Early Lê dynasty

Founding

After the assassination of the emperor, Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and the emperor's first son, Đinh Liễn, the third son of the emperor, Đinh Phế Đế, assumed the throne at aged six with the regent Lê Hoàn. During the regency of Lê Hoàn, members of the imperial court skeptical of Lê Hoàn's loyalty to the true emperor, such as the Duke of Định Nguyễn Bặc and General Đinh Điền, led an army to the imperial palace in an attempted coup. The failure of the undertaking caused those two to be executed. In 980, the Song dynasty of China under Emperor Taizong ordered a Chinese army to invade Đại Cồ Việt. Because the young emperor was unable to lead the country against the invader, the mandarins of the imperial court discussed with Empress Dương Vân Nga about enthroning the most trusted general and regent, Lê Hoàn. Most of them voted in the affirmative to the plan; consequently, the empress dethroned her own son and gave the crown to Lê Hoàn. He accepted the emperorship, establishing a new dynasty named the Early Lê dynasty. Lê Hoàn is often referred to with the posthumous name Lê Đại Hành.