyền was born in 897 AD in Đường Lâm. This area is now part of Sơn Tây District in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. His father, Ngô Mân, was an important official. He worked in Phong, which is now Phu Tho province.
Ngô Quyền's family had a long history. They claimed to be related to the ancient Hung kings. Vietnamese stories say that when Ngô Quyền was born, there were special signs. These signs showed he would become a great leader. His mother named him "Quyen," which means "authority and power."
Around 905, the Tang dynasty in China started losing control of Jinghai. This area is now Vietnam. Local leaders began to rule themselves. The Khúc family governed Annam (Vietnam) on their own for a while.
However, in 930, the Chinese kingdom of Southern Han invaded Jinghai. They took power from the Khúc family. But a leader named Dương Đình Nghệ fought back. In 931, he drove the Chinese out.
Ngô Quyền served under Dương Đình Nghệ. He quickly became a strong military leader and government official. By 934, he was a military governor. Dương Đình Nghệ saw Ngô Quyền's talent. He gave Ngô Quyền his daughter, Lady Dương, in marriage. He also put Ngô Quyền in charge of Ái Châu. This was Dương Đình Nghệ's home area and a key military base. This showed how much Dương Đình Nghệ trusted Ngô Quyền.
In 937, Dương Đình Nghệ was sadly killed by someone who wanted his power, named Kiều Công Tiễn. Ngô Quyền quickly took control of the army. People supported him. That same year, Ngô Quyền's forces defeated Kiều Công Tiễn. He was punished for his actions. The Southern Han kingdom saw this as a chance to take control of Annam. But Ngô Quyền understood their plan. He quickly got his army ready for war. His victory at the Battle of Bach Dang was very important for Vietnam's freedom.
The Famous Battle of Bạch Đằng
In 938, the Southern Han emperor Liu Yan sent a large navy to attack Jinghai. Ngô Quyền knew the Southern Han ships would sail down the Bạch Đằng River. They would try to land their soldiers in the middle of Giao Châu to cause the most damage.
To stop them, Ngô Quyền came up with a clever plan. He ordered thousands of large wooden spikes to be placed in the riverbed. These spikes were hidden just below the water when the tide was high. Ngô Quyền used small boats to trick the Southern Han fleet. He lured them towards the hidden spikes after the tide had risen.
When the tide went out, hundreds of Southern Han ships got stuck on the deadly spikes. Ngô Quyền then led his forces in a fierce attack. Many trapped ships were burned or destroyed. Thousands of Southern Han soldiers were killed. Some managed to escape, but Ngô Quyền's army chased them away. The Southern Han admiral, Liu Hongcao, who was the emperor's son, was killed during the battle. This great victory secured Vietnam's independence.
Ngô Quyền Becomes King
After defeating the Chinese, Ngô Quyền became king of Vietnam. He moved the capital to Cổ Loa citadel. This was an ancient capital of the Âu Lạc kingdom. Moving the capital there showed that he wanted to continue the old traditions of the Vietnamese people.
As king, he brought back old customs. He also created new rules for his government. He appointed many officials and decided on their clothes and hats. However, after his death in 944, there were disagreements about who should rule. His immediate family found it hard to keep the country united.
For a short time, Dương Tam Kha took the throne. But Ngô Quyền's two sons, Ngô Xương Văn and Ngô Xương Ngập, later ruled together. This joint rule lasted until the royal family's power ended in 966.
Family Life
- Father:
- Ngô Mân
- Mother:
- Phùng Thị Tinh Phong
- Wife:
- Dương Thị Ngọc
- Brother-in-law:
- Dương Tam Kha (died 980)
- Children:
- Ngô Xương Ngập (died 954)
- Ngô Xương Văn (born 935, died 965)
- Ngô Nam Hưng
- Ngô Càn Hưng
Ngô Quyền's Legacy
Historians in Vietnam have always recognized Ngô Quyền's importance. Early histories, like Anthology of Palace Spirits from the 14th century, praised him.
"The Battle of Bach-dang River took place in the autumn of 938. It has been remembered by the Vietnamese as an important milestone on their path to national independence. It had a powerful effect on the people of the time, as well, for it directly led to the abandonment of T'ang-style political titles and to the proclamation of the first Vietnamese "king" of the tenth century."
– K. W. Taylor
This quote explains that the Battle of Bach-dang River was a huge step for Vietnam's freedom. It led to Vietnam having its own king in the 10th century, instead of following Chinese titles.
Images for kids
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Ngô Quyền's temple in Cam Lâm village.
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Ngô Quyền's Temple.
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Shrine of Ngô Quyền.
