Nguyen Hue
Encyclopedia
Nguyễn Huệ, also known as Emperor Quang Trung (光中皇帝; Quang Trung Hoàng đế ), 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. He was also one of the most successful military commanders in Vietnam's history.
Nguyễn Huệ and his brothers, together known as the Tây Sơn Brothers, were the leaders of the famous Tây Sơn Rebellion. As rebels, they conquered Vietnam, overthrowing the imperial Later Lê Dynasty
and the two rival feudal houses of the Nguyễn in the south and the Trinh in the north.
After several years of constant military campaigning and rule, Nguyễn Huệ died at the age of 40, possibly due to a stroke
. Prior to his death, he had made plans to continue his march southwards in order to destroy the army of Nguyễn Ánh, a surviving heir of the Nguyễn Lords. Nguyễn Huệ's death led to the downfall of the Tây Sơn Dynasty. His successors were unable to follow the plans he had made for ruling Vietnam. However, his conquests marked the beginning of approximately a century in which Vietnam was both unified and independent until the Western conquest of Vietnam in 1885.
. Through his work he met and married Nguyễn Thị Đồng, the only daughter of a rich betel tradesman residing in Tây Sơn village. One of their children was Huệ's father Hồ Phi Phúc (also known as Nguyễn Phi Phúc). Some sources say that in taking on the surname Nguyễn, the family followed the surname of Huệ's mother; other sources say that it followed the surname of Nguyễn Lords of southern Vietnam.
Nguyễn Huệ was born in 1753 in Tây Sơn village, Nghia Binh province (now Bình Định). He was the second of three brothers in a family with eight children. His father, Nguyễn Phi Phúc, made the three brothers dedicate themselves to their studies early in life. Their martial arts master was Trương Văn Hiến, a learned guest (môn khách) and friend of Trương Văn Hạnh, who in turn was the teacher of Nguyễn Phúc Luân, the father of Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (or Nguyễn Ánh). Trương Văn Hiến also instructed the brothers in literature, history, and the military arts. He was first man to discover the talents of the Tây Sơn Brothers and to advise them to do great deeds. It is possible that the prophecy ""Tây khởi nghĩa, Bắc thu công" (Revolt in the West, success in the North) is his. Trương Văn Hiến fled to Bình Định after a powerful government official named Trương Phúc Loan killed his friend Trương Văn Hạnh.
Seeking to overthrow the powerful official Trương Phúc Loan and to help the prince Nguyễn Phúc Dương, the eldest of the Tây Sơn Brothers, Nguyễn Nhạc, gathered an army and revolted in 1771. He was aided by his brothers Nguyễn Huệ and Nguyễn Lữ. In the early days of the rebellion, Huệ was the most helpful of Nhạc's generals both in finance and in training the army; with the encouragement of Trương Văn Hiến and his own talent, Huệ rapidly increased his own popularity and that of the Tây Sơn Rebellion.
Due to its popularity, the Tây Sơn Army grew strong and attracted many talented generals, (such as Nguyễn Thung, Bùi Thị Xuân
, Võ Văn Dũng, Võ Đình Tú, Trần Quang Diệu, Trương Mỹ Ngọc, and Võ Xuân Hoài). The rebels became famous for their policy: "fair, no corruption, only looting the rich, and help the poor" (công bằng, không tham nhũng, và chỉ cướp của của người giàu, giúp người nghèo).
In 1774, the government of the Nguyễn Lords sent a large army led by general Tống Phúc Hiệp against the Tây Sơn rebels. From Gia Dinh, the troops marched to northern central Vietnam, and after several battles they recaptured Bình Thuận, Diên Khánh
, and Bình Khang. The rebel army of the Tây Sơn now only held the land from Phú Yên to Quảng Ngãi.
Also in 1774, the ruler of northern Vietnam, Trịnh Sâm,sent a massive army of 30,000 soldiers led by general Hoàng Ngũ Phúc southwards with the same purpose as that of the Tây Sơn rebel army, namely to help the Nguyễn Lords fight Trương Phúc Loan. The northern troops were unobstructed in their march to Phú Xuân
, the governmental capital of the Nguyễn Lords. The government of the Nguyễn Lords feared the beginning of an unmanageable war on two fronts. Officials of the government arrested Trương Phúc Loan and gave him up to the troops of the Trịnh Lords. The Trịnh Lords, however, continued attacking Phú Xuân under the pretext of helping the Nguyễn Lords suppress the Tây Sơn rebellion. The Nguyễn Lord Nguyễn Phúc Thuần and his officials initially attempted to resist the attack, but ended up fleeing to Quảng Nam.
Seizing the opportunity, Nguyễn Nhạc led an army (with naval support) against Quảng Nam. Once again, the Nguyễn Lord Nguyễn Phúc Thuần fled, this time by sea to Gia Dinh, accompanied by Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, and leaving behind his nephew Nguyễn Phúc Dương. Early in 1775, the army of the Trịnh Lords marched on Quảng Nam at the same time as the Tây Sơn troops reached Quảng Nam. Tây Sơn troops searched for and then captured Nguyễn Phúc Dương. The army of the Trịnh Lords crossed the pass at Hai Van gorge, engaged the Tây Sơn troops, and defeated them.
At the same time, the general of the Nguyễn Lords Tống Phúc Hiệp led his troops against Phú Yên, forcing the Tây Sơn army to withdraw.
Fearing a war on two fronts, Nguyễn Nhạc sent Hoàng Ngũ Phúc a proposal that if the Trịnh Lords recognized the Tây Sơn Rebel Army, the Tây Sơn would help the Trịnh Lords fight against the Nguyễn Lords. The proposal was accepted, and Nguyễn Nhạc was made an official of the Trịnh Lords. Nhac also made peace with the Nguyễn Lords, causing Tống Phúc Hiệp to take off the pressure, and deluded Prince Nguyễn Phúc Dương. His diplomacy provisionally made Tây Sơn's enemies inactive and bought him valuable time to shore up his army.
Tống Phúc Hiệp, who had been deceived by Nguyện Nhạc peaceful overtures, did not pay much attention to Nhạc's activities. He did not prepare for either defending or attacking. Nhạc made use of Hiệp's inactivity, and sent troops led by his brother Nguyễn Huệ against him. The Tây Sơn troops swiftly defeated the unprepared troops of the Nguyễn Lords and inflicted heavy losses upon them. Tống Phúc Hiệp and his troops fled to Van Phong. It was the first great victory achieved by Huệ. Nhạc sent news of the victory to Hoàng Ngũ Phúc. On Phuc's request, the Trinh rewarded Nhạc with a new office.
Because the troops of the Trịnh Lords lacked familiarity with the southern country, Hoàng Ngũ Phúc withdrew the troops to the north. En route, he died of natural causes. Phúc's death marked the end of the Trịnh Lords' interventions in the south. While the army of the Trịnh Lords withdrew to Thuận Hóa, Tây Sơn moved quickly in sending its troops to take over the abandoned territory and to suppress elements loyal to the Nguyễn Lords.
. His success was short-lived, however, when an army loyal to the Nguyễn Lords and led by a man named Đỗ Thành Nhân rose against him in Đông Sơn. The loyalist army attacked and forced Tây Sơn's troops to withdraw from Sài Côn. Before withdrawing, Lữ seized the local foodstores and took them back to Quy Nhơn.
Nguyễn Nhạc, due to his power, repaired to Đồ Bàn city and in 1776 proclaimed himself King of Tây Sơn , choosing Đồ Bàn as his capital. He gave Huệ the title Phụ Chính (Vice National Administrator).
of the Great Qing Empire sent a massive army south with Lê Chiêu Thống
(the last official Lê emperor) in 1788 to restore him to the throne, though under Chinese protection of course. Nguyễn Huệ gathered his forces around Thăng Long (today called Ha Noi) which had been taken by the Qing army. In a brilliantly successful battle, Nguyễn Huệ made a surprise attack against the Chinese during Tết
, the Vietnamese lunar new year holiday. This was traditionally a time of peace for all sides and the Qing troops were unprepared for battle. In a fierce 5-day battle they were soundly and stunningly defeated and Lê Chiêu Thống was forced to flee for his life back to China. Yet, Nguyễn Huệ showed considerable gallantry to the defeated Chinese, allowing them to return home with honor and encouraging a peaceful relationship in keeping with previous arrangements, with the Qing Emperor. As for himself, Nguyễn Huệ had become the national savior of Vietnam and the most popular figure in the country. He was subsequently proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam with the name Quang Trung.
Binh Dinh Province
Bình Định is a province of Vietnam. It is located in Vietnam's South Central Coast region.-Administration:Binh Dinh is divided into one city and 10 districts:*An Lão*An Nhơn*Hoài Ân*Hoài Nhơn*Phù Cát*Phù Mỹ*Tuy Phước*Tây Sơn*Vân Canh...
in 1753, died in Phú Xuân
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
on 16 September 1792, was the second emperor of the Tây Sơn Dynasty
Tây Son Dynasty
The name of Tây Sơn is used in many ways to refer to the period of peasant rebellions and decentralized dynasties established between the eras of the Later Lê and Nguyễn dynasties in the history of Vietnam between 1770 and 1802...
of 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 –...
, reigning from 1788 until 1792. He was also one of the most successful military commanders in Vietnam's history.
Nguyễn Huệ and his brothers, together known as the Tây Sơn Brothers, were the leaders of the famous Tây Sơn Rebellion. As rebels, they conquered Vietnam, overthrowing the imperial Later 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....
and the two rival feudal houses of the Nguyễn in the south and the Trinh in the north.
After several years of constant military campaigning and rule, Nguyễn Huệ died at the age of 40, possibly due to a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. Prior to his death, he had made plans to continue his march southwards in order to destroy the army of Nguyễn Ánh, a surviving heir of the Nguyễn Lords. Nguyễn Huệ's death led to the downfall of the Tây Sơn Dynasty. His successors were unable to follow the plans he had made for ruling Vietnam. However, his conquests marked the beginning of approximately a century in which Vietnam was both unified and independent until the Western conquest of Vietnam in 1885.
Early life
According to multiple sources, Nguyễn Huệ's ancestors were peasants who lived in Nghệ An. They left Nghệ An and moved to southern Vietnam after an attack by the Nguyễn Lords against the Trịnh Lords in Nghệ An. His ancestors' surname was Hồ (胡), but Huệ's great grandfather Hồ Phi Long, who was a servant of the Dinh family of Bằng Chân hamlet, Tuy Viễn district (or An Nhơn), Quy Nhơn province, married a woman from the Dinh family and had a son named Hồ Phi Tiễn, Huệ's grandfather. Hồ Phi Tiễn did not continue farming as his father, but instead traded in betelBetel
The Betel is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family, which includes pepper and Kava. It is valued both as a mild stimulant and for its medicinal properties...
. Through his work he met and married Nguyễn Thị Đồng, the only daughter of a rich betel tradesman residing in Tây Sơn village. One of their children was Huệ's father Hồ Phi Phúc (also known as Nguyễn Phi Phúc). Some sources say that in taking on the surname Nguyễn, the family followed the surname of Huệ's mother; other sources say that it followed the surname of Nguyễn Lords of southern Vietnam.
Nguyễn Huệ was born in 1753 in Tây Sơn village, Nghia Binh province (now Bình Định). He was the second of three brothers in a family with eight children. His father, Nguyễn Phi Phúc, made the three brothers dedicate themselves to their studies early in life. Their martial arts master was Trương Văn Hiến, a learned guest (môn khách) and friend of Trương Văn Hạnh, who in turn was the teacher of Nguyễn Phúc Luân, the father of Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (or Nguyễn Ánh). Trương Văn Hiến also instructed the brothers in literature, history, and the military arts. He was first man to discover the talents of the Tây Sơn Brothers and to advise them to do great deeds. It is possible that the prophecy ""Tây khởi nghĩa, Bắc thu công" (Revolt in the West, success in the North) is his. Trương Văn Hiến fled to Bình Định after a powerful government official named Trương Phúc Loan killed his friend Trương Văn Hạnh.
Seeking to overthrow the powerful official Trương Phúc Loan and to help the prince Nguyễn Phúc Dương, the eldest of the Tây Sơn Brothers, Nguyễn Nhạc, gathered an army and revolted in 1771. He was aided by his brothers Nguyễn Huệ and Nguyễn Lữ. In the early days of the rebellion, Huệ was the most helpful of Nhạc's generals both in finance and in training the army; with the encouragement of Trương Văn Hiến and his own talent, Huệ rapidly increased his own popularity and that of the Tây Sơn Rebellion.
Due to its popularity, the Tây Sơn Army grew strong and attracted many talented generals, (such as Nguyễn Thung, Bùi Thị Xuân
Bui Thi Xuan
Bùi Thị Xuân was a Vietnamese woman general during the Tây Sơn Rebellion.General Xuân was born in Bình Khê District , Bình Định Province. She learned martial arts as a child, and was reputedly a strong woman. Legend has it that she once rescued Trần Quang Diệu, who later became her husband, from...
, Võ Văn Dũng, Võ Đình Tú, Trần Quang Diệu, Trương Mỹ Ngọc, and Võ Xuân Hoài). The rebels became famous for their policy: "fair, no corruption, only looting the rich, and help the poor" (công bằng, không tham nhũng, và chỉ cướp của của người giàu, giúp người nghèo).
Early time
After 200 years of holding power in southern Vietnam, the government of the Nguyễn Lords had become progressively weaker, due to its poor leadership and internal contradictions. Following the death of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát, the powerful official Trương Phúc Loan began to arrogate to himself control over the Nguyễn government. For the purpose of resisting against the excessive power of Trương Phúc Loan and coming to the assistance of Prince Nguyễn Phúc Dương, the Tây Sơn Brothers gathered an army and revolted against the government of the Nguyễn Lords. The rebel army of the Tây Sơn quickly occupied a large area of land from Quy Nhơn to Bình Thuận, thereby weakening the authority of the Nguyễn government.In 1774, the government of the Nguyễn Lords sent a large army led by general Tống Phúc Hiệp against the Tây Sơn rebels. From Gia Dinh, the troops marched to northern central Vietnam, and after several battles they recaptured Bình Thuận, Diên Khánh
Dien Khanh
Dien Khanh is a district of Khanh Hoa Province in the South Central Coastal region of Vietnam.-Dien Khanh Citadel:The Dien Khanh Citadel is situated on Dien Khanh Townlet, Dien Khanh District, Khanh Hoa Province...
, and Bình Khang. The rebel army of the Tây Sơn now only held the land from Phú Yên to Quảng Ngãi.
Also in 1774, the ruler of northern Vietnam, Trịnh Sâm,sent a massive army of 30,000 soldiers led by general Hoàng Ngũ Phúc southwards with the same purpose as that of the Tây Sơn rebel army, namely to help the Nguyễn Lords fight Trương Phúc Loan. The northern troops were unobstructed in their march to Phú Xuân
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....
, the governmental capital of the Nguyễn Lords. The government of the Nguyễn Lords feared the beginning of an unmanageable war on two fronts. Officials of the government arrested Trương Phúc Loan and gave him up to the troops of the Trịnh Lords. The Trịnh Lords, however, continued attacking Phú Xuân under the pretext of helping the Nguyễn Lords suppress the Tây Sơn rebellion. The Nguyễn Lord Nguyễn Phúc Thuần and his officials initially attempted to resist the attack, but ended up fleeing to Quảng Nam.
Seizing the opportunity, Nguyễn Nhạc led an army (with naval support) against Quảng Nam. Once again, the Nguyễn Lord Nguyễn Phúc Thuần fled, this time by sea to Gia Dinh, accompanied by Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, and leaving behind his nephew Nguyễn Phúc Dương. Early in 1775, the army of the Trịnh Lords marched on Quảng Nam at the same time as the Tây Sơn troops reached Quảng Nam. Tây Sơn troops searched for and then captured Nguyễn Phúc Dương. The army of the Trịnh Lords crossed the pass at Hai Van gorge, engaged the Tây Sơn troops, and defeated them.
At the same time, the general of the Nguyễn Lords Tống Phúc Hiệp led his troops against Phú Yên, forcing the Tây Sơn army to withdraw.
Fearing a war on two fronts, Nguyễn Nhạc sent Hoàng Ngũ Phúc a proposal that if the Trịnh Lords recognized the Tây Sơn Rebel Army, the Tây Sơn would help the Trịnh Lords fight against the Nguyễn Lords. The proposal was accepted, and Nguyễn Nhạc was made an official of the Trịnh Lords. Nhac also made peace with the Nguyễn Lords, causing Tống Phúc Hiệp to take off the pressure, and deluded Prince Nguyễn Phúc Dương. His diplomacy provisionally made Tây Sơn's enemies inactive and bought him valuable time to shore up his army.
Tây Sơn's counter-attack
Realising that the provisional truce would not last long, Nguyen Nhạc retrained the rebel army, recruited new soldiers, fortified Đồ Bàn castle, and built new bases, preparing for an attack.Tống Phúc Hiệp, who had been deceived by Nguyện Nhạc peaceful overtures, did not pay much attention to Nhạc's activities. He did not prepare for either defending or attacking. Nhạc made use of Hiệp's inactivity, and sent troops led by his brother Nguyễn Huệ against him. The Tây Sơn troops swiftly defeated the unprepared troops of the Nguyễn Lords and inflicted heavy losses upon them. Tống Phúc Hiệp and his troops fled to Van Phong. It was the first great victory achieved by Huệ. Nhạc sent news of the victory to Hoàng Ngũ Phúc. On Phuc's request, the Trinh rewarded Nhạc with a new office.
Because the troops of the Trịnh Lords lacked familiarity with the southern country, Hoàng Ngũ Phúc withdrew the troops to the north. En route, he died of natural causes. Phúc's death marked the end of the Trịnh Lords' interventions in the south. While the army of the Trịnh Lords withdrew to Thuận Hóa, Tây Sơn moved quickly in sending its troops to take over the abandoned territory and to suppress elements loyal to the Nguyễn Lords.
Southern aggressiveness
Having gained a lot of new rich land without facing much opposition, the Tây Sơn Army grew stronger. Nhạc had a desire to expand Tây Sơn's authority. He sent a large army led by his youngest brother Nguyễn Lữ to launch a sudden attack against Gia Định (now called Ho Chi Minh City) by sea. Lữ's raid was successful: he occupied Sài Côn (hay Sài Gòn) and forced the Nguyễn Lord and his followers to flee to Biên HòaBien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
. His success was short-lived, however, when an army loyal to the Nguyễn Lords and led by a man named Đỗ Thành Nhân rose against him in Đông Sơn. The loyalist army attacked and forced Tây Sơn's troops to withdraw from Sài Côn. Before withdrawing, Lữ seized the local foodstores and took them back to Quy Nhơn.
Nguyễn Nhạc, due to his power, repaired to Đồ Bàn city and in 1776 proclaimed himself King of Tây Sơn , choosing Đồ Bàn as his capital. He gave Huệ the title Phụ Chính (Vice National Administrator).
Defeat of the Qing
Emperor QianlongQianlong 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 the Great Qing Empire sent a massive army south with Lê Chiêu Thống
Lê Chiêu Thống
Lê Chiêu Thống , born Lê Duy Khiêm and later Lê Duy Kỳ, was the last king of the Vietnamese Lê Dynasty.-Early life:Lê Duy Khiêm was the eldest son of Lê Duy Vĩ who was the first crown prince of king Lê Hiển Tông. After Khiêm's father was killed by the ninth Trinh lord Trinh Sam in 1771, he was jailed...
(the last official Lê emperor) in 1788 to restore him to the throne, though under Chinese protection of course. Nguyễn Huệ gathered his forces around Thăng Long (today called Ha Noi) which had been taken by the Qing army. In a brilliantly successful battle, Nguyễn Huệ made a surprise attack against the Chinese during Tết
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...
, the Vietnamese lunar new year holiday. This was traditionally a time of peace for all sides and the Qing troops were unprepared for battle. In a fierce 5-day battle they were soundly and stunningly defeated and Lê Chiêu Thống was forced to flee for his life back to China. Yet, Nguyễn Huệ showed considerable gallantry to the defeated Chinese, allowing them to return home with honor and encouraging a peaceful relationship in keeping with previous arrangements, with the Qing Emperor. As for himself, Nguyễn Huệ had become the national savior of Vietnam and the most popular figure in the country. He was subsequently proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam with the name Quang Trung.