After the Ly dynasty’s decline, the Tran dynasty rose to power in 1225 and achieved notable military triumphs, successfully repelling Mongol invasions in 1257, 1284, and 1288. In the first two invasions, Mongol forces temporarily occupied the capital but were forced to retreat shortly after. The most renowned defense took place in 1288 on the Bach Dang River, where General Tran Hung Dao, a prince of the Tran royal family, deployed a strategy reminiscent of Ngo Quyen’s earlier victory. Using the river’s tides and spikes hidden underwater, the Tran forces thwarted the Mongol navy, while the army suffered heavy losses and was ultimately driven back to China. This defeat, coinciding with the death of Kublai Khan, ended the Mongol threat to Dai Viet.

As the Tran dynasty weakened, Ho Qui Ly, a powerful court minister, seized the throne in 1400, establishing the Ho dynasty. Although short-lived, the Ho rulers enacted progressive reforms to address issues such as land scarcity by capping landholdings and redistributing land to peasants. They overhauled the tax system, introduced paper currency, opened ports to foreign trade, and implemented public health initiatives. Educational reforms introduced practical studies alongside Confucian classics, broadening the knowledge base for governance and trade.

However, as the Ho dynasty was gaining momentum, the newly established Ming dynasty in China set its sights southward. Claiming to restore the Tran dynasty, the Ming invaded in 1407, imposing direct rule over Dai Viet. They attempted to erase Vietnamese culture by banning local customs and destroying Vietnamese literature, art, and historical records, leaving a significant cultural impact that would fuel later resistance efforts.