In 938, after defeating the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River, Ngo Quyen chose Co Loa as the capital, ending 1000 years of Northern domination. Ngo Quyen has 4 sons: Ngô Xương Ngập (Thiên Sách Vương), Ngô Xương Văn (Nam Tấn Vương), Ngô Nam Hưng, Ngô Càn Hưng (no information).

Ngô Xương Văn is the second-born son of Ngô Quyền, so after Dương Tam Kha usurped the throne, his brother Xương Ngập fled to Nam Sách, Ngô Xương Văn became a puppet under the control of the Duong family. In 950, Xuong Van was sent by Duong Tam Kha with two generals, Dương Cát Lợi and Đỗ Cảng Thạc, to attack two villages of Đường and Nguyễn in Thái Bình. Taking advantage of that opportunity, Xương Văn persuaded two generals to overthrow Duong Tam Kha and take the power back to him.

In 951, after dethroning Tam Kha, Ngô Xương Văn ascended to the throne, claiming to be Nam Tan Vuong, and welcomed him as Xuong Ngan to the capital, to take care of the country's affairs.

At that time, Thiên Sách Vương Xương Ngập was autocratic, and Nam Tấn Vương was not allowed to attend politics anymore. So the two kings quarreled with each other. In 954, Ngô Xương Ngập died, Ngô Xương Văn sent an envoy to meet the Southern Han king Lưu Xưởng. Lưu Xưởng appointed as Tỉnh Hải quân.

In 965, while sending troops to fight Đường and Nguyễn villages in Thai Binh, Ngô Xương Văn was shot and killed by a crossbow.

The historian of the Le dynasty - Ngo Si Lien wrote: " Nam Tấn Vương of the Ngô Dynasty took the righteous way to eliminate the wicked, restore the old inheritance, satisfy the spirits of the ancestors, and relieve the anger of gods and people. There are political innovations. But because of humanity, he did not punish Tam Kha for usurping the throne; finally he died in an impulsive battle in the two villages of Đường and Nguyễn. Unfortunately!