kingdom · Mainland Southeast Asia

Dinh dynasty

968 CE – 980 CE · capital Hoa Lu

The dynasty that reunited Vietnam after the anarchy of the Twelve Warlords and named the country Dai Co Viet, with its capital at Hoa Lu.

Origins

Dinh Bo Linh, a local leader from Hoa Lu in present-day Ninh Binh, defeated the rival warlords one by one and in 968 proclaimed himself emperor, Dinh Tien Hoang. He named the state Dai Co Viet and built a fortified capital among the limestone hills at Hoa Lu.

Rule and society

Dinh Tien Hoang ruled with harsh punishments to restore order, organised the army into units, and gave Buddhist monks official ranks. He sent tribute to the Song dynasty, which granted titles to his son Dinh Lien in the 970s, while using the title of emperor at home. Coins called Thai Binh were issued, among the first Vietnamese coinage.

Decline and legacy

In 979 Dinh Tien Hoang and his eldest son were assassinated, leaving the child Dinh Phe De on the throne. With a Song invasion looming, the commander Le Hoan took power in 980 with the support of the queen mother, founding the Early Le dynasty. Temples to the Dinh kings stand at Hoa Lu.

Lineage

Ngo dynasty 939 CE – 965 CEDinh dynastyEarly Le dynasty 980 CE – 1009 CE

Connections (1)

Dinh dynasty paid tribute to Song Dynasty973 CE – 980 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Dinh dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dinh-dynasty
MLA: “Dinh dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dinh-dynasty. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Dinh dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dinh-dynasty.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Dinh dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dinh-dynasty (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻