In Vietnamese historiography, dynasties are generally known to historians by the family name of the monarchs. For example, the Đinh dynasty (Nhà Đinh; 茹丁) is known as such because the ruling clan bore the family name Đinh (丁).
Similar to
Chinese dynasties, Vietnamese dynasties would adopt a quốc hiệu (國號; "name of the state") upon the establishment of the realm. However, as it was common for several dynasties to share the same official name, referring to regimes by their official name in historiography would be potentially confusing. For instance, the quốc hiệu "Đại Việt" (大越) was used by the Lý dynasty (since the reign of Lý Thánh Tông), the Trần dynasty, the Later Trần dynasty, the Later Lê dynasty, the Mạc dynasty, and the Tây Sơn dynasty
.
In the Vietnamese language, the word for "dynasty" may be written as either nhà (茹) or triều (朝) depending on the context. The former is generally used to denote the ruling family whereas the latter refers to the dynastic regime. For instance, the Mạc dynasty can be rendered as "Nhà Mạc" (茹莫) or "Mạc triều" (莫朝).
Origin of dynasties
Apart from over one millennium of direct Chinese rule, Vietnam was ruled by a series of "local" dynasties, although some of which could have their origins traced to China.
The Triệu dynasty, established by Zhao Tuo from the Chinese Qin dynasty,[4][5] was considered an orthodox local regime by traditional Vietnamese historiography. However, modern Vietnamese historians generally regard the Triệu dynasty to be a foreign regime that ruled Vietnam.[6]
The origin of the Trần dynasty was traced to modern Fujian, where the ancestor of the Trần imperial clan, Trần Kính, migrated from in the 11th century CE.[21][22] The Later Trần dynasty was ruled by the same imperial clan as the earlier Trần dynasty.
The Hồ dynasty was ruled by the Hồ family which migrated from present-day Zhejiang, China to Vietnam under the leadership of Hồ Hưng Dật during the 10th century CE.[20] The Hồ dynasty claimed descent from the Duke Hu of Chen, the founder of the ancient Chinese State of Chen.[23][24] The Duke Hu of Chen was in turn descended from the legendary Emperor Shun, who was recognized by Hồ Quý Ly as the progenitor of the Hồ imperial family.[25][26] Accordingly, the Hồ dynasty adopted the official quốc hiệu "Đại Ngu" (大虞; "Great Ngu"); "Ngu" (虞) was derived from the Emperor Shun's lineage name, Youyu (有虞). Rulers of the Tây Sơn dynasty, initially surnamed Hồ, were descended from the same line as the Hồ dynasty.[27]
Lê Thị Phất Ngân, the empress consort of Lý Thái Tổ, the founder of the Lý dynasty, was the daughter of Lê Hoàn and thus originally a princess of the Early Lê dynasty
The final monarch of the Lý dynasty, Lý Chiêu Hoàng, was the spouse of Trần Thái Tông, the founder of the Trần dynasty. Later on, he would marry her elder sister, Princess Lý Oánh, the biological mother of Trần Thánh Tông.
Hồ Quý Ly, the founder of the Hồ dynasty, was the maternal grandfather of Trần An, the last emperor of the Trần dynasty
Champa (Chăm Pa; 占婆) existed as an independent polity until its annexation by the Nguyễn dynasty in 1832 CE, thereby laying the foundation for the territories of the modern Vietnamese state. Most of the rulers of Champa were of Cham descent, an Austronesian ethnic group distinct from the majority Kinh ethnicity of Vietnam.
There were 15 dynasties in the history of Champa. According to Chinese historical sources, Champa officially used the quốc hiệu "Lâm Ấp" (林邑) from the 1st to 4th dynasties, "Hoàn Vương" (環王) during the 5th dynasty, and "Chiêm Thành" (占城) from the 6th to 15th dynasties.
List of dynasties in Vietnamese history
This list includes the various dynasties in the history of Vietnam, of both local and Chinese origins. Dynasties of China that ruled Vietnam are highlighted in orange. The Triệu dynasty is highlighted in light orange due to its disputed status.
^The status of a dynasty was dependent upon the supreme title bore by its monarch at any given time. For instance, since all monarchs of the Ngô dynasty held the title of king during their reign, the Ngô dynasty was of royal status.
^The official dynastic name, or quốc hiệu (derived from the Chinese equivalent guóhào), functioned as the formal name of the state during the respective period.
^In the case of Vietnamese dynasties, the monarchs listed were the de facto founders of dynasties. However, it was common for Vietnamese monarchs to posthumously honor earlier members of the family as monarchs. For instance, while the Trần dynasty was officially established by Trần Thái Tông, four earlier members of the ruling house were posthumously accorded imperial titles, the most senior of which was Trần Kinh who was conferred the temple nameMục Tổ (穆祖) and the posthumous nameÝ Hoàng Đế (懿皇帝).
^ abIn the case of Chinese dynasties that ruled over Vietnam, the first and last monarch to rule Vietnam could be different from the founder and the final monarch of the particular dynasty. For instance, while the first and last monarch of the Ming dynasty to rule over Vietnam was the Yongle Emperor and Xuande Emperor respectively, the actual founder of the Ming dynasty was the Hongwu Emperor and the actual final Ming monarch was the Chongzhen Emperor.
^
Thục dynasty
as having ended in 179 BCE, for a length of 78 years.
^The Triệu dynasty was founded by Zhao Tuo, an ethnic Chinese from the Qin dynasty.[4][5] The dynasty was considered a local regime by traditional Vietnamese historiography, while modern historians usually view the regime as foreign.[6] In Chinese historiography, the dynasty is typically regarded as a regional regime in southern China.
^ abThe Western Han (Tây Hán; 西漢) and the Eastern Han (Đông Hán; 東漢) are collectively known as the Han dynasty (Hán triều / Nhà Hán; 漢朝 / 茹漢).
^
First Chinese domination of Vietnam
in Vietnamese historiography.
^
Chinese dynasty
that governed Vietnam at that time.
^Liu Ying was not officially enthroned and maintained the title huáng tàizǐ (皇太子; "crown prince") during the regency of Wang Mang.[28] The last officially enthroned Western Han monarch who ruled over Vietnam was the Emperor Ping of Han.
^
Second Chinese domination of Vietnam
in Vietnamese historiography.
Trưng Sisters
between 40 CE and 43 CE.
^The rule of the Eastern Wu over Vietnam was interrupted by the rule of the Western Jin between 266 CE and 271 CE.
^ abThe Western Jin (Tây Tấn; 西晉) and the Eastern Jin (Đông Tấn; 東晉) are collectively known as the Jin dynasty (Tấn triều / Nhà Tấn; 晉朝 / 茹晉).
^The rule of the Western Jin over Vietnam was interrupted by the rule of the Eastern Wu between 271 CE and 280 CE.
^Dã Năng (野能) was the quốc hiệu adopted by the realm of Đào Lang Vương.
^As Triệu Quang Phục, surnamed Triệu (趙), was not a member of the Lý (李) clan by birth, his enthronement was not a typical dynastic succession.
^
Third Chinese domination of Vietnam
in Vietnamese historiography.
^The rule of the Tang dynasty over Vietnam was interrupted by the rule of the Wu Zhou between 690 CE and 705 CE.
^As Dương Tam Kha, surnamed Dương (楊), was not a member of the Ngô (吳) clan by birth, his enthronement was not a typical dynastic succession.
^ abcdefghijkWhile Vietnamese rulers used the imperial title of hoàng đế (皇帝; "emperor") domestically, they adopted the royal title of vương (王; "king") or quốc vương (國王; "king of state") when dealing with China—a policy historians have termed "emperor at home, king abroad".
^Dương Nhật Lễ, surnamed Dương (楊), was an adopted member of the Trần (陳) clan. His enthronement was therefore not a typical dynastic succession.
^The ruling house of the Hồ dynasty initially bore the surname Hồ (胡). Hồ Liêm later adopted Lê (黎) as the surname. Hồ Quý Ly subsequently restored the surname Hồ after the establishment of the Hồ dynasty.
Fourth Chinese domination of Vietnam
in Vietnamese historiography.
^ abThe Primitive Lê dynasty (Lê sơ triều / Nhà Lê sơ; 黎初朝 / 茹黎初) and the Revival Lê dynasty (Lê trung hưng triều / Nhà Lê trung hưng; 黎中興朝 / 茹黎中興) are collectively known as the Later Lê dynasty (Hậu Lê triều / Nhà Hậu Lê; 後黎朝 / 茹後黎).
^
Cao Bằng
where it continued to rule until 1677 CE.
^The ruling house of the Tây Sơn dynasty initially bore the surname Hồ (胡). Nguyễn (阮) was subsequently adopted as the surname by Thái Đức Đế prior to the establishment of the Tây Sơn dynasty.
^From 1883 CE to 1945 CE, Nguyễn monarchs nominally ruled over the French protectorates of Annam and Tonkin. In 1945 CE, the last Nguyễn monarch, Bảo Đại Đế, served as the nominal ruler of the Japanese-dominated Empire of Vietnam.
^While Việt Nam (越南) was the quốc hiệu bestowed on the Nguyễn dynasty by the Jiaqing Emperor of the Qing dynasty, the Nguyễn dynasty used the name Đại Việt Nam (大越南) when it conducted foreign relations with states other than China.
^The ruling house of the Nguyễn dynasty initially bore the surname Nguyễn (阮). Nguyễn Phúc (阮福) was subsequently adopted as the surname by Nguyễn Thái Tổ prior to the establishment of the Nguyễn dynasty.
^Trần, Xuân Sinh (2003). Thuyết Trần. p. 403. ...Quý Ly claims Hồ's ancestor to be Mãn the Duke Hồ [Man, Duke Hu], founding meritorious general of the Chu dynasty, king Ngu Thuấn's [king Shun of Yu] descendant, created his country's name Đại Ngu...
^Trần, Trọng Kim (1919). "I.III.XI.". Việt Nam sử lược. Vol. I. Quí Ly deposed Thiếu-đế, but respected [the relationship] that he [Thiếu Đế] was his [Quí Ly's] grandson, only demoted him to prince Bảo-ninh 保寧大王, and claimed himself [Quí Ly] the Emperor, changing his surname to Hồ 胡. Originally the surname Hồ [胡 Hu] were descendants of the surname Ngu [虞 Yu] in China, so Quí Ly created a new name for his country Đại-ngu 大虞.