An Tư princess

An Tư was a princess during the Trần Dynasty, the smallest offspring of emperor Trần Thái Tông. Today, nobody knows exactly her birth and death year. "Đại Việt sử kí toàn thư" only wrote “ordering servants to give An Tư to Thoát Hoan as a present was to decrease disaster happened to our country”.

acrifice for her motherland

In early 1285, Yuan army invaded Đại Việt at the second time, Thoát Hoan led his army to attack Gia Lâm, surrounded capital Thăng Long. Grand emperor Trần Thánh Tông and emperor Trần Nhân Tông went to Tam Trĩ by a small boat. The luxurious one went to Ngọc Sơn to mislead invaders, but they were discovered. On 9th march, Yuan marinates surrounded Tam Trĩ and almost captured Grand emperor and emperor. Needed time to consolidate and organize the army and slowed down the step of Yuan army, Trần Thánh Tông unavoidably gave his little sister, princess An Tư to Thoát Hoan, as a gift.

After that, in April, the Trần army began to counterattack, having win after win. Yuan army completely lost. Thoát Hoan had to hide in a bronze pot to pass the frontier.Great Viet history did not mention An Tư any time, but in “ An Nam Chí lược” written by Lê Tắc, Trần Kiện’s servant, following his master to China, wrote “ Crown prince (mention Thoát Hoan) married a Trần woman, had two children”. May be, the Trần woman here was An Tư.

The novel princess An Tư, written by Nguyễn Huy Tưởng, was based on this true story.