Y Lan

Who is Y Lan?

Ỷ Lan or Empress Mother Linh Nhân was the imperial concubine of Lý Thánh Tông, the third emperor and the natural mother of Lý Nhân Tông, the fourth emperor of the Lý Dynasty. Being of commoner origin, Ỷ Lan was favoured by Lý Thánh Tông because she not only gave birth to his first child but also successfully acted the regency for him during the emperor's military campaign in the kingdom of Champa. After the death of Lý Thánh Tông, Ỷ Lan one more time took the position of regent by having the Empress Mother Thượng Dương and her servants killed after an order of Ỷ Lan's son Lý Nhân Tông. For her achievements, Ỷ Lan was considered one of the most important figures during the early Lý Dynasty and one of the few women who held significant political power in the dynastic time of the History of Vietnam.