Around 3000 BCE, Austronesian-speaking peoples began migrating from Taiwan into the Philippines and Indonesia, eventually spreading across the Pacific and as far as Madagascar.
According to Vietnamese historiographical tradition, the Hồng Bàng dynasty was founded in 2879 BCE and the Hùng kings ruled Văn Lang; the date is legendary.
A Bronze Age and early Iron Age culture of the Red River valley and north-central Vietnam, famous for its bronze drums.
Thục Phán (An Dương Vương) unites the Âu Việt and Lạc Việt into the kingdom of Âu Lạc, with its capital at Cổ Loa; 257 BCE is the traditional date.
Zhao Tuo, king of Nanyue, conquers Âu Lạc and incorporates it into Nanyue; traditionally dated to 179 BCE.
The Han dynasty conquers Nanyue in 111 BCE and establishes the commanderies of Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen and Rinan, beginning a long period of Chinese rule.
Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị lead a revolt against the Eastern Han and rule Jiaozhi independently, with Trưng Trắc proclaimed queen.
Funan emerges in the lower Mekong region, becoming a hub of maritime trade between India and China.
A revolt against Han rule in Rinan commandery founds the kingdom of Linyi, the precursor of Champa in central Vietnam.
Triệu Thị Trinh leads an uprising against Eastern Wu rule in Jiuzhen.
After expelling the Liang, Lý Bí proclaims himself Emperor Lý Nam Đế of the state of Vạn Xuân.
The Chinese monk Yijing stops at Srivijaya (Palembang) to study Sanskrit, recording it as a centre of Buddhist learning and maritime trade.
Mai Thúc Loan rebels against Tang rule in Hoan Châu and proclaims himself emperor before the revolt is suppressed.
The Sailendra dynasty builds Borobudur in Central Java, the largest Buddhist monument in the world.
Jayavarman II proclaims himself chakravartin (universal monarch) on Phnom Kulen, declaring independence from Java and founding the Khmer Empire.
Taking advantage of Tang decline, Khúc Thừa Dụ seizes Tống Bình and takes the title of military governor, beginning Vietnamese self-rule.
Ngô Quyền defeats the Southern Han fleet on the Bạch Đằng River using hidden stakes, ending a millennium of Chinese rule.
After his victory at Bạch Đằng, Ngô Quyền proclaims himself king with his capital at Cổ Loa, inaugurating lasting independence.
After the decline of the Ngô dynasty, the country fragments among rival warlords until Đinh Bộ Lĩnh reunifies it in 968.
Ngô Quyền dies; the Ngô dynasty weakens amid succession disputes.
Đinh Bộ Lĩnh ends the Anarchy of the 12 Warlords, takes the throne and names the state Đại Cồ Việt, with its capital at Hoa Lư.
Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng and his eldest son Đinh Liễn are assassinated at the capital Hoa Lư.
Facing a Song invasion, the commander Lê Hoàn is placed on the throne, founding the Early Lê dynasty.
Forces of Đại Cồ Việt under Lê Hoàn defeat a Song dynasty invasion, including an engagement on the Bạch Đằng River.
Lý Công Uẩn is enthroned by the court, founding the Lý dynasty, which lasts more than two centuries.
Lý Công Uẩn issues the Edict on the Transfer of the Capital, moving it from Hoa Lư to Đại La and renaming it Thăng Long (today's Hanoi).
The fleet of the Chola king Rajendra I raids Srivijayan ports along the Strait of Malacca, weakening the maritime empire.
Anawrahta takes the throne at Pagan, going on to unify the Irrawaddy valley and establish Theravada Buddhism in Burma.
Emperor Lý Thái Tông has the One Pillar Pagoda built in Thăng Long; it becomes an emblem of Hanoi.
Emperor Lý Thánh Tông renames the country from Đại Cồ Việt to Đại Việt, the name used for most of the following centuries.
Emperor Lý Thánh Tông founds the Temple of Literature in Thăng Long, dedicated to Confucius.
Emperor Lý Nhân Tông holds the first civil service examination in Đại Việt; Lê Văn Thịnh passes first.
To disrupt Song preparations for invasion, Lý Thường Kiệt attacks Qin, Lian and Yong prefectures in southern China (1075–1076).
The Lý court establishes the Imperial Academy beside the Temple of Literature, regarded as Vietnam's first university.
Lý Thường Kiệt halts the Song invasion at the Như Nguyệt (Cầu) River; tradition links the poem "Nam quốc sơn hà" to the battle.
King Suryavarman II builds Angkor Wat, originally a temple to Vishnu and today the largest religious monument in the world.
Jayavarman VII becomes Khmer king, bringing the empire to its greatest extent and building Angkor Thom and the Bayon.
Empress Lý Chiêu Hoàng cedes the throne to her husband Trần Cảnh (Trần Thái Tông), founding the Trần dynasty under the regency of Trần Thủ Độ.
Tai leaders break from Khmer control and found Sukhothai, often regarded as the first Thai kingdom.
Mongol forces under Uriyangqadai occupy Thăng Long but withdraw after the Battle of Đông Bộ Đầu.
Historian Lê Văn Hưu completes the Đại Việt sử ký, the first official national history of Vietnam.
Yuan forces under Toghon invade Đại Việt; Trần forces led by Trần Hưng Đạo counter-attack and drive them out.
Trần Hưng Đạo destroys the Yuan fleet on the Bạch Đằng River, ending the third Mongol invasion of Đại Việt.
Raden Wijaya exploits the Yuan expedition to Java to found Majapahit, the most powerful Hindu-Buddhist empire of the Indonesian archipelago.
Trần Hưng Đạo, commander of Đại Việt's resistance to the Mongol invasions, dies.
Princess Huyền Trân marries King Jaya Simhavarman III of Champa, who cedes the districts of Ô and Lý (around modern Quảng Trị and Huế) to Đại Việt.
Retired emperor Trần Nhân Tông, founder of the Trúc Lâm school of Zen Buddhism, dies on Mount Yên Tử.
King Ramathibodi I founds the capital of Ayutthaya, beginning a Siamese kingdom that lasts over four centuries.
Fa Ngum unites the Lao principalities into the kingdom of Lan Xang ("Million Elephants"), the forerunner of modern Laos.
Cham forces under King Po Binasuor (Chế Bồng Nga) sack the Đại Việt capital Thăng Long.