Queen Nguyễn Thị Anh, regent of Dai Viet, has over the past several years come into greater conflict with Imperial Councilor Trịnh Khả and the other oligarchs who rule the country.

The Queen has gained some support from the Confucian scholars who had passed the Imperial examinations and have tried to rule much like their Chinese colleges to the north rule in the Ming imperial system.

The nobles in turn have tried to limit the power of the scholars and maintain their own control over the government.

For reasons lost to history, the Queen had ordered Trịnh Khả and his eldest son executed in August 1451.

Two years later, upon the official enthronement of Lê Nhân Tông (at the age of twelve), Trịnh Khả had been pardoned and new lands had been given to the Trịnh family, which will continued to be a major noble family in Vietnam.

Prince Tu had been educated just like his half brother, the emperor, at the palace in Hanoi.

When his elder half brother, Nghi Dân, staged a coup in 1459 and killed the emperor, Prince Tu had been spared.

Nine months later, when the second counter-coup had been successfully carried out, the plotters ask Prince Tu to become the new emperor and he accepts, taking the throne as Lê Thánh Tông.