Trần Quang Khải
Encyclopedia
Prince Chiêu Minh Trần Quang Khải (Hán tự: 陳光啓, 1241–1294) was the third son of Trần Thái Tông
, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty. Being younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông
and holding the position of grand chancellor of the Trần Dynasty for many years, Trần Quang Khải was one of the most important figures of Trần family and royal court during the reigns of emperors Thánh Tông and Nhân Tông. In the second war of resistance against Mongol invasion
, Trần Quang Khải and Trần Hưng Đạo were two key commanders of the Đại Việt army who helped the Emperor defeat the troops of Kublai Khan
's prince Toghan. Besides his military and administrative activities, Prince Chiêu Minh was also a famous poet and was credited as the creator of the dance of flowers. Today, Trần Quang Khải is still considered as one of the most famous historical figures of the Trần Dynasty and is worshiped in several temples in Vietnam
.
: Chiêu Minh vương) Trần Quang Khải was born in 1241 as the third son of the Emperor Trần Thái Tông
and the Queen Thuận Thiên. Besides his elder brother the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông
, Trần Quang Khải had two other famous younger brothers, Prince Chiêu Quốc (Chiêu Quốc vương) Trần Ích Tắc
who was broadly known not only for his intelligence but also for his notorious defection to the Yuan
side during the second Mongol invasion of Đại Việt
and Prince Chiêu Văn (Chiêu Văn vương) Trần Nhật Duật
who fought side by side with him in the war against the Yuan Dynasty
.
because the Emperor considered Quốc Khang not capable for an important position in royal court. After the death of two grand chancellors: Trần Thủ Độ in 1264 and Trần Nhật Hiệu in 1269, Prince Chiêu Minh was promoted to this position in 1271 and thus became the most important official in the royal court. When Trần Nhân Tông succeeded Thánh Tông in 1278, Trần Quang Khải continued to take charge of administrative activities as grand chancellor while Trần Hưng Đạo was chosen as the grand commander of the Đại Việt army in 1283 to prepare for the threat from the Yuan Dynasty.
In 1279, the Yuan Dynasty had the decisive victory over the Song Dynasty
in Battle of Yamen
which marked the end of the Song Dynasty and the total control of Kublai Khan
over China
. As a result, Kublai Khan began to pursue his attempt to take over the southern countries like Đại Việt or Champa
. In December 1284, the second Yuan invasion of Đại Việt began under the command of Kublai Khan's prince Toghan. Đại Việt was attacked in two directions, Toghan himself conducted the infantry invasion from the northern border while Yuan's navy under general Sogetu advanced from the southern border through Champa
's territory. It was Trần Quang Khải who conducted the Đại Việt army carrying the mission of stopping Toa Đô's troops before he could meet Toghan's troops as Yuan's plan. In the beginning, Trần Quang Khải had to retreat under pressure from Sogetu's navy and the defection of the governor of Nghe An, the southern border province. However, the Trần Dynasty began to change the situation after the victory of the Đại Việt army commanded by Trần Nhật Duật
, Prince Chiêu Thành, Trần Quốc Toản
and Nguyễn Khoái over Sogetu's troops in Battle of Hàm Tử. On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month (June 14) 1285, Trần Quang Khải fought the decisive battle in Chương Dương where Yuan's navy was almost destroyed and therefore the balance in battlefield shifted definitively in favor of the Trần Dynasty. Ten days after Sogetu was killed and Trần's Emperor Nhân Tông and Retired Emperor Thánh Tông returned to capital Thăng Long on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month (July 19), 1285.
After the Mongol invasions, Trần Quang Khải kept the position of grand chancellor until his death on July 3 of Lunar calendar, 1294. Despite the inherited hatred from their fathers Trần Cảnh and Trần Liễu
, Trần Quang Khải and Trần Hưng Đạo were famous for their close relation which kept the royal court and Trần family united during not only the war but also the peaceful period afterwards.
As Nam quốc sơn hà by Lý Thường Kiệt, Tụng giá hoàn kinh was considered as one of the finest example for Vietnamese patriotic literature during feudal era. Besides his poems, Trần Quang Khải and his brother Trần Nhật Duật were credited as creators of dance of flowers (múa bài bông), a traditional dance which is still preserved in Nam Định. Prince Chiêu Minh could also speak languages of minority people in Đại Việt.
and grandfather of the famous scholar and official Nguyễn Trãi.
Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông, born name: Trần Cảnh , July 17, 1218-May 4, 1277) was the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, seated on the throne for 33 years , being Grand Emperor for 19 years.-Biography:...
, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty. Being younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông
Tran Thanh Tong
Trần Thánh Tông , given name Trần Hoảng , was the second emperor of the Trần Dynasty, reigning over Đại Việt from 1258 to 1278. After ceding the throne to his son Trần Nhân Tông, Thánh Tông held the title Thái thượng hoàng from 1279 to his death in 1290...
and holding the position of grand chancellor of the Trần Dynasty for many years, Trần Quang Khải was one of the most important figures of Trần family and royal court during the reigns of emperors Thánh Tông and Nhân Tông. In the second war of resistance against Mongol invasion
Mongol invasions of Vietnam
Mongol invasions of Vietnam or Mongol-Vietnamese War refer to the three times that the Mongol Empire and its chief khanate the Yuan Dynasty invaded Đại Việt during the Trần Dynasty and the Kingdom of Champa: in 1257–1258, 1284–1285, and 1287–1288. The Mongols were defeated by Đại...
, Trần Quang Khải and Trần Hưng Đạo were two key commanders of the Đại Việt army who helped the Emperor defeat the troops of Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
's prince Toghan. Besides his military and administrative activities, Prince Chiêu Minh was also a famous poet and was credited as the creator of the dance of flowers. Today, Trần Quang Khải is still considered as one of the most famous historical figures of the Trần Dynasty and is worshiped in several temples in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
Background
Prince Chiêu Minh (VietnameseVietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
: Chiêu Minh vương) Trần Quang Khải was born in 1241 as the third son of the Emperor Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông, born name: Trần Cảnh , July 17, 1218-May 4, 1277) was the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, seated on the throne for 33 years , being Grand Emperor for 19 years.-Biography:...
and the Queen Thuận Thiên. Besides his elder brother the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông
Tran Thanh Tong
Trần Thánh Tông , given name Trần Hoảng , was the second emperor of the Trần Dynasty, reigning over Đại Việt from 1258 to 1278. After ceding the throne to his son Trần Nhân Tông, Thánh Tông held the title Thái thượng hoàng from 1279 to his death in 1290...
, Trần Quang Khải had two other famous younger brothers, Prince Chiêu Quốc (Chiêu Quốc vương) Trần Ích Tắc
Trần Ích Tắc
Trần Ích Tắc , title before defection Prince Chiêu Quốc was the fifth prince of Trần Thái Tông, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, and the younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông and grand chancellor Trần Quang Khải...
who was broadly known not only for his intelligence but also for his notorious defection to the Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
side during the second Mongol invasion of Đại Việt
Mongol invasions of Vietnam
Mongol invasions of Vietnam or Mongol-Vietnamese War refer to the three times that the Mongol Empire and its chief khanate the Yuan Dynasty invaded Đại Việt during the Trần Dynasty and the Kingdom of Champa: in 1257–1258, 1284–1285, and 1287–1288. The Mongols were defeated by Đại...
and Prince Chiêu Văn (Chiêu Văn vương) Trần Nhật Duật
Trần Nhật Duật
Prince Chiêu Văn Trần Nhật Duật was the sixth prince of Trần Thái Tông, first emperor of Trần Dynasty. Being younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông, Trần Nhật Duật was one of the most important figures of Trần family and royal court during the reigns of four successive emperors Thánh Tông,...
who fought side by side with him in the war against the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
.
In royal court and military activities
In 1261 at the age of only 20, Trần Quang Khải was appointed by Thánh Tông as minister instead of his elder brother Prince Tĩnh Quốc (Tĩnh Quốc Đại vương) Trần Quốc KhangTrần Quốc Khang
Prince Tĩnh Quốc Trần Quốc Khang was the first prince of the Emperor Trần Thái Tông, the eldest brother of Trần Thánh Tông and princes Trần Quang Khải, Trần Ích Tắc and Trần Nhật Duật...
because the Emperor considered Quốc Khang not capable for an important position in royal court. After the death of two grand chancellors: Trần Thủ Độ in 1264 and Trần Nhật Hiệu in 1269, Prince Chiêu Minh was promoted to this position in 1271 and thus became the most important official in the royal court. When Trần Nhân Tông succeeded Thánh Tông in 1278, Trần Quang Khải continued to take charge of administrative activities as grand chancellor while Trần Hưng Đạo was chosen as the grand commander of the Đại Việt army in 1283 to prepare for the threat from the Yuan Dynasty.
In 1279, the Yuan Dynasty had the decisive victory over the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
in Battle of Yamen
Battle of Yamen
The naval Battle of Yamen took place on 19 March 1279 and is considered to be the last stand of the Song Dynasty against the invading Mongol-controlled Yuan Dynasty...
which marked the end of the Song Dynasty and the total control of Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
over China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. As a result, Kublai Khan began to pursue his attempt to take over the southern countries like Đại Việt or Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
. In December 1284, the second Yuan invasion of Đại Việt began under the command of Kublai Khan's prince Toghan. Đại Việt was attacked in two directions, Toghan himself conducted the infantry invasion from the northern border while Yuan's navy under general Sogetu advanced from the southern border through Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
's territory. It was Trần Quang Khải who conducted the Đại Việt army carrying the mission of stopping Toa Đô's troops before he could meet Toghan's troops as Yuan's plan. In the beginning, Trần Quang Khải had to retreat under pressure from Sogetu's navy and the defection of the governor of Nghe An, the southern border province. However, the Trần Dynasty began to change the situation after the victory of the Đại Việt army commanded by Trần Nhật Duật
Trần Nhật Duật
Prince Chiêu Văn Trần Nhật Duật was the sixth prince of Trần Thái Tông, first emperor of Trần Dynasty. Being younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông, Trần Nhật Duật was one of the most important figures of Trần family and royal court during the reigns of four successive emperors Thánh Tông,...
, Prince Chiêu Thành, Trần Quốc Toản
Trần Quốc Toản
Marquis Hoài Văn Trần Quốc Toản was a marquis of the Trần Dynasty who was well known for his active role in the second war of resistance of Đại Việt against the Mongol invasion...
and Nguyễn Khoái over Sogetu's troops in Battle of Hàm Tử. On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month (June 14) 1285, Trần Quang Khải fought the decisive battle in Chương Dương where Yuan's navy was almost destroyed and therefore the balance in battlefield shifted definitively in favor of the Trần Dynasty. Ten days after Sogetu was killed and Trần's Emperor Nhân Tông and Retired Emperor Thánh Tông returned to capital Thăng Long on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month (July 19), 1285.
After the Mongol invasions, Trần Quang Khải kept the position of grand chancellor until his death on July 3 of Lunar calendar, 1294. Despite the inherited hatred from their fathers Trần Cảnh and Trần Liễu
Trần Liễu
Prince Yên Sinh Trần Liễu was the elder brother of the Trần Thái Tông, the first emperor of Trần Dynasty. Initially, Trần Liễu was honoured by his younger brother with the title King Hiển but he was downgraded to Prince Yên Sinh after the short-lived revolt in fury of losing his pregnant wife,...
, Trần Quang Khải and Trần Hưng Đạo were famous for their close relation which kept the royal court and Trần family united during not only the war but also the peaceful period afterwards.
As scholar
Like his brothers Trần Nhật Duật and Trần Ích Tắc, Trần Quang Khải was not only a capable official but also a well-known scholar. Prince Chiêu Minh had a collection of poems named Lạc đạo tập, his most famous poem might be Tụng giá hoàn kinh (Hán tự: 從駕還京) which was composed on the occasion of Đại Việt's victory over the Mongol army:
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As Nam quốc sơn hà by Lý Thường Kiệt, Tụng giá hoàn kinh was considered as one of the finest example for Vietnamese patriotic literature during feudal era. Besides his poems, Trần Quang Khải and his brother Trần Nhật Duật were credited as creators of dance of flowers (múa bài bông), a traditional dance which is still preserved in Nam Định. Prince Chiêu Minh could also speak languages of minority people in Đại Việt.
Family
Trần Quang Khải had a son named Prince Văn Túc (Văn Túc vương) Trần Đạo Tái who was also famous for his literature and since favoured by the Retired Emperor amongs other princes and marquises. Trần Quang Khải also had a famous great grandson, Marquis Chương Túc (Chương Túc hầu) Trần Nguyên Đán, who was minister during the reign of the Emperor Trần Nghệ TôngTrần Nghệ Tông
Trần Nghệ Tông , given name Trần Phủ , was the eighth emperor of the Trần Dynasty who reigned Đại Việt from 1370 to 1372. Nghệ Tông was credited with the re-establishment of Trần clan's ruling in Đại Việt from Hôn Đức Công who kept the throne in nearly two years after the decease of Trần Dụ Tông...
and grandfather of the famous scholar and official Nguyễn Trãi.