Around the year 930, as Ngô Quyền rose to power, northern Vietnam was militarily occupied by Southern Han and was treated as an autonomous province and vassal state of China and was referred to as Tĩnh Hải quân. Every year the Jiedushi of Tĩnh Hải quân had to pay tribute to China in exchange for peace and political support. Beginning of the 10th century, China was domestically plagued and weakened by internal civil war during what is known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The emperor of China was preoccupied with these civil struggles and lost their grip on Tĩnh Hải quân periodically. Tĩnh Hải quân took advantage of this opportunity and proclaimed its independence and seceded from China. Under the rule of Lord Protector Dương Đình Nghệ, Tĩnh Hải quân state initiated a full blown military campaign for independence.

Dương Đình Nghệ, 937–938) was the self-appointed Jiedushi (regional military governor) around 930. He was a skillful, well-respected, and talented general under Jiedushi Khúc Hạo, descendant of the Khúc family who had sought independence from the Chinese for three generations in the late 9th century. Dương Đình Nghệ's continued the campaign for independence and his rule however was challenged and he was eventually assassinated by a subordinate warlord Kiều Công Tiễn in 938 who tried to usurp with loyalty to the Southern Han court and in turn gain their support as a puppet ruler.

Ngô Quyền (897–944) was Dương Đình Nghệ's most loyal general and son-in-law. He served under Dương Đình Nghệ's command and married one of his daughters. After he saw his mentor and father-in-law killed, Ngô Quyền sought revenge. He launched an attack and defeated Kiều Công Tiễn in 938. The latter, before his death in battle with Ngô Quyền, sent an emissary to Southern Han court to seek for military re-enforcement. The Chinese emperor then sent an army to the South land to assist Kiều Công Tiễn in 938. However, Ngô Quyền's forces were tipped off over the advancing Southern Han army and therefore he quickly mobilized his forces and strategically stationed them in key battle sites.

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