Trần Thánh Tông
Lê Văn Hưu was born in 1230 in Phủ Lý village, Hà Nam now Phủ Lý District, Hà Nam. In February 1247 he ranked second in the Imperial examination organized under the reign of Trần Thái Tông and thus received the title "bảng nhãn" (榜眼, eyes positioned alongside). After the examination, he was appointed an official of the royal court of the Trần Dynasty and was gradually promoted to Hàn Lâm viện học sĩ (翰林院學士, Member of the Hanlin Academy) and Quốc sử viện giám tu (Supervisor of the royal bureau for historical records) during the reign of Trần Thánh Tông. Lê Văn Hưu was also the teacher of the Prince Chiêu Minh Trần Quang Khải, the younger brother of Trần Thánh Tông.