Dinh Bo Linh dispelled the anarchy of the 12 warlords to become king under the name Dinh Tien Hoang. He named the country Dai Co Viet (Great Viet) and set up the capital in Hoa Lu, which is now Ninh Binh.
Previously, in the context of the decline of the Wu dynasty, the warlords emerged from everywhere to seize power. There were 12 warlords ruling 12 regions of the country. These warlords tended to expand their power and seceded from the central government. Armed conflicts occurred throughout the country, leading to the people suffering.
The divide and conflicts threatened the territorial integrity and destiny of the nation. Facing this challenge, Dinh Bo Linh bravely defeated the 12 warlords and unified the country. He then founded the Dinh Dynasty in 968 and ascended to the throne under the name Dinh Tien Hoang.
The establishment of the centralised feudal state of Dai Co Viet is of great historical significance.
First of all, it was the most advanced institutional model for the country at that time, a model that had existed in China, and brought great development to Vietnam with many great inventions such as writing paper, and gunpowder, etc. This institutional model not only focused on the strength and resources of the nation, but also ensured more stability for economic development. No one could do business when the warlords continued to scramble for power and kill each other.
To a certain extent, the legal system had been formed. Although there was a legal system, people still had a relatively clear framework of what could or what could not be done. Thanks to that, they were able to take the initiative in doing business and pursuing happiness. This is a prerequisite for economic development, whereby culture and science also develop.
The centralised feudal state of Dai Co Viet was established and certainly brought about great development for the country, which was proved by the relics left in Hoa Lu and then in Thang Long (Hoa Lu was the first capital of the country until King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long (now Hanoi) in 1010), as well as the ability to fight foreign invaders attacking the country. Without a developed economy and strong military forces, Vietnam could not have defeated so many enemies later.
As mentioned above, the formation of the first centralised feudal state helped the country to gain enough strength to defeat many aggressors in the following wars. The centralised feudal state was a centralised model which concentrates power on the Emperor. Thanks to this intense concentration of power, the ability to unite the will and mobilise forces to fight invaders was enormous. History shows that fundamentally feudal states in Vietnam defeated all invaders except in some cases in modern times when capitalism dominated the world and the feudal state model became out-dated.
In particular, the establishment of the first centralised feudal state of Dai Co Viet confirmed the existence of an independent nation in a volatile historical period. It was a real milestone in the history of the nation. With the establishment of the national flag, the calendar year, the construction of a unified administrative system, the determination of territory, the organisation of the military, and the issuance of currency, Dai Co Viet was an independent nation compared to other countries at the time.
Finally, interestingly the Dai Co Viet feudal state was formed of a government with three levels of administration: the Central Court - the Tao (the intermediary level) - the Director (the grassroots level). The design of the government with three administrative levels is now the common standard in many modern states. Such a model helped to reduce unnecessary intermediary levels as well as operate quickly and effectively. It is considered as a useful lesson for the current government to learn from in its efforts to streamline the apparatus. The 1050th anniversary of the establishment of the centralised feudal state of Dai Co Viet was an important occasion to recognise the role and contributions made by the state to the development of the nation throughout history.
