Trần Anh Tông
| Trần Anh Tông | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of Đại Việt | |
| Reign | 1278 - 1293 |
| Predecessor | Trần Nhân Tông |
| Successor | Trần Minh Tông |
| House | Trần Dynasty |
| Father | Trần Nhân Tông |
Trần Anh Tông (Hán tự: 陳英宗, 1276–1320), given name Trần Thuyên (陳烇), was the fourth emperor of the Trần Dynasty who reigned Đại Việt from 1293 to 1314. After ceding the throne to his son Trần Minh Tông, Anh Tông held the title Thái thượng hoàng for six years. As the first Trần emperor ruled in total peace, Anh Tông was known for his successful reign of Đại Việt which bring a long period of peace and prosperity over the country. He also had several military victories over kingdom of Champa and Laos.
Background and during Nhân Tông's reign
Anh Tông was born in 1276 as Trần Thuyên, the first son of the then-emperor Trần Nhân Tông and queen Khâm Từ Bảo Thánh.[1] In 1292 he was entitled crown prince by Nhân Tông[2] and ultimately was ceded the throne in 1293 while his father still reigned as Thái thượng hoàng (Retired Emperor) for 16 years.
Historical book told that the young Emperor Anh Tông often drank wine and escaped the royal citadel to wander around Thăng Long in night. One time the Emperor was so drank that he forgot to welcome the Retired Emperor coming back from Thiên Trường. Being aware of the circumstance, Nhân Tông departed immediately in a fury from Thăng Long,[3] that made Anh Tông had to write a petition for the Retired Emperor with the help from a young scholar named Đoàn Nhữ Hài. After that event, Anh Tông appointed Đoàn as cour counsellor and avoided drinking henceforth.[4] Anh Tông was famous for his intelligence and the devotion for parents.[5]
As emperor
Anh Tông was the first Trần emperor reigned without the menace from Mongol Empire. Despite the deceases of two most important ministers of early Trần dynasty, Trần Quang Khải in 1294 and Trần Quốc Tuấn in 1300, the Emperor was still served by several efficient mandarins like Trần Nhật Duật, Đoàn Nhữ Hài, Phạm Ngũ Lão, a famous general in the third war of resistance by Đại Việt against Mongol Empire, Trương Hán Siêu, Mạc Đĩnh Chi or Nguyễn Trung Ngạn. Anh Tông was very strict with social evils like gamble or corruption but the Emperor also reward generously for one who deserved.[6] Under the reign of a lucid emperor like Anh Tông with the assistance from such a capable court, Đại Việt people was able to witness a long period of peace and prosperity.[5][1]
Foreign policy during Anh Tông's reign was continuing the détente with Yuan Dynasty while restraining the two other neighbour of Đại Việt, kingdom of Champa and Laos. The Emperor's envoy to Yuan Dynasty was so successful that the leader Mạc Đĩnh Chi was sometime called "Two-state exemplar" because he came first as Trạng nguyên (Zhuangyuan, 狀元) in Đại Việt's imperial examination and was praised in Yan Dynasty's court by his eloquence.[7] After the invasions of Mongol Empire, southwestern border of Đại Việt was intruded several times by Laos force until Anh Tông appointed Phạm Ngũ Lão to take charge of pacifying the frontier regions.[8][9]
In 1306,[10] to maintain a good relation with kingdom of Champa, Anh Tông married off his sister Huyền Trân princess to Chế Mân, king of Champa, in exchange, Đại Việt was received a large region of two provinces from Champa. Only one year after the state marriage, Chế Mân died and as a royal tradition of Champa, Huyền Trân had to die following her husband. Facing the urgent condition, Anh Tông sent his mandarin Trần Khắc Chung travel to Champa with purpose of helping Huyền Trân avoid the apparent death. Finally Huyền Trân was able to come back to Đại Việt but Chế Chí, the successor of Chế Mân, did not want to keep the peacful treaty with Đại Việt anymore. After that event, Anh Tông in person and two generals Trần Quốc Chân and Trần Khánh Dư, commanded three groups of Đại Việt army attack Champa. Chế Chí was defeated and captured in this invasion,[11] another Champa king was established by Anh Tông but the relation between Đại Việt and Champa still kept strained for a long time afterward.[8]
As retired emperor
After 21 years reigning, Anh Tông passed the throne to the crown prince Trần Mạnh, who became the Emperor Trần Minh Tông, and kept the title Thái thượng hoàng for six more years before died in 1320 at age 54.[8] Anh Tông had only one era name during his reign which was Hưng Long (興隆, prosperity), after the Emperor's decease, he was given the posthumous name Hiển văn duệ vũ khâm minh nhân hiếu hoàng đế (顯文睿武欽明仁孝皇帝).[1]
According to historical books, Anh Tông was praised for his righteous reign which created over Đại Việt a peaceful and prosperious period. Personally, the Emperor was known as a modest ruler who was quick to mend his mistakes, always cautious and intelligent in judging, he was only critized for having build a tower and gather monks in Yên Tử mountain.[1][12]
Family
- Anh Tông has one queen, two other wives and several concubines:
- Queen Thuận Thánh (?-1330), daughter of Trần Quốc Tảng and grand-daughter of Trần Quốc Tuấn. She was entitled Queen dowager when her son was made emperor which was Trần Minh Tông
- Imperial consort Huy Tư, daughter of Trần Bình Trọng
- Imperial consort Tĩnh Huệ, daughter of Phạm Ngũ Lão
- Đa La Thanh, daughter of Northen monk Du Chi Bà Lam
- Imperial concubine Trần Thị Thái Bình
- Palace maid Vương thị
- Besides three short-life sons, Anh Tông was survived by only one son, Trần Mạnh, who eventually became his successor Trần Minh Tông. The Emperor also had five daughters:
- Princess Thiên Chân
- Princess Ý Trinh
- Princess Huy Chân
- Princess Huệ Chân
- Princess Thánh Chân
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d Ngô 1993, p. 205
- ^ National Bureau for Historical Record 1998, p. 241
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 209
- ^ Trần 1971, p. 64
- ^ a b Trần 1971, p. 65
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 207
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 221
- ^ a b c Trần 1971, p. 66
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 215
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 218
- ^ Ngô 1993, p. 223
- ^ Tran Tuyet Nhung, Anthony Reid 2006, p. 58
Bibliography
- Ngô, Sỹ Liên (1993), Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư (in Vietnamese) (Nội các quan bản ed.), Hanoi: Social Science Publishing House
{{citation}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - National Bureau for Historical Record (1998), Khâm định Việt sử Thông giám cương mục (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Education Publishing House
{{citation}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Trần, Trọng Kim (1971), Việt Nam sử lược (in Vietnamese), Saigon: Center for School Materials
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