Nghe An with the resistance wars against the Ming invaders

Hoan Chau - Outpost of Dai Viet

(Baonghean.vn) - Under the Ly - Tran dynasties, Hoan Chau/Nghe An, from a remote border area, made important contributions to the protection and expansion of the country's territory. This period (about 400 years) also marked the prosperous economic and cultural developments of Nghe An at that time.

In the year Canh Thin (1400), Ho Quy Ly deposed King Tran and proclaimed himself emperor.established the Ho DynastyAlthough there were many important political, economic, and social reforms, because too much money, effort, and national treasury were mobilized for the construction of the army and citadels, the people resented, were not convinced, and did not follow.

Thanh Hoa Citadel was built in 1397. Photo courtesy

Meanwhile, in China, the Ming Dynasty was at its peak and plotted to annex Dai Viet and other Southeast Asian countries. Taking advantage of the fall of the Tran Dynasty and the difficulties of the Ho Dynasty, at the end of the year Binh Tuat (1406), the Ming Dynasty attacked Dai Viet. In the year Dinh Hoi (1407), after some weak resistance, the Ho Dynasty was quickly defeated.

In April 1407, the Ming Dynasty changed the Dai Ngu country into Giao Chi district under the Ming Dynasty; under the district were prefectures, districts, and counties. The whole country was divided into 15 prefectures, the present-day Nghe Tinh region at that time consisted of two prefectures, Nghe An and Dien Chau. In the year Dinh Dau (1417), the Ming army again separated Chau Quy of Dien Chau district into Thanh Hoa district. The colonial apparatus later controlled down to the communes and villages. In addition to mandarins and generals of the Ming Dynasty, they also recruited many native henchmen. They built many ramparts and forts, including Nghe An citadel and Dien Chau citadel (Trai citadel) to suppress the resistance of our people. They destroyed all cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people in an attempt to assimilate their culture.

Participated in the resistance of the Later Tran Dynasty

On October 1407, Tran Ngoi, the second son of Tran Nghe Tong, proclaimed himself Emperor Gian Dinh, named the reign Hung Khanh, and organized an uprising in Mo Do (Yen Mo, Ninh Binh). Being suppressed, the insurgents had to retreat to Nghe An. A number of insurgent leaders and patriotic officials of the Tran and Ho dynasties, along with a large number of Nghe An people, participated. At the end of 1407, Nghe An and Dien Chau were liberated.

The Ming invaders carried out brutal and harsh policies against our people. Illustration

Dang Tat, from Thien Loc/Can Loc, was an official during the Ho Dynasty, then accepted a position from the Ming Dynasty to hide. In 1407, he raised an army in Hoa Chau and then joined the Tran Ngoi uprising. Together with Nguyen Canh Chan, from Thanh Chuong, they were the two main figures of the uprising. In 1408, the Ming army counterattacked, the insurgents temporarily withdrew to Hoa Chau. The Ming army withdrew to Dong Quan, the insurgents turned to retake Nghe An, then turned south to liberate Tan Binh district, then turned north to attack Dien Chau and then took advantage of the victory to attack all the way to Binh Than (Hai Duong), Ham Tu (Hung Yen), Tam Giang (Phu Tho). The Ming King sent reinforcements, on December 14, Mau Ty year (1408), he was defeated by Dang Tat at Bo Co, had to retreat to defend Dong Quan. But later Dang Tat and Nguyen Canh Chan were suspected by Tran Ngoi and killed.

Dang Dung and Nguyen Canh Di, sons of Dang Tat and Nguyen Canh Chan, left Tran Ngoi and returned to Nghe An to organize a new uprising. On March 17, Ky Suu year (1409), establishedTran Quy Khoangwas the nephew of Tran Nghe Tong and became king, with the reign name Trung Quang. To unify the forces of the two uprisings, the insurgents went to the North, captured Tran Ngoi, brought him back to Nghe An, and then honored him as the Supreme Emperor. King Trung Quang's headquarters was in Binh Ho (Chi La/Duc Tho), opposite Nghe An citadel across the Lam River. From Nghe An, the insurgents marched to the North, captured Ham Tu, Binh Than... causing the Ming army to be in trouble and had to send reinforcements twice. But from 1042, the insurgents gradually weakened and failed in 1413.

Tran Quy Khoang's uprising. Painting

"Foothold" of Lam Son uprising

The resistance of the Later Tran Dynasty failed, but the people of Nghe An continued to rise up against the Ming invaders.

On January 2, Mau Tuat year (February 7, 1418), Le Loi raised the flag of Lam Son uprising (Thanh Hoa) and quickly attracted the response of people across the country. In Nghe An, there were brothers Nguyen Bien,Nguyen Xiin Thuong Xa (now Nghi Hop commune, Nghi Loc district) participated from the beginning.

In the early period, the insurgents mainly operated in the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa. They had few troops and lacked food, so they won less and lost more. They were besieged and attacked by the Ming army, the Ai Lao army and the mountain chieftains in many battles. They had to retreat to Chi Linh mountain three times in 1418, 1419, and 1422, and once held out in Sach Khoi in 1422.

In 1422, Le Loi asked for peace and waited for the right opportunity. In 1423, when their strength was consolidated, the Lam Son insurgents continued the war but still faced many difficulties, especially in orienting the battlefield to develop the uprising. Faced with that situation, General Nguyen Chich suggested: "Nghe An is a dangerous place, with a large land and a large population... Now let us first attack and take Tra Long land, occupy Nghe An to make a foothold, then rely on the human and financial resources of that land to turn to Dong Do, then we can consider finishing the task of pacifying the world".

September 20, year of the Wood Dragon (1424),Lam Son armysuddenly attacked Da Cang fort (Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa) to open the way to Nghe An. On the way to Tra Lan, the insurgents continued to win at Trinh Son village (now in Thach Ngan commune - Con Cuong) - the northeastern outpost of Tra Lan citadel. In October 1424, the insurgents began to besiege Tra Lan citadel and simultaneously blocked the enemy from Nghe An and Dien Chau citadels to come to the rescue. After 2 months of siege, with no reinforcements, Cam Bang and all the soldiers had to open the citadel to surrender. A large area in Western Nghe An was liberated, the people enthusiastically responded. The uprising leaders in Nghe An such as Cam Quy, Phan Lieu, Lo Van Luat, Nguyen Vinh Loc... came to join.

Khe Ran suspension bridge (Con Cuong). Photo: Hai Vuong

In the spring of 1425, the enemy concentrated forces from Dong Quan and Nghe An citadel to counterattack in an attempt to retake Tra Lan citadel. Our main army set up an ambush at Kha Luu and Bo Ai passes - key positions on the way to Tra Lan citadel. Winning this great battle, the insurgents opened the way to Nghe An plain. The Ming invaders were put in a passive position, having to "close the citadel gate firmly".

The insurgents marched down to besiege Nghe An citadel and advanced to Do Gia (Huong Son) to build a base in Dong Tien Hoa/Dang Phu - the confluence of Khuat (Hoi Nam) and Ngan Pho rivers. Here, the insurgents were welcomed by the people, supported with human and material resources.

The insurgents' power and strength grew stronger and stronger. The Ming court sent reinforcements from Dong Quan and urged the army in Nghe An citadel to suppress the uprising. On April 27, At Ti year (May 14, 1425), the Ming army in Nghe An citadel and reinforcements from Dong Quan counterattacked the Do Gia base. The insurgents set up a continuous ambush formation stretching from Tam Soa junction (the intersection between Sau mountain range, Pho mountain range and La river - the end of Chi La district and the beginning of Do Gia district), up to Nam junction, all the way to Khuat river. The insurgents opened a path to lure the enemy from Nghe An citadel along Lam river, La river up to Pho mountain range, all the way to the ambush site at Khuat river before counterattacking. The enemy lost and had to flee. When they reached Tam Soa junction, they fell into Dinh Liet's ambush again, and almost all of them died.

After the victory over Do Gia, the insurgents moved their headquarters toLuc Nien citadelon Thien Nhan mountain. The enemy's power in Nghe An and Dien Chau was getting weaker and weaker, mainly defending in the citadel. The liberated zone expanded everywhere in both prefectures. The insurgents decided to besiege Nghe An citadel and simultaneously advance to liberate Dien Chau prefecture. After a period of siege, Dinh Le set up an ambush to intercept and destroy the enemy troops from Dien Chau citadel to welcome reinforcements.

Traces of Luc Nien Citadel on Thien Nhan Mountain. Photo: Ho Phuong

At this point, except for two isolated citadels, the entire Nghe An and Dien Chau were liberated. The insurgents took advantage of the victory to liberate Thanh Hoa, and advanced to liberate Tan Binh and Thuan Hoa.

Based on the "foothold" of Nghe An and the vast rear area from Thanh Hoa to Thuan Hoa, in September 1426, Lam Son insurgents launched an attack to the North. At the end of 1427, with the victory at Chi Lang - Xuong Giang, the war of national liberation against the Ming Dynasty ended, opening a new dynasty - the Later Le Dynasty.