Lam Sơn Uprising Begins

Timeline

1. 1418Lam Sơn · Thanh Hóa ProvinceLê Lợi, a notable family head of Thanh Hóa, set up an altar at Lam Sơn to swear in his troops, calling himself the 'Great King Who Pacifies Wu', with the slogan of restoring the Trần dynasty and expelling Ming troops. He first gathered several hundred local militia, occupied strongholds in rugged terrain, and openly resisted Ming rule of Jiaozhi.
2. 1418Subordinate counties of Thanh Hóa Prefecture · Thanh Hóa ProvinceThe rebels marched against the counties under Thanh Hóa Prefecture and at one point occupied some towns and forts. Ming forces dispatched generals to suppress them; Lê Lợi was defeated and retreated into the depths of Lam Sơn, but the spark of the uprising had already spread to neighboring villages.
3. 1418Deep valleys of Lam Sơn · Thanh Hóa ProvinceAfter the initial defeat, Lê Lợi led his remnant forces into the dense forests of Lam Sơn to rest, recover, and recruit fugitives. Ming troops found it difficult to penetrate deep for encirclement and suppression, allowing the rebels to preserve their strength and laying the groundwork for the shift to guerrilla warfare the following year.