Lê Chiêu Thống
Encyclopedia
Lê Chiêu Thống born Lê Duy Khiêm and later Lê Duy Kỳ, was the last king of the Vietnam
ese Lê Dynasty
.
. After Khiêm's father was killed by the ninth Trinh lord Trinh Sam
in 1771, he was jailed. In 1783, lord Trinh Khai deposed crown prince Lê Duy Cận and made Lê Duy Khiêm crown prince of Le Dynasty
.
led his force to northern Vietnam and destroyed the house of the Trinh Lords. The next year, 1787, the Le king Lê Hiển Tông
died of natural causes, and Nguyen Hue installed Lê Duy Khiêm on the throne as king Lê Chiêu Thống and then he withdrew almost all his troops to Phu Xuan
. Trinh lords members took advantage of Nguyen Hue's absence. Two Trinh heirs, Trịnh Bồng and Trịnh Lệ, appeared and made their claims to the lord throne. King Lê Chiêu Thống appointed Trinh Bong as the next Trịnh lord which triggered Trịnh Lệ to revolt. After suppressing Trịnh Lệ forces, Trịnh Bồng became the most powerful man in north Vietnam but his leadership was bad. Entire north Vietnam sank into chaos, thus making King Lê Chiêu Thống ask for a helping hand from Nguyễn Hữu Chỉnh, Tay Son governor of Nghe An. Nguyen Huu Chinh led an army marched north, easily defeated Trinh army, forced Trinh Bong to flee and captured Thang Long. After pacifying the region, Nguyen Huu Chinh abused power for his own interests, thus impinging Nguyen Hue's political status.
After learning about actions of Nguyễn Hữu Chỉnh, Nguyen Hue sent north a general named Vũ Văn Nhậm with an army to attack Thang Long
(now Hanoi). Vu Van Nham swiftly defeated and killed Nguyen Huu Chinh and occupied Thang Long, but then he took the power himself. Nguyen Hue sent two other generals to suppress Vu Van Nham and recaptured Thang Long. Meanwhile, Le Chieu Thong fled to the furthest north of Vietnam and refused Nguyen Hue's invitations to return. He gathered a small army of Lê Dynasty loyalists and sent his family to China
to ask for the aid of Emperor Qianlong
of China. Emperor Qianlong agreed and sent north Vietnam a massive army. Under the banner of the Le king, the large Qing army easily drove Tay Son out of north Vietnam and took over Thang Long. After occupation of northern Vietnam, Qing marshal Soun Che-y reinstalled Lê Chiêu Thống as a puppet ruler. Although Le Chieu Thong did not have much ruling power, he began taking a bloody revenge on Tay Son supporters and forced people to supply him food in spite of war and famine.
The actions of Lê Chiêu Thống and the invasion of Qing gave Nguyen Hue a good chance to officially take the throne and gain popularity among northern Vietnamese people. On 22 December 1788, Nguyen Hue proclaimed himself emperor Quang Trung and formally declared that the Lê Dynasty had ended. He then led an army march north. Although the Tay Son army was smaller, they defeated the unprepared Qing troops in a series of battles during the 1789 Lunar New Year
celebration and forced the rest of Qing army to flee in confusion. Le Chieu Thong fled to China which marked the end of Le Dynasty
.
of China any more. He spent the rest of his life in China, and died in 1793.
In 1802, when envoys of Nguyen dynasty came to China, Lê Dynasty loyalists requested Emperor Jiaqing
to let them bring Lê Chiêu Thống's remains back to Vietnam and the Emperor agreed. Emperor Jiaqing
also freed all followers of Lê Chiêu Thống who were imprisoned in China.
Le Chieu Thong's remains are buried in Ban Thach village, Thanh Hoa
, Vietnam
. He was posthumously given the title Mẫn Đế (愍帝).
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese Lê Dynasty
Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
.
Early life
Lê Duy Khiêm was the eldest son of Lê Duy Vĩ who was the first crown prince of king Lê Hiển TôngLê Hiển Tông
Lê Hiển Tông , born Lê Duy Hiệu, was the second-last king of Vietnamese Lê Dynasty. He reigned from 1740 to 1786 and was succeeded by his grandson Lê Duy Kỳ.-References:...
. After Khiêm's father was killed by the ninth Trinh lord Trinh Sam
Trinh Sam
Trịnh Sâm ruled northern Vietnam from 1767 to 1782 AD. He ruled with the title "Tinh Do Vuong", and was one of the last of the powerful Trịnh Lords. Trịnh Sâm defeated the ancient enemy of the northern state, the Nguyễn Lords in the south...
in 1771, he was jailed. In 1783, lord Trinh Khai deposed crown prince Lê Duy Cận and made Lê Duy Khiêm crown prince of Le Dynasty
Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
.
Succession and reign
In 1786, the Tay Son general Nguyễn HuệNguyen Hue
Nguyễn Huệ, also known as Emperor Quang Trung , born in Bình Định in 1753, died in Phú Xuân on 16 September 1792, was the second emperor of the Tây Sơn Dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 1788 until 1792...
led his force to northern Vietnam and destroyed the house of the Trinh Lords. The next year, 1787, the Le king Lê Hiển Tông
Lê Hiển Tông
Lê Hiển Tông , born Lê Duy Hiệu, was the second-last king of Vietnamese Lê Dynasty. He reigned from 1740 to 1786 and was succeeded by his grandson Lê Duy Kỳ.-References:...
died of natural causes, and Nguyen Hue installed Lê Duy Khiêm on the throne as king Lê Chiêu Thống and then he withdrew almost all his troops to Phu Xuan
Phú Xuân
Phú Xuân is an historic place in Huế, Vietnam. It was the capital of the Nguyễn Lords, the Tây Sơn Dynasty, and later became a part of the Nguyễn Dynasty’s capital in Huế....
. Trinh lords members took advantage of Nguyen Hue's absence. Two Trinh heirs, Trịnh Bồng and Trịnh Lệ, appeared and made their claims to the lord throne. King Lê Chiêu Thống appointed Trinh Bong as the next Trịnh lord which triggered Trịnh Lệ to revolt. After suppressing Trịnh Lệ forces, Trịnh Bồng became the most powerful man in north Vietnam but his leadership was bad. Entire north Vietnam sank into chaos, thus making King Lê Chiêu Thống ask for a helping hand from Nguyễn Hữu Chỉnh, Tay Son governor of Nghe An. Nguyen Huu Chinh led an army marched north, easily defeated Trinh army, forced Trinh Bong to flee and captured Thang Long. After pacifying the region, Nguyen Huu Chinh abused power for his own interests, thus impinging Nguyen Hue's political status.
After learning about actions of Nguyễn Hữu Chỉnh, Nguyen Hue sent north a general named Vũ Văn Nhậm with an army to attack Thang Long
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
(now Hanoi). Vu Van Nham swiftly defeated and killed Nguyen Huu Chinh and occupied Thang Long, but then he took the power himself. Nguyen Hue sent two other generals to suppress Vu Van Nham and recaptured Thang Long. Meanwhile, Le Chieu Thong fled to the furthest north of Vietnam and refused Nguyen Hue's invitations to return. He gathered a small army of Lê Dynasty loyalists and sent his family to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to ask for the aid of Emperor Qianlong
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
of China. Emperor Qianlong agreed and sent north Vietnam a massive army. Under the banner of the Le king, the large Qing army easily drove Tay Son out of north Vietnam and took over Thang Long. After occupation of northern Vietnam, Qing marshal Soun Che-y reinstalled Lê Chiêu Thống as a puppet ruler. Although Le Chieu Thong did not have much ruling power, he began taking a bloody revenge on Tay Son supporters and forced people to supply him food in spite of war and famine.
The actions of Lê Chiêu Thống and the invasion of Qing gave Nguyen Hue a good chance to officially take the throne and gain popularity among northern Vietnamese people. On 22 December 1788, Nguyen Hue proclaimed himself emperor Quang Trung and formally declared that the Lê Dynasty had ended. He then led an army march north. Although the Tay Son army was smaller, they defeated the unprepared Qing troops in a series of battles during the 1789 Lunar New Year
Tet
Tet can mean:*Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese new year**Tet Offensive, a military campaign that began in 1968*Têt in Roussillon, France*Equal temperament, abbreviated as 12-TET, 19-TET and so on...
celebration and forced the rest of Qing army to flee in confusion. Le Chieu Thong fled to China which marked the end of Le Dynasty
Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
.
Exile and death
After the war, Nguyen Hue sent a request of recognition to China and it was accepted with conditions. The Qing dynasty recognized Nguyen Hue as a new ruler of Vietnam and gave him the traditional title "An Nam Quốc Vương" (King of Pacified South). From this point on, Le Chieu Thong could not manage to have aid from Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
of China any more. He spent the rest of his life in China, and died in 1793.
In 1802, when envoys of Nguyen dynasty came to China, Lê Dynasty loyalists requested Emperor Jiaqing
Jiaqing Emperor
The Jiaqing Emperor was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1796 to 1820....
to let them bring Lê Chiêu Thống's remains back to Vietnam and the Emperor agreed. Emperor Jiaqing
Jiaqing Emperor
The Jiaqing Emperor was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1796 to 1820....
also freed all followers of Lê Chiêu Thống who were imprisoned in China.
Le Chieu Thong's remains are buried in Ban Thach village, Thanh Hoa
Thanh Hóa
Thanh Hóa is the capital city of Vietnam's Thanh Hoa province. The population is nearly 200,000 with an area of only 57.9 square kilometers....
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. He was posthumously given the title Mẫn Đế (愍帝).