Background

Trần Thủ Độ was born in 1194 as the third son of Trần Quả, a member of the Trần clan in Lưu Gia village (now Hưng Hà, Thái Bình). The Trần clan had made its great fortune by fishing for generations.

During the troubled time under the reign of Lý Cao Tông, the Crown Prince Lý Sảm sought refuge in the family of Trần Lý, Trần Thủ Độ's uncle, and decided to marry his beautiful daughter Trần Thị Dung in 1209. Afterward, members of the Trần clan helped Lý Cao Tông and Lý Sảm restore their rule in Thăng Long. As a result, the Emperor appointed several members of the Trần clan to high positions in the royal court: they included Tô Trung Từ, who was uncle of Trần Thị Dung, as well as Trần Tự Khánh and Trần Thừa who were Trần Lý's sons. In 1211 the Crown Prince Lý Sảm was enthroned as Lý Huệ Tông after the death of Lý Cao Tông; the Trần clan's power at court continued to increase. After the death of Trần Tự Khánh in 1223, Trần Thừa was appointed to the highest military position at the royal court, while his cousin Trần Thủ Độ took charge of the royal guard (Vietnamese: Điện tiền chỉ huy sứ).

Rise to power

Overthrowing the Lý Dynasty

In October 1224, Lý Huệ Tông ceded the throne to his youngest daughter, the Princess Chiêu Thánh, now the Empress Regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng. Chiêu Hoàng was only six at that time, and all important decisions in royal court were made by members of the Trần clan. Trần Thủ Độ arranged a marriage between Chiêu Hoàng and Trần Cảnh, the six-year-old son of Trần Thừa. With Trần Cảnh being the Empress Regnant's husband, Trần Thủ Độ was able to overthrow the Lý Dynasty by making Lý Chiêu Hoàng pass the throne to Trần Cảnh, now Trần Thái Tông, in 1225. After the coronation of his son, Trần Thừa acted as Regent of the Emperor, but it was Trần Thủ Độ in the position of Grand Chancellor (Vietnamese: thái sư) who decided both military and civil matters in the royal court; he was respectfully called by Trần Thái Tông and Father of the Nation (Quốc thượng phụ).

After the collapse of the Lý Dynasty, Trần Thủ Độ was afraid that the newly established Trần Dynasty might be dislodged by its political opponents; therefore he continued ruthlessly to eliminate members of Lý royal family. On the eighth day of the tenth lunar month (October 30) 1226, he forced the former emperor Lý Huệ Tông, who had already abdicated his power, to commit suicide. Trần Thủ Độ married Huệ Tông's former empress, Princess Thiên Cực Trần Thị Dung, who was also Trần Thủ Độ's cousin. These actions were criticized by historian Ngô Sĩ Liên in his Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư as inhumane, though their purpose was to reinforce the reign of Trần Thái Tông. It has been alleged that Trần Thủ Độ decided to massacre members of the Lý royal family in August 1232 during the death anniversary of Lý emperors held in Thái Đường, Hoa Lâm (now Nam Trực, Nam Định). However, the authenticity of this account was challenged by the historian Ngô Sĩ Liên, because a member of the Lý clan was still appointed as general by Trần Anh Tông and there is no mention this event in Phan Phu Tiên's historical record.

Strengthening the reign of Trần Thái Tông

Trần Thái Tông was enthroned when he was only an 8-year-old boy and there were several revolts in Đại Việt at that time, so Trần Thủ Độ had to devote all of his efforts to consolidating the rule of the new Emperor in the royal court and over the country. Right after the coronation of the Emperor in 1226, Nguyễn Nộn and Đoàn Thượng rose a revolt in the mountainous region of Bắc Giang and Hải Dương, by both military and diplomatic measures such as sending army to pacify them or even awarding two leaders of the revolt by the title Prince (Vương), Trần Thủ Độ was able to put down this revolt in 1229.

According to Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư, Thái Tông and his wife, the Empress Chiêu Thánh, did not have their first son for a while, so this situation in the royal family made grand chancellor Trần Thủ Độ worried because he had profited in the same circumstances of the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông to overthrow the Lý Dynasty. Therefore, in 1237 Trần Thủ Độ decided to force Trần Liễu to give up his wife Princess Thuận Thiên for the Emperor when she had been already pregnant with Trần Quốc Khang for three months. After the royal marriage, Thuận Thiên was entitled the new empress of the Trần Dynasty while Chiêu Thánh was downgraded to princess. In the fury of losing his pregnant wife, Trần Liễu rose in revolt against the royal family.Emperor Thái Tông felt awkward about the situation and decided to become a monk in Yên Tử Mountain. Finally Trần Thủ Độ successfully persuaded Thái Tông to return to the throne and Trần Liễu had to surrender after judging that he could not stand with his fragile force. All soldiers who participated in this revolt were killed, and Trần Thủ Độ even wanted to behead Trần Liễu but was stopped by Emperor Thái Tông. Vietnamese historians in dynastic era such as Ngô Sĩ Liên or Phan Phu Tiên often criticized decisions of Trần Thủ Độ and Trần Thái Tông in this event and considered it as origin for the downfall of the Trần Dynasty afterwards during the reign of Trần Dụ Tông.

In 1258, the Trần Dynasty had to face the first Mongol invasion. In the beginning, the Đại Việt army suffered several defeats by an overwhelming force which had already conquered vast areas of Asia. Several high-ranking officials of the Trần Dynasty were so scared that Prince Khâm Thiên Trần Nhật Hiệu, younger brother of Thái Tông, even suggested to the Emperor that they might escape from Đại Việt to the Song Empire. When the concerned emperor asked Trần Thủ Độ about the situation of the Trần Dynasty, the grand chancellor answered with a famous phrase:

Indeed, the Trần Dynasty was able to counterattack and ultimately drive the Mongols out of Đại Việt in 1258.

Until his death in January 1264, Trần Thủ Độ still actively contributed to the royal court. He was posthumously entitled as Prince Trung Vũ (Trung Vũ đại vương).

Legacy

Almost all historical accounts agree that it was no one else but Trần Thủ Độ who deserved credit for the birth of the Trần Dynasty, Khâm định Việt sử Thông giám cương mục commented that maybe for that reason temple name of the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty was Thái Tông, which was often used for the second emperor of a dynasty, instead of Thái Tổ as usual.

Despite his lack of learning, Trần Thủ Độ was praised as a skilled and devoted official of the Trần Dynasty, the ruling dynasty which was found by his very own effort. As a result, the grand chancellor held a position in royal court which was so powerful that he was suspected by some of overruling the Emperor. Once there was a person who went to the Emperor to report him about this suspicion, Thái Tông immediately visited Trần Thủ Độ's place with this man and made him tell everything in front of the grand chancellor. After hearing the story, Trần Thủ Độ not only accepted that the man had somewhat his reason but also awarded him for being concerned for the Trần Dynasty. His successful governing was considered by historical books as the main factor that not only led to the stability of Early Trần period but also contributed to the victory of Đại Việt over the first Mongol invasion.

Trần Thủ Độ was also an honest mandarin who never profited his high position for the benefit of his family. It was said that one time the Emperor wanted to appointed Trần Thủ Độ's elder brother Trần An Quốc for the position of grand chancellor. Trần Thủ Độ politely declined the Emperor's request by an answer: "An Quốc is my brother, if he is better than me then I had better retire from the position, but if Your Majesty think that I am better than him, so please not appoint him for grand chancellor. Because if we hold the same position then what royal court will become?". For his dedication, the Emperor personally redacted an epitaph for Trần Thủ Độ in his tomb. However, Trần Thủ Độ still remains as a controversial figure in History of Vietnam for his ruthless decisions against members of Lý royal family and his responsibility in the forced marriage between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu's wife, which was highly criticized by dynastic-era historians. Sometimes, his Machiavellian figure was compared with Dorgon, the powerful general who helped establish the Qing Dynasty's rule in China, or Cardinal Mazarin who was chief minister of France for 20 years.

Today, the role of Trần Thủ Độ in the history of Vietnam is always a matter for debate between modern historians. For this reason, it was not until 2008 that a new street in Hanoi was named in honour of Trần Thủ Độ, a decision which is still met with some opposition from public opinion. Unlike his relatives Trần Hưng Đạo or Trần Quang Khải, the grand chancellor of the Trần Dynasty is worshipped in only one place in Hanoi which is the Cầu Đông Pagoda. However, on the occasion of the millenary anniversary of Hanoi, the Feature Film Studio 1 decided to invest 2.66 million USD for a 30-episode television movie named Trần Thủ Độ which will focus on his life and the turbulent period of the Late Lý and Early Trần Dynasty. In theatre, on the contrary, there were several plays which exploited the controversial role of Trần Thủ Độ in history such as Rừng trúc (Bamboo Forest) by the writer Nguyễn Huy Tưởng or Anh hùng và mỹ nhân (The Hero and the Beauty) by Chu Thơm. According to the stage director Lê Hùng, the life full of events of Trần Thủ Độ was a good source of inspiration in theatre because the play could focus on his inner feelings when Trần Thủ Độ had to act ruthlessly toward Lý clan for the benefit of his own Trần clan.

Family

Trần Thủ Độ had one wife, Lady Linh Từ Trần Thị Dung, who was entitled as Mother of the Nation (Linh Từ quốc mẫu). She was daughter of Trần Lý, uncle of Trần Thủ Độ, and the former empress of the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông. She had an important role in the reconciliation between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu, Lady Linh Từ also had many activities to help the royal family during the Mongol invasion. Trần Thủ Độ's son Trần Duyệt and his grandson Trần Văn Lộng were both granted by the Emperor the title marquis as Marquis Nhân Thành (Nhân Thành hầu) and Marquis Chương Hoài (Chương Hoài thượng hầu) respectively, during the second Mongol invasion of Đại Việt, Trần Văn Lộng was one of the highest-ranking officials and royal members of Trần Dynasty who defected to the Yuan side.

出身

陈守度的先世陈京是中国福建人（或桂林人），后来移居到越南的即墨乡（在今越南南定省），并世代「以渔为业」。陈守度即为陈氏族人，亦为陈朝首位皇帝陈煚的从叔。他的父亲后来被封为弘毅大王（），祖父陈果（）就是陈宁祖陈翕的弟弟。

继承权力

李朝后期，陈氏家族领袖陈李凭著「渔业致富，旁人归之，因有衆」，并把女儿嫁给太子李旵（日后的李惠宗）。其后，建嘉三年至六年时（1213年至1216年）陈氏领袖陈嗣庆（陈李之子）起兵控制朝廷，他的妹妹获册立为皇后。据《越史略》卷下的记载，在是次起兵中，陈守度亦有参与其中，甚有表现，曾击破协助李氏朝廷的段尚军队。后来李惠宗患病，「渐发狂」，「政事不决」，国政乃由陈嗣庆执掌。

建嘉十三年（1223年），陈嗣庆死，次年（李朝建嘉十四年，1224年），李惠宗「疾日滋」（病况日益恶化），于是「独委任指挥使陈守度领殿前诸军扈衞禁庭」，「政事一听裁决」。陈守度便成为李氏朝廷中的主要权臣。

建立陈朝

安排陈煚与李昭皇成亲

建嘉十四年（1224年）十月，李惠宗传位于女儿李佛金，是为李昭皇，时年仅七岁。天彰有道二年（1225年）十月，陈守度与太后陈氏（陈李之女）勾结，日夜谋划夺取李朝帝位，便召选官员子弟入宫侍奉昭皇，由其侄陈不及为「近侍署六局祗候」、陈佥为「祗应局」、陈煚为「正首，侍候于外」（时年八岁），而陈守度本人则兼为「知城市内外诸军事」。

不久，李昭皇与陈煚感情渐好，但陈守度仍未感放心，「恐事泄并诛」，担心朝廷上仍有反对势力会对其不利，因而为昭皇、陈煚安排了一个闭门婚礼，其情形据《大越史记全书》所述如下：「（陈守度）自率家属亲戚入禁中，守度闭城门及诸宫门，令人守之，百官进朝，不得入。守度徧告曰：『陛下（李昭皇）已有尚矣（已与陈煚结成姻亲）。』群臣皆曰诺。」于是，李朝上下便在陈守度控制之中。

陈氏代李

在陈守度即将实行以陈代李之际，上皇李旵曾向人透露他担心李昭皇「以一阴而御群阳，衆所不与，必致悔亡」，有意「远法唐尧」，「择其贤者而授之」，又说自己看中了「太尉（陈煚之父陈承）仲子某（陈煚），年虽冲幼，相貌非常，必能济世安民」。陈承对此有所疑虑，深恐这纯属试探，陈守度劝说陈承，指出上皇李旵是「真让」，且机不可失：「假如上王有子，反欲逊于二郎（陈煚），揆之于义，则不可奉诏。今以无嗣，欲择贤而付之，此乃上王远法尧舜之真让，又何疑哉？况天位不可久旷，而上王逊避之意已决，别选他姓为嗣，虽欲不臣事之，其可得乎？且上王以二郎为嗣，乃天意也。天与不取，反受其咎。」于是便作出了透过「禅让」取得帝位的决定。

天彰有道二年十二月十一日（1226年1月10日），李昭皇禅位于陈煚。陈朝从此创立。

掌握大权

权力分配

陈氏家族虽能取李氏而代之，但当时的大越国内动乱频繁，如段尚割据洪州的唐濠之地、阮嫩在北江地区自立为王，自李朝晚年以来也未能收拾。陈守度在开国之际，成为国尚父、掌理天下事，换言之就是可以主宰朝廷运作。他为了巩固陈朝根基，乃于开国之际，说要在权力架构上作一番调整。他提到：

陈守度的用意，就是国政事务由身为「上皇」的陈承负责掌管，而他自己则亲自督师，平定内乱。建中二年（1226年）正月，陈守度就任「太师统国、行军务征讨事」。

对李氏皇室的处置

陈朝建立后，原本的李朝皇室都遭到陈守度陆续铲除。

陈朝建立后，李朝的上皇李旵在人们心目中尚有一定声望，据《大越史记全书》的记载，李旵在一次出游时，「百姓争趋视之，有恸哭者」。陈守度害怕「人心怀旧生变」，因而在建中二年（1226年）正月，即陈朝建立后的不久，安排李旵到真教禅寺居住，号「惠光大师」。但李旵仍保持机警，「佯为奉事，内实谨守」。后来陈守度经过该寺，见李旵正踞坐拔草，陈守度便说：「拔则拔深根。」李旵已有所领会。不久，八月十日（西历9月3日），陈守度派人到李旵处，李旵知其来意，便到后园自缢而死。其后，陈守度作出慈悲的姿态，「令百官临哭」，并为之安排丧礼，「鏧城南壁为门出柩，就安华坊火化。藏其骨于宝光寺窣塔，尊朝号曰惠宗」。对于陈守度之杀害李旵，后黎朝史官吴士连曾作出猛烈抨击：「既取人国，又弑其君，不仁之甚也」，「守度以此为谋国尽忠，殊不知天下后世皆指为弑君之贼，况又为狗彘之行哉！」

陈守度杀李旵后，李氏一众宗室都「怏怏失望」，深感不忿，陈守度便大肆杀戮李氏宗室。天应政平元年（1232年）冬，李氏一族到华林乡太堂村（今越南北宁省）拜祭先代皇后时，陈守度暗中命人先挖深坑，在上面盖房屋，等到李氏族人在内饮酒正酣时，便发动机关将他们活埋。

李氏的女性亲族及宫女，则将之嫁到「诸蛮酋长」。而李旵的皇后陈氏（陈李之女）则被降为天极公主，嫁给陈守度。又因陈太宗的皇后李佛金未诞下儿子，陈守度认为「宜冒取之，以赖其后」，便于天应政平六年（1237年），降李佛金为「昭圣公主」，又将陈柳（陈太宗兄）之妻顺天公主嫁予陈太宗为皇后。此举引起陈柳极为不满，并发动叛乱，但不久被平。陈守度迫侄改娶的举动，受到后黎朝初年史家潘孚先所谴责，认为「（陈煚）乃听守度之邪谋，夺兄妻以为后，毋乃斁彝伦，以启淫乱之端乎！」，

陈守度为了「绝民之望李氏」，又于天应政平元年（1232年）六月，藉陈朝皇族的元祖叫李，须要避讳，因此改李为「阮」。

内乱结束

陈守度为维持陈朝政局稳定，于立国之初，建中二年（1226年），任「太师统国、行军务征讨事」，领兵讨伐各地动乱。当时在伞圆山、广威山等地诸蛮互相侵扰，陈守度先调军平定。但割据北江的阮嫩和洪州的段尚仍相当强大，未易降服。于是，陈守度封阮嫩为「怀道王」，将北江一带县份给予阮嫩。又欲约定段尚，进行册封，但因段尚负约而不果。

其后，建中四年（1228年），阮嫩攻灭段尚，尚子段文携家眷投降陈朝。然而阮嫩亦声威大振，守度甚为忧虑，分兵防御。其后，阮嫩于建中五年（1229年）病死，于是大越国归于一统。

抵抗蒙古

元丰七年十二月十二日（1258年1月17日），蒙古帝国将领兀良合台领兵侵入大越国境，陈太宗皇帝御驾亲自抵抗，不利，退至天幕江（在今越南兴安省），国都升龙失陷。在这危急之际，太宗皇帝亦感到气馁，并问陈守度应当如何。陈守度回答说：「臣首未至地，陛下无烦他虑」，鼓舞皇帝必须再战。不久，十二月二十四日（1月29日），陈太宗皇帝与太子陈晃，在东步头击败蒙古军队，蒙古军撤退，战事告一段落。

主张守法

陈守度具备守法的思想，并身体力行。《大越史记全书》记载了两件事来加以反映。

陈守度的妻子陈氏一次乘坐肩舆，正欲经过禁阶时被把守的军校阻止。陈守度最初听妻子提起时大怒，下令捉拿军校。但到陈守度当面细心盘问，军校亦以实情对答后，守度便赞道：「汝居卑职，而能守法，我有何言？」并以金帛打赏。

另有一次，是陈守度妻子陈氏向他要求找某名男丁替她办事，守度当时只点头回应。到寻找该名男丁来时，该人欣然前来。陈守度感到怀疑，认为他可能曾私谒请托，便说：「汝以公主（陈守度妻）故，得为勾当（办事），非他勾当可比」，于是下令要斩去该人一只脚趾，该人哀呼求退，才获陈守度饶恕。陈守度便从而杜绝了别人向他私谒请托、徇私舞弊。

相信风水、开垦阡陌

陈守度深信风水，曾派风水术士观览大越全国山川，但凡认为是「有王气之处」（可能会出现新王者的地方），便「用方术厌胜之」。又在多个地方进行「塞溪港，开阡陌」的工作。

去世

绍隆七年（1264年）正月，陈守度去世，享年七十一岁，获赠「尚父太师忠武大王」。

亲属

• 从兄：陈承。陈太宗皇帝之父。

• 从兄：陈嗣庆。陈承之弟。

• 妻：灵慈国母陈氏（即陈氏容）。陈李之女，曾为李惠宗皇后，陈太宗封为「国母」，所享用的舆服仆御，与皇后等级相同。绍隆二年（1259年）正月去世。

• 兄：陈安国。陈太宗曾欲命陈安国为相，陈守度却不以为然，还说了一番话：「安国臣兄也，如以为贤，则臣请致仕（辞退），如以臣贤于安国，则安国不可举，若兄弟并相，则朝廷之事，将如之何？」太宗便打消念头。

• 继女：顺天公主。为灵慈国母陈氏之长女。

• 继女：昭圣公主，生于建嘉八年（1218年）。

• 从侄（兼女婿）：陈柳。为太宗皇帝陈煚之兄，亦曾为陈守度继女顺天公主夫婿。后来陈守度安排顺天公主嫁陈煚。

• 从侄（兼女婿）：陈煚。即陈朝首位皇帝陈太宗。陈煚又先后为陈守度继女顺天公主和昭圣公主之夫婿。

• 女婿：黎辅陈。昭圣公主于元丰八年（1258年），嫁给大臣黎辅陈。。

评价

陈守度作为越南陈朝的主要缔造者，无论是当代人物及后世史家，均对他予以高度的注视。

在陈守度的时代，因他大权在握，而陈太宗年少，有人便以此向太宗弹劾他说：「陛下幼冲，而守度权移人主，将如社稷何？」太宗随即与弹劾者一起见陈守度，守度却十分同意此一批评，说：「诚如所言」，并赠给钱帛。而陈太宗本人对于陈守度的建树则甚为尊崇，在他还活著的时，已为之「制生祠碑文，以宠异之」。

后黎朝时，编撰《大越史记全书》的史官这样评价陈守度的历史作用：「陈家之制度矣，然规画国事，皆陈守度所为」；「守度虽无学问，然才略过人，仕李朝，为衆所推，太宗之得天下者，皆其谋力也。故为倚重，权移人主」；「守度虽为宰相，而凡事罔不加意，以此能辅成王业，而令终也。」不过史官亦以道德立场责备他：「然弑君烝后之罪，难逃于后世矣。」

阮朝嗣德帝评价：「守度，陈之功臣，即李之罪人。况为狗彘之行、豺狼之心，立国安能长久乎？然李亦自取其祸，又何责哉？」

近现代越南史家陈重金（即陈仲金）认为，陈守度是有助大越国强起来的「奸雄」：「守度虽胸无点墨，但确实是一个奸雄，刻意巩固陈氏基业，因此无论残暴到何种程度的事，都做得出来」；「对于李氏来说，守度确实是一个奸恶之徒，但却为陈氏的大功臣。他肩负许多重任，辅佐太宗平息国内叛乱，并整顿朝政，使当时我南国得以强盛起来，日后才能够抵抗蒙古，以免沦为这个强盛帝国的奴隶。」

日本学者桃木至朗认为，对于陈朝建立者的评价往往过大看重了陈守度的作用，而忽视了陈承和陈嗣庆。

注释

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