Lê Long Đĩnh, courtesy nameKhai Minh. As known as Lê Ngọa Triều was the last emperor of the Anterior Lê Dynasty of Đại Cồ Việt, from 1005 to 1009. After killing his predecessor and brother Lê Long Việt, he took the throne and named his era Cảnh Thụy. His mysterious death at aged 24 led to the fall of Anterior Lê Dynasty, then all of power was seized by House of Lý. In some history book, he was portraited as the debauched, cruel emperor. However, there were still a lot of temples created that people still worship him until now and recently, some historians proved that some rumours about his ruling style was aggrandise, even seen as fabrication.
Background
Lê Long Đĩnh also had name as Lê Chí Trung and was born on 15 November 986. He was the fifth son of emperor Lê Đại Hành but history book does not note any background of his mother, only information of concubine and he was the half brother of Duke of Nam Phong Lê Long Việt. Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư recorded that in 992, he was granted title Khai Minh vương and the land of Đằng province. In 1004, Duke of Kinh Thiên and crown prince Long Khâu died, Lê Đại Hành made Lê Long Việt as the dauphin of Việt Nam and Long Đĩnh as Duke of Khai Minh.
Throne contest
In 1005, Lê Đại Hành died in Trường Xuân palace, crown prince Lê Long Việt contest the crown with the other 3 brother who were Lê Long Tích, Lê Long Kính and Lê Long Đĩnh. All side used forces to fight in 8 months so the nation was not under control. In October 1005, Lê Long Việt defeated Lê Long Tích and make him fled to Champa and get killed local people at Cơ La estuary. Then, Lê Long Việt proclaimed as emperor with title Trung Tông hoàng đế . However he was assassinated by intruders deployed by Lê Long Đĩnh after reigning in 3 days. All of loyalist ran and hid themselves from the scene, only Lý Công Uẩn embraced the body of the emperor and crying. In winter 1005, Lê Long Đĩnh took the throne with Posthumous name Khai Thiên Ứng Vận Thánh Văn Thần Vũ Tắc Thiên Sùng Đạo Đại Thắng Minh Quang Hiếu Hoàng đế and gave title to his mother as Hưng Quốc Quảng Thánh Hoàng Thái Hậu.
Career
Foreign relation
After the death news of emperor Lê Đại Hành to China, Some Song dynasty Mandarins urged Song emperor to dispatch force to invade Đại Cồ Việt. However, with the high self-esteem and respect to the tributary activities of Đại Cồ Việt, Song emperor refused to follow that idea. Some trading activities allowed by both countries at the border line.
Buddhist supporting and education
In Spring 1007, Lê Long Đĩnh ordered his brother to give a white Pangolin as an gift to Song dynasty in exchange to get Buddhist Sutras to Vietnam In Vietnamese buddhism records of Zen buddhist Thích Mật Thể, the 14th year of Ứng Thiên era, Vietnam sent the envoy to song to pay tribute and asked for taking 9 classics and sutra to Vietnam. Song emperor approved it and gave it to Vietnamese ambassador. The nine classics included : I Ching, Classic of Poetry, Book of Documents, Book of Rites, Spring and Autumn Annals, Classic of Filial Piety, Analects, Mencius. This were the 9 classics of Chinese civilization first time came to Vietnam under reign of Lê Long Đĩnh.
Dispute
Tyrannical and brutal reign
According to Complete annals of Đại Việt, he was one of the most brutal and sadistic rulers during Vietnam's dynastic era. His reign was considered a reign of terror at the time. He is comparable to the Roman Emperors Caligula and Commodus in their traits of excess cruelty and paranoia. Some of the acts of cruelty that he committed were:
He often executed innocent people who were condemned to death for entertaining purposes by some frightful ways such as tying them with hay to burn to death or ordering an executioner called Liêu Thủ Tâm from Great Song to gradually mutilate victims to death slowly using dull bladed swords and axes. When the victims cried out in agony, this executioner would manipulate the victims into thinking they were not dying. The emperor was said to have delighted in the deaths of his victims.
After capturing prisoners of war, he ordered his soldiers to march the prisoners along the riversides and crammed them into cages that were tied along the river banks. When the high tides came in at dusk, he would watch them drown slowly.
The emperor himself often stuck livestock such as pigs or cows to death before he allowed servants to prepare them for feasts. At court banquets, he killed cats and served them to his guests and court officials and made them eat the cats. Afterwards, he would play around with their severed heads in front of the court audience, frightening them and reducing their chances of questioning his audacity.
Later life
According to historical records, he had contracted hemorrhoids and often held court while lying down, earning the popular name "Lê Ngọa Triều". He was not given a temple name because his successor usurped the Anterior Lê Dynasty and started the Lý Dynasty. He held the throne for four years, until 1009, when he died at the age of 24. His son Sạ was but a child so under the management of an official named Đào Cam Mộc. When Lý Công Uẩn became emperor of Ly dynasty, all the officials enthroned him without any debate. The Anterior Lê Dynasty was finished after only three reigns.
