The Child Bride: A Princess’s Tragic Tale
Princess Thuan Thien, the tragic heroine of this story, was born in 1216 to King Ly Hue Tong and Queen Tran Thi Dung. As recorded in the Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, her birth was a significant event: “In the summer of June, the king’s eldest daughter was born at Cuu Lien beach and was later titled Princess Thuan Thien.”
Even before her birth, Thuan Thien’s life was filled with sorrow due to the power struggle between her grandmother, Queen Dowager Dam, and her mother, Queen Tran. Suspecting that Queen Tran was conspiring with her family to overthrow the Ly dynasty, the Queen Dowager attempted to poison her daughter-in-law and granddaughter several times.
To protect his wife, King Ly Hue Tong arranged for Queen Tran to leave the palace and give birth elsewhere. It was during this journey that Princess Thuan Thien was born at Cuu Lien Chau, on the left bank of the Red River.
From a young age, Princess Thuan Thien was betrothed to Phung Can Wang Tran Lieu, a military commander. King Ly Hue Tong believed that marrying his daughter to a powerful warrior would bring peace and potentially prevent the Tran family from seizing power.
At just 6 or 7 years old, Thuan Thien was married off to Tran Lieu, and despite her young age, she found happiness and comfort in her new family. Tran Lieu treated her with kindness and love, and they enjoyed a harmonious relationship.
However, tragedy struck when King Ly Hue Tong abdicated the throne in favor of his younger sister, Princess Ly Chiêu Hoàng, in 1224. This event set off a chain of unfortunate circumstances for Thuan Thien and her family. Queen Tran became the Queen Mother, and Princess Ly Chiêu Hoàng’s fate became intertwined with Thuan Thien’s in a most unexpected way.
King Tran Thai Tong.
In a twist of fate, Princess Ly Chiêu Hoàng was also forced to marry into the Tran family. She became the wife of Tran Canh, Tran Lieu’s younger brother, creating a complex web of relationships between the two royal families.
As Queen, Ly Chiêu Hoàng gave birth to a son, Tran Trinh, in 1232, but the child sadly passed away due to illness. The Queen’s health deteriorated, and she was unable to conceive again, causing concern for the continuation of the Tran dynasty.
Seizing the opportunity, Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do forced King Tran Thai Tong to depose Queen Ly Chiêu Hoàng and offer the position of Queen to Princess Thuan Thien, his sister-in-law.
An illustration of Princess Ly Chiêu Hoàng.
According to the Viet Su Luoc, in 1237, Princess Thuan Thien was three months pregnant with her second child when Queen Mother Tran and Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do intervened once more. They forced Thuan Thien to divorce Tran Lieu and marry his younger brother, King Tran Thai Tong.
Devastated by this turn of events, Thuan Thien was powerless to resist. King Tran Thai Tong, her new husband, tried to escape this arrangement by fleeing the capital and seeking refuge with Master Phu Van in Yen Tu. However, Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do pursued him, using both persuasion and coercion to ensure the king complied with his wishes.
Princess Ly Chiêu Hoàng, after being stripped of her royal title, was deeply hurt and misunderstood her sister’s role in these events. She eventually left the palace to become a nun.
Tran Lieu, Thuan Thien’s first husband, was furious about losing his pregnant wife. He gathered his troops at Song Cai and rebelled, but his efforts were futile. His followers were executed by Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do, and Tran Lieu was stripped of his power, forced to live a quiet life as a mere royal family member.
An illustration of Tran Lieu and Thuan Thien, depicting their sorrow at being separated.
Thuan Thien, now known as Queen Hien Tran Thuan Thien, gave birth to Tran Quoc Khang, her son with Tran Lieu. Soon after, she bore King Tran Thai Tong two more sons: Tran Hoang, who later became King Tran Thanh Tong, and Tran Quang Khai, the renowned Chiêu Minh Dai Vuong.
Despite the tragic circumstances of her life, Thuan Thien could take pride in the fact that her children were intelligent and accomplished individuals who left their mark on history.
In 1248, at the young age of 32, Queen Thuan Thien passed away. After her son ascended the throne, she was posthumously honored as Queen Mother Thuan Thien.
Interestingly, despite becoming the wife of King Tran Thai Tong, Thuan Thien’s memorial temple in Ap Ao (now An Thai, Quynh Phu, Thai Binh) remains next to that of her first husband, Tran Lieu, a testament to the impact he had on her life.
The Thai minister who committed a grave crime by usurping the throne and later forced the king of the Ly dynasty to abdicate before hanging him is who?
After forcing a king from the Lý dynasty to abdicate in favor of his daughter, the chancellor also coerced the king into hanging himself.
The only king in Vietnamese history who had given his wife to a close confidant was who?
This is the extraordinary king in the history of feudal dynasties in Vietnam. He is also the only one to give his wife to his close minister.
