Lê Hoàn

Lê Hoàn (10 August 941 – 18 March 1005), posthumously title Lê Đại Hành, was the founding emperor of the Early Lê dynasty, who ruled Đại Cồ Việt from 981 to 1005. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially designated him as one of the 14 Vietnamese national heroes.

Lê Hoàn first served as the generalissimo commanding a ten-thousand man army of the Đại Việt court under the reign of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh. Following the death of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh in late 979, Lê Hoàn became regent to Đinh Bộ Lĩnh's successor, the six-year-old Đinh Toàn. Lê Hoàn deposed the boy king, married his mother, Queen Dương Vân Nga, and in 980 he became the ruler.

Some modern historians hypothesize that Dương Vân Nga intrigued with Lê Hoàn to assassinate Đinh Bộ Lĩnh and Đinh Liễn to enthrone her son, Đinh Toàn but this is not popularly confirmed. However, the talent and contributions of Lê Hoàn is undeniable. He commanded the national army, which fended off a northern invasion in 981, then led a seaborne invasion of the southern Champa kingdom in 982. He achieved many notable accomplishments in governance, such as promoting agricultural development, establishing schools, and recruiting talented individuals. Besides the successful military campaign against the Song and Champa, Le Hoan also effectively suppressed domestic rebellions, conquered various tribes and barbarians, making them capitulate to the dynasty, and expand the territory of Đại Cồ Việt. Those reasons have led many scholars and historians, such as Lê Văn Hưu and Ngô Sĩ Liên, to praise him as a great emperor who contributed to the nation's prosperity.