Revival Lê dynasty

The Revival Lê dynasty (Vietnamese: Nhà Lê trung hưng 茹黎中興; Hán-Việt: 黎中興朝 Lê trung hưng triều), also called the Later Lê Restoration in historiography, officially Đại Việt (Chữ Hán: 大越), was a Vietnamese dynasty that existed between 1533 and 1789. The Primal Lê dynasty (1428–1527) and the Revival Lê dynasty (1533–1789) collectively formed the Later Lê dynasty.

This period marked the end of the Primal Lê dynasty which had flourished initially but largely declined after the death of emperor Lê Thánh Tông. As a result, high-ranking mandarin and general Mạc Đăng Dung deposed emperor Lê Cung Hoàng in 1527 and established the Mạc dynasty, ruling the whole territory of Đại Việt. The Lê royalists escaped to the Kingdom of Lan Xang (today Laos). The Right Commander-General of the Five Armies and Marquess of An Thanh (Vietnamese: Hữu vệ Điện tiền tướng quân An Thanh hầu) Nguyễn Kim summoned the people who were still loyal to the Lê emperor and formed a new army to begin a revolt against Mạc Đăng Dung. Subsequently, Nguyễn Kim returned to Đại Việt and led the Lê royalists in a six-year civil war before the Lê were able to capture territories in Thanh Hóa. This marked the beginning of the Southern and Northern dynasties era. The Lê and Mạc would continue the lengthy civil war over the next 40 years.

In 1592, unable to resist the forces of the Lê, the Mạc dynasty retreated to the north and established a new capital at Cao Bằng Province allying with the Ming dynasty of China as a tributary nation against the Lê dynasty. The Revival Lê dynasty eventually recaptured three-quarters of their former kingdom. Inasmuch as the Mac dynasty ruled the northern portion of Đại Việt while the Lê dynasty ruled the remainder of the country, this time became known as the period of Northern and Southern dynasties. After capturing the capital Đông Kinh, Nguyễn Kim made the son of the former emperor Lê Chiêu Tông, Lê Trang Tông emperor of Đại Việt. The title was given to Lê Trang Tông, however, only as a figurehead. Nguyễn Kim retained the real power for himself and ruled the kingdom. In 1545, Nguyễn Kim was poisoned by Dương Chấp Nhất), a surrendered general of the Mạc dynasty. The power of royal court was then passed to Nguyễn Kim's son-in-law Trịnh Kiểm who became the founder of the Trịnh lords.

Later, the first son of Nguyễn Kim, Nguyễn Uông was assassinated by Trịnh Kiểm. Nguyễn Kim's second son, the Marquis of Hạ khê (Hạ khê hầu) Nguyễn Hoàng relocated to the south, became the Viceroy of Thuận Hoá province and the first of the Nguyễn lords, and started a revolt against the reign of the Trịnh lords. As such, during the Trịnh–Nguyễn Civil War, Đại Việt was divided for almost two centuries into Đàng Ngoài and Đàng Trong. This conflict only ended then the Tây Sơn brothers led the peasants in the Tây Sơn rebellion eventually conquering the entire kingdom in 1789. The last emperor of Lê dynasty Lê Chiêu Thống fled to exile in China and the dynasty collapsed.