Which king had the most queens in Vietnamese history?

The person mentioned is the case of King Ly Thai To (974-1028).

Ly Thai To's real name was Ly Cong Uan, from Co Phap district (now Tu Son, Bac Ninh ). He used to work in the Tien Le court in Hoa Lu. Later, during the reign of Le Long Dinh, he was appointed as the Left Bodyguard Commander of the King's Guards.

Also during his time as an official of the Tien Le Dynasty, Ly Cong Uan was married to Princess Le Thi Phat Ngan (daughter of King Le Dai Hanh and Queen Duong Van Nga) by King Le Dai Hanh.

In 1009, King Le Long Dinh passed away, Ly Cong Uan was enthroned as king, established the Ly dynasty, and became one of the wise kings who had a great influence on Vietnamese history. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. This was a historic turning point for the nation, opening a new era for the country.

Ly Thai To was the king with the most queens in Vietnamese history. (Illustration photo)

During his 20-year reign, Ly Thai To was the king with the most queens in the Ly Dynasty in particular and in Vietnamese feudal history in general. Specifically, after ascending the throne, he had 6 queens. In 1016, this king continued to have 3 more queens, bringing the total number of his queens to 9. However, the names of each queen are no longer specifically recorded.

According to history books, besides King Ly Thai To, all 9 kings of the Ly dynasty also had many queens. Among them, the one with the fewest queens was King Ly Than Tong with 3 queens.

Regarding the reason why the Ly dynasty kings established many queens, according to the book Telling stories in the harem, the polygamy system was inherited from the Tien Le dynasty. At that time, although the central government had been established, many places, especially ethnic minority areas and places far from the capital, still did not wholeheartedly turn to the royal court.

To stabilize the situation and limit civil war, the kings of the Early Le and Ly dynasties chose the daughters or sisters of the clan leaders to be queens. This was the king's respect for internal and external forces, ensuring the division of power, the forces controlling each other and reducing pressure on the central government.

Kim Nha

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/vi-vua-nao-co-nhieu-hoang-hau-nhat-su-viet-ar892425.html