Lê Uy Mục was portrayed in Đại Việt's historical annals as an arrogant and ruthless monarch.
Annalists during the Revival Lê dynasty recorded him as having killed many people including his grandmother and two of his ministers, as well as many imperial princes.
It was alleged that some Ming ambassadors, having examined the emperor Lê Uy Mục's aggressive physical appearance, labelled him as Demon King (Quỷ vương, 鬼王).
After hard fighting, rebel forces approached the imperial capital Thăng Long and killed the emperor, ending a short reign of only 4 years.
Parts including details about Lê Uy Mục was added by the minister Vũ Quỳnh in 1511.
In 1496, Emperor Lê Thánh Tông died, probably being poisoned by Empress Trường Lạc.
The emperor eventually designed his third son, Lê Thuần (mothered by Consort Nguyễn Hoàn) as Crown Prince.
Realising that he could not pass the disease, Túc Tông designated his elder brother Lê Tuấn as his successor.
[12] In 1505, Uy Mục ordered his servants to assassinate his grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Trường Lạc.
Prince Lê Oanh, after escaping from the bloody purge, together with a group of officials - notably Nguyễn Văn Lang plotted again the despotic ruler.