other · Mainland Southeast Asia
Trinh lords
Origins
Trinh Kiem, son-in-law of the Le loyalist leader Nguyen Kim, took command of the Le restoration forces after Nguyen Kim's death in 1545 and became the real power behind the Later Le dynasty. His son Trinh Tung recaptured Thang Long from the Mac dynasty in 1592.
Rule and society
The Trinh lords governed Dang Ngoai, the northern realm Europeans called Tonkin, from a palace beside the Le emperor's, controlling the army, taxes and appointments while leaving ritual to the emperor. They fought seven campaigns against the Nguyen lords between 1627 and 1672 without success, then focused on administration, examinations and trade with the Dutch and English.
Decline and legacy
Peasant revolts weakened the north in the 18th century. In 1786 the Tay Son under Nguyen Hue marched on Thang Long and defeated Trinh Khai, and the last lord, Trinh Bong, fled in 1787. Their realm passed to the Tay Son dynasty.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (4)
- Trinh lords was part of Later Le dynasty1545 CE – 1787 CE
- Mac dynasty was conquered by Trinh lords1592 CE
- Mac rule in Cao Bang was conquered by Trinh lords1677 CE
- Trinh lords was conquered by Tay Son dynasty1786 CE – 1787 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Trinh lords. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/trinh-lords
- MLA
- “Trinh lords.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/trinh-lords. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Trinh lords.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/trinh-lords.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Trinh lords’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/trinh-lords (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻