First emperor of Vietnamese Chan dynasty (1226-1400)

This issue was considered in my article written in cooperation with Prof. D.V. Deopik. There was an attempt to prove the hypothesis that the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Canh's father - Tran Thua (postmortem name - Tran Thai To). After publication of this article I repeatedly returned to the investigation and analysis of this issue. As a result I managed to make certain amendments and adjustments to this subject. Besides that an investigator who nominated the same hypothesis appeared for the first time in the Vietnamese historical studies. Therefore and in connection with this event this article is being published now. It is a well-known fact in the Vietnamese and foreign historiography that the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Сanh who acceded to the throne after his wife - empress Ly Tieu Hoang. This opinion is based on the facts stated in the Vietnamese official historiography which was finally formed in XV century when the classical works «The Full Collection of Hystorical Notes» were written by Ngo Si Lien. The same statement is found in the later Vietnamese historical sources. However, matching these sources with the earlier origins, first of all with the chronicles «The Short History of [Great] Viet» as well as with the epigraphy data proves considerable differences and contradictions with the outline of the historical events which previously were undervalued. Data analysis of these sources leads to a conclusion that the founder and the first emperor of Tran dynasty was Tran Thua (Thai To), Tran Canh's father. This explains the gap in the Vietnam's middle age history and helps to understand the events connected with the social and political crisis at the beginning of XIII century. Tran Than's accession to the throne was a direct usurpation of power, while his son Tran Canh accession to the throne looked more «legitimate» as he got married with empress Ly Tieu Hoang and she could officially «concede» the throne in his favour. Succeeding chroniclers called Tran Canh a founder of the dynasty as each of the dynasties seeks proof of its legitimate coming to power.

«Short history of of [Great] Viet», Second late Ly dynasty, change of dynasties, Tran dynasty, Tran Thua, Tran Canh