Trần Hưng Đạo (; 1228–1300), born Trần Quốc Tuấn (陳國峻), also known as Grand Prince Hưng Đạo (Hưng Đạo Đại Vương – 興道大王), was a Vietnamese royal prince, statesman and military commander of Đại Việt military forces during the Trần dynasty who repelled two out of three major Mongol invasions in the late 13th century.

A son of Trần Liễu, the elder brother of Emperor Trần Thái Tông, Trần Hưng Đạo was the commander of the Vietnamese armed forces when the Yuan dynasty under Kublai Khan launched a second invasion of Vietnam in 1285. Despite a string of initial defeats and the loss of the capital Thăng Long, Trần Hưng Đạo's forces eventually drove the overextended Yuan army back to China, inflicting several major defeats upon them as they retreated.

In 1287, Kublai Khan resumed his campaign against Đại Việt with an even larger army under the command of Prince Toghan. Trần Hưng Đạo employed guerrilla warfare and scorched-earth tactics which, coupled with an ambush on the Yuan supply fleet, again forced the overextended Yuan army to retreat despite initial losses. In April 1288, the vastly outnumbered Đại Việt fleet conducted a highly successful ambush on the Bạch Đằng River that led to the almost complete destruction of the Mongol fleet.

Trần Hưng Đạo died of natural causes in 1300 at the age of 70. After his death, he was deified and reverentially referred to as Đức Thánh Trần (德聖陳) or Cửu Thiên Vũ Đế (九天武帝). Numerous locations and institutions in Vietnam are named after him.

Origins

Trần Hưng Đạo was born as Prince Trần Quốc Tuấn (陳 國 峻) in 1228, as a son of Prince Trần Liễu, the elder brother of the new child emperor, Trần Thái Tông, after the Trần dynasty replaced the Lý family in 1225 AD. Later, Trần Liễu—the Empress Lý Chiêu Hoàng's brother-in-law at the time—was forced to defer his own wife (Princess Thuận Thiên) to his younger brother Emperor Thái Tông under pressure from Imperial Regent Trần Thủ Độ to solidify Trần clan's dynastic stability. The brothers Trần Liễu and Emperor Trần Thái Tông harboured grudges against their uncle Trần Thủ Độ for the forced marital arrangement.

First Mongol invasion

During the first Mongol invasion of Vietnam in 1258, Trần Hưng Đạo served as an officer commanding troops on the frontier.

Second Mongol invasion

In 1278, Trần Thái Tông died. emperor Trần Thánh Tông retired and made crown prince Trần Khâm (known as Trần Nhân Tông, and to the Mongol as Trần Nhật Tôn) his successor. Kublai sent a mission led by Chai Chun to Đại Việt, and once again urged the new monarch to come to China in person, but the emperor refused. Frustrated with the failed diplomatic missions, many Yuan officials urged Kublai to send a punitive expedition to Đại Việt. In 1283, Khublai Khan sent Ariq Qaya to Đại Việt with an imperial request for Đại Việt to help attack Champa through Vietnamese territory, and demands for provisions and other support for the Yuan army, but the king refused.

In January 1285, Prince Toghan led the Mongol invasion of Đại Việt. Trần Hưng Đạo was the general of the combined Đại Việt land and naval forces, which was routed by the main Mongol land forces and retreated back to the capital Thăng Long.

The cavalry force of Prince Toghan was more fortunate. They were ambushed by General Phạm Ngũ Lão along the road through Nội Bàng, but his remaining force managed to escape back to China by dividing their forces into smaller retreating groups but most were captured or killed in skirmishes on the way back to the border frontier, resulting in losing half the remaining army.

Death

thumb|Statue of Trần Hưng Đạo in [[Quy Nhơn]]

thumb|upright=.7|Statue of Trần Hưng Đạo in a temple, Hồ Chí Minh City

In 1300 AD, he fell ill and died of natural causes at the age of 73. His body was cremated and his ashes were dispersed under his favorite oak tree he planted in his royal family estate near Thăng Long in accordance to his will. The Viet intended to bury him in a lavish royal mausoleum and official ceremony upon his death, but he declined in favour of a simplistic private ceremony. For his military brilliance in defending Đại Việt during his lifetime, the Emperor posthumously bestowed Trần Hưng Đạo the title of Hưng Đạo Đại Vương (Grand Prince Hưng Đạo).

Family

  • Father: Prince Yên Sinh
  • Mother: Lady Thiện Đạo
  • Consort: Princess Thiên Thành
  • Issues:
  1. , later Prince Hưng Vũ
  2. , later Prince Hưng Trí
  3. Trần Quốc Tảng, later Prince Hưng Nhượng, father of Empress Consort Bảo Từ of Emperor Trần Anh Tông
  4. , later Prince Hưng Hiếu
  5. Trần Thị Trinh, later Empress Consort Khâm Từ Bảo Thánh of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông
  6. Empress Tuyên Từ
  7. Princess Anh Nguyên, later wife of General Phạm Ngũ Lão

Legacy

Placenames

The majority of cities and towns in Vietnam have central streets, wards and schools named after him.

  • Hanoi's Tran Hung Dao street (previously Boulevard Gambetta during the French Indochina time) is a major road in the south of Hoan Kiem District. It links the city's First Ring Road (originally Route Circulaire) to the main hall of the Central Station. Several embassies and government ministries are located on this street.
  • Hai Phong's Tran Hung Dao road runs along the central park square and links the Haiphong Opera House and the Cấm River.
  • Da Nang's Tran Hung Dao road is a waterfront boulevard on the eastern side of the Hàn River.
  • Ho Chi Minh City's Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard (initially known as Rue des Marins which only in within the limits of Cholon Municipality then Boulevard Gallieni for the whole route between Saigon and Cholon during the French Indochina time) is an east-west thoroughfare connect its CBD with the Chinatown. It also hosts the headquarters of the city police and fire departments. A statue in honor of him is placed at a major square at city downtown.
  • A statue in Westminster, CA is dedicated to him, with the road Bolsa Avenue given an alternative name "Đại Lộ Trần Hưng Đạo", translating to "Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard".

Shrines

thumb|upright=.7|The statue of Đức Thánh Trần in the [[Temple of the Jade Mountain]]

He is revered by the Vietnamese people as a national hero. Several shrines are dedicated to him, and even religious belief and mediumship includes belief in him as a god, Đức Thánh Trần (Tín ngưỡng Đức Thánh Trần).

Other

The Tran Hung Dao a commissioned in 2018 for the Vietnam People's Navy is named after him.

See also

  • Hịch tướng sĩ Proclamation to the Officers
  • History of Vietnam
  • Trần dynasty military tactics and organization

References

Bibliography

  • Taylor, K. W. (2013). A History of the Vietnamese (illustrated ed.). Cambridge University Press. . Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  • Hall, Kenneth R., ed. (2008). Secondary Cities and Urban Networking in the Indian Ocean Realm, C. 1400–1800. Volume 1 of Comparative urban studies. Lexington Books. . Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  • Tran Hung Dao (1213–1300)
  • Statue of Trần Hưng Đạo, Vietnamese Hero, 19th–20th. C.
  • Call of Soldiers Translated and adapted by George F. Schultz