The most tragic beauty in Vietnamese history, from the Ly Dynasty king to the Tran Dynasty general's wife

Ly Chieu Hoang, the last king of the Ly dynasty, suffered a tragic fate: from being the Emperor, she was forced to abdicate in favor of her husband, deposed to the title of Queen, then demoted to princess and married to Le Phu Tran. Her life experienced countless humiliations in the vortex of power.

In the turbulent historical flow of Dai Viet, there is a name that always evokes much anguish and sorrow: Ly Chieu Hoang. Born in the year of Mau Dan (1218), the second daughter of King Ly Hue Tong and Queen Tran Thi Dung, her fate was decided from birth - associated with the decline of the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225), a dynasty that was once brilliant but was gradually coming to an end. The story of the first and only queen in Vietnamese history is not only a personal tragedy but also the turbulent end of a dynasty.

Born in troubled times: the burden of a declining dynasty from childhood

According to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, when Ly Chieu Hoang was born, the Ly Dynasty was on the brink of collapse. Her grandfather, Ly Cao Tong, was famous for being a king who "played too much, had unclear laws and regulations, bandits rose up like bees, and suffered from famine for years", causing the Ly Dynasty to seriously weaken. Meanwhile, King Ly Hue Tong - Ly Chieu Hoang's father - often indulged in alcohol at the end of his life, became ill and almost went insane, and was no longer able to handle the government.

In the context of a corrupt court and an unstable country, fate pushed a 6-year-old girl to the throne. In 1224, Ly Hue Tong decided to abdicate in favor of his daughter, taking the reign name Thien Chuong Huu Dao. From then on, Ly Chieu Hoang officially became the first and only queen in Vietnamese history – an honor associated with tragedy.

"Forced abdication" and a tragic marriage: ending a 200-year dynasty

The biggest turning point in Ly Chieu Hoang's life, and also the end of the Ly Dynasty, was the appearance of Tran Thu Do. In 1225, this powerful official cleverly arranged for his nephew Tran Canh (later King Tran Thai Tong) to enter the palace to serve Chieu Hoang. Tran Canh, with his quick and intelligent appearance, was close to Chieu Hoang, loved her, and often teased her.

From then on, Tran Thu Do perfectly "arranged" the marriage between Ly Chieu Hoang and Tran Canh - his grandson. Immediately after that, with his power and influence, Tran Thu Do carried out a spectacular and cruel transfer of power: he let Ly Chieu Hoang abdicate (in fact, forced her to) to her husband, Tran Canh.

In 1225, shortly after ascending the throne, Ly Chieu Hoang was forced to abdicate to Tran Canh, officially ending the Ly Dynasty after more than 200 years of prosperity - a dynasty that laid a solid foundation for the development of Dai Viet. She became the queen of Tran Thai Tong and was called Chieu Thanh.

The tragic life of Ly Chieu Hoang: losing her child, being deposed, becoming a nun and getting married at the end of her life

Fate seemed to have not spared Ly Chieu Hoang. In 1232, she gave birth to a crown prince, but the child died young. The pain of losing her child made her constantly ill. In 1237, she was dethroned as queen, demoted to princess, and given the place to her sister. Too depressed, she became a nun.

After 21 years of loneliness in Buddhism, her fate turned a new page. She was married to General Le Phu Tran, who saved Tran Thai Tong. During the 20 years living with him, Chieu Thanh found peace and gave birth to two children, Le Tong and Le Ngoc Khue. She passed away in 1278, a year after Tran Thai Tong passed away.

Although she was the last official king of the Ly Dynasty, Ly Chieu Hoang was not fairly recognized in history books. Of the 9 kings of the Ly Dynasty, only the 8 before her were worshiped at Do Temple, while she – the queen with a tragic fate and an important bridge for the transition of the dynasty – was worshiped at Dragon Temple.

This "distinction" shows that the perspective of later generations is not really objective. Ly Chieu Hoang's life is a tragic epic, where personal fate blends with historical events, and her contributions (though reluctant) still need to be fully and fairly recognized in the flow of Vietnamese history.

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