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The Ho lasted
for 7 years, from 1400 to 1407, with two kings:
-
Ho Quy Ly (1400)
- Ho Han Thuong (1401
- 1407)
The struggle
launched by peasants, serfs and slaves in the later half
of the 14th century weakened the Tran. Ho Quy
Ly was descendant of a high- ranking mandarin of the Le
family. He was talented and, as his two aunts married
the king, he soon became one of the high-ranking
mandarins of the Court. Using clever tactics Ho Quy Ly
quickly climbed to the highest position in the Court.
Ho Quy
Ly reorganized the rank of military officials and
grasped all political and military power in his hands.
Having founded a firm position, he decided on a number
of reforms to rescue the shaky State.
In 1396, he
had paper money issued and the circulation of bronze
coins banned. In 1397, he had the policy on land limits
promulgated, stipulating the area of land to be owned by
aristocrats, mandarins and landlords. The land in excess
would be given to the State.
In the next
year, he ordered the measurement of land in localities
and, at the same time, reorganized the court examination
system, developed education, and reduced the number of
monks.
In 1400, Ho
Quy Ly dethroned the King Tran and declared himself
king. Thus the Ho was founded. In subsequent years, he
promulgated policies on the limit of serfs (providing
the number of serfs to be owned by certain people in
society) and new taxation methods, etc.
Ho Quy Ly
also had a new population census conducted to serve as a
basis for troop recruitment and labor mobilization to
build projects for national defense. The
Ho Court
was resolute in opposing acts of aggression of the Ming
invaders.
Ho Quy Ly’s
reforms had far-reaching impacts on most social circles
and activities politically, militarily, culturally and
educationally. These reforms, more or less, limited the
concentration of land in the hands of the aristocrats
and landlords, and weakened the power of the Tran
family. The incomes of the central government increased
considerably.
However,
these reforms did not resolve the imperative demand of
the people’s lives and freedom. Serfs and slaves who had
been privately owned now belonged to the State. Peasants
had to contribute more than before while agriculture
declined.
Paper money
did not bring about desired convenience for trade. The
new tax policy made the people’s contributions more
complicated. In addition, Ho Quy Ly’s usurpation of the
throne sowed alarm and discontent among scholars and
mandarins. The aristocrats of the Tran took advantage of
this to oppose Ho Quy Ly. |
