Duong Dinh Nghe was a prominent general under the Khuc family, the first Vietnamese clan to achieve autonomy after the fall of the Tang Dynasty. He was based in Ai Prefecture (modern Thanh Hoa) and commanded a private army of thousands of loyal soldiers.
In 930, when the Southern Han Dynasty captured Dai La and took the Vietnamese leader Khuc Thua My prisoner, Duong Dinh Nghe mobilized his forces to reclaim the land. In 931, he successfully besieged and captured Dai La, defeating the Southern Han army and forcing them to retreat. Following this victory, he declared himself Jiedushi (Military Governor) and governed the region with broad popular support.
Duong Dinh Nghe was a mentor and the father-in-law of Ngo Quyen, who would later achieve final independence. His rule ended in 937 when he was assassinated by his subordinate, Kieu Cong Tien, an act that triggered the events leading to the Battle of Bach Dang.