Ngô Xương Văn ( vi-hantu, 吳昌文, 935–965), formally King of Nam Tấn (南晉王), was a king of the Vietnamese

Ngô dynasty The Ngô dynasty (; Chữ Nôm: 茹吳) was a dynasty that ruled Tĩnh Hải quân (Jinghai) in northern Vietnam from 939 to 968. The dynasty was founded by Ngô Quyền, who led Vietnamese forces in the Battle of Bạch Đằng River against t ...

. He was the second son of

Ngô Quyền Ngô Quyền ( vi-hantu, 吳權) (April 17, 898 – February 14, 944), often referred to as Tiền Ngô Vương (前吳王; "First King of Ngô"), was a warlord who later became the founding king of the Ngô dynasty of Vietnam. He reigned from ...

, the dynastic founder.

Background

Ngô Xương Văn was born in 935. According to Chinese source

Historical Records of the Five Dynasties The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to ...

, his name was Ngô Xương Tấn (吳昌晉). King Ngô Quyền died in 944, and appointed Văn's elder brother Ngô Xương Ngập as successor. However, Ngập was banished and usurped by the regent Dương Tam Kha. In order to deceive the public, Văn was adopted by Dương Tam Kha.''

Việt Nam sử lược ( vi-hantu, 越南史略, french: Précis d'Histoire du Việt-Nam, lit. "Outline History of Vietnam"), was the first history text published in the Vietnamese and the Vietnamese alphabet. It was compiled by Vietnamese historian Trần Trọng Ki ...

'', Quyển 1, Phần 3, Chương 1 Egypt, Abbasid Caliphate, 940, Museum of Hanoi

In 950, Văn was sent to put down the rebellion of Đường, Nguyễn together with Dương Cát Lợi and Đỗ Cảnh Thạc. When their troops reached Từ Liêm, Văn turned his army back, and dethroned Dương Tam Kha. Văn did not kill Dương Tam Kha and granted him the title Duke of Chương Dương (張楊公).''

Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư The ''Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư'' ( vi-hantu, 大越史記全書; ; ''Complete Annals of Đại Việt'') is the official national chronicle of the Vietnamese state, that was originally compiled by the royal historian Ngô Sĩ Liên under ...

'', Peripheral Records vol. 5

Reign

Văn crowned himself Nam Tấn Vương (King of Nam Tấn), and summoned his elder brother Ngập to the capital. Ngập was appointed the co-ruler, and crowned Thiên Sách Vương (King of Thiên Sách). It was called ''một nước hai vua'' ("one country, two kings") in Vietnamese history. Both of them was known as Hậu Ngô Vương (後吳王). Ngập held the real power and Văn did not take part in any political affair until Ngập's death. The royal rule remained weak. In 951, Duke Đinh Bộ Lĩnh rebelled and occupied Hoa Lư and did not pay tribute to the royal court. Văn and Ngập decided to attack him. They arrested Đinh Bộ Lĩnh's eldest son,

Đinh Liễn Đinh Liễn (丁璉, 940 – October 979) or Đinh Khuông Liễn (丁匡璉), was the eldest son of emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, the founding emperor of Đinh dynasty. Liễn was granted the title ''Nam Việt vương'' (南越王, "king of Nam Vi ...

, and ordered Bộ Lĩnh to surrender. Undeterred when they captured his son Đinh Liễn, Bộ Lĩnh replied in anger, “An honored warrior never gives up just because of his son,” and coolly ordered his archers “to shoot arrows at Liễn". The two kings were horrified and withdrew their troops. After Ngập's death, Văn was granted the title ''

Jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", " legate" ...

'' of ''

Tĩnh Hải quân Tĩnh Hải quân or the Jinghai Military Command ( Chinese: 靜海軍, pinyin: Jìnghǎi Jūn) (literally "Peaceful Sea Army"), also known as Annam (安南), was an administrative division of the Tang dynasty of China administered by Chinese go ...

'' (靜海軍節度使 ''Tĩnh Hải quân tiết độ sứ'') and Governor of Annam (安南都護 ''An Nam đô hộ'') by

Southern Han Southern Han (; 917–971), officially Han (), originally Yue (), was one of the ten kingdoms that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was located on China's southern coast, controlling modern Guangdong and Guangxi. The ...

. In 965, Văn led troops to put down the rebellion of Đường, Nguyễn, and was killed by an arrow in the midst of battle. After his death, the kingdom fell into chaotic civil war ( Anarchy of the 12 Warlords).

References

Sources

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngo, Xuong Van Ngô dynasty Vietnamese kings 935 births 965 deaths 10th-century rulers in Asia 10th-century Vietnamese monarchs Vietnamese military personnel killed in action Vietnamese monarchs Deaths by arrow wounds