Trần Thủ Độ
Trần Thủ Độ was also an honest mandarin who never profited his high position for the benefit of his family. It was said that one time the Emperor wanted to appointed Trần Thủ Độ's elder brother Trần An Quốc for the position of grand chancellor. Trần Thủ Độ politely declined the Emperor's request by an answer: "An Quốc is my brother, if he is better than me then I had better retire from the position, but if Your Majesty think that I am better than him, so please not appoint him for grand chancellor. Because if we hold the same position then what royal court will become?". For his dedication, the Emperor personally redacted an epitaph for Trần Thủ Độ in his tomb. However, Trần Thủ Độ still remains as a controversial figure in History of Vietnam for his ruthless decisions against members of Lý royal family and his responsibility in the forced marriage between Trần Thái Tông and his brother Trần Liễu's wife, which was highly criticized by dynastic-era historians. Sometimes, his Machiavellian figure was compared with Dorgon, the powerful general who helped establish the Qing Dynasty's rule in China, or Cardinal Mazarin who was chief minister of France for 20 years.