One of the most important, and certainly one of the most widely and continuously honored, heroes of Viet Nam is Nguyen Hue Quang Trung, a leader of the Tay Son uprising and the man who turned back the last invasion of Viet Nam by Imperial Chinese forces. He is remembered as a military leader of astounding prowess and an inspiring reformer in political leadership who personified the brilliant rise and rapid fall of the Tay Son movement. His was born to the task he would undertake, coming from a family of refugees from the costly and on-going fraternal warfare between the feuding Trinh and Nguyen lords over control of the Le throne.
He grew up in the area of Quy Nhon (a place I am not unfamiliar with) and which would later play a pivotal role in the survival of the Tay Son reign. From very early on, along with his brothers Nguyen Nhac and Nguyen Lu, he became involved in the protracted civil war and an early antagonist for the Nguyen lords of the south. He grew up opposed to the costly conflict between his people as well as the often oppressive policies of the opposing regimes. His first fame came in 1785 against Thailand (then known as Siam). The southern lord, Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) had been driven out of Viet Nam and taken refuge in Siam. There he enlisted the support of the King to restore him to power. It would become a theme of Nguyen Hue's life to fight foreign armies sent to reinstate deposed Vietnamese rulers. West of the Mekong River, Nguyen Hue soundly defeated an army of 50,000 Siamese. Hopes of Thai expansion into southern Viet Nam were thwarted and Nguyen Anh was forced to flee once again, this time seeking help from the French. Nguyen Hue, however, continued his military campaigns.
The peasants across Viet Nam, tired of paying huge taxes and being forced into military service for the continuing wars between the Trinh and Nguyen, Nguyen Hue came to be seen as a champion of the common people and a national leader. As dissatisfaction spread, the Tay Son rebellion grew stronger and stronger. Originally, Nguyen Hue, in traditional fashion, stated that his goal was to crush the Trinh (since the Nguyen had already been all but wiped out) and to reunite the country and restore power to the Le Emperor. The Le dynasty had been powerless, under the control of the Trinh, and the object of control over the Le Emperor had been the purpose of every Nguyen-Trinh clash. Both sides professed loyalty to the old and honored dynasty, but both wished to control it. In an unprecedented campaign, the Tay Son firmly defeated the Trinh and then, in a shocking move, deposed the hitherto sacrosanct Le Emperor and gave power to the leading Tay Son brothers.
However, the last Emperor, Le Chieu Thong, would not go quietly. Calling upon the Chinese for help, the famous Emperor Qianlong of the Great Qing Empire, sent a massive army south with Chieu Thong in 1788 to restore him to the throne, though under Chinese protection of course. Nguyen Hue gathered his forces around Thanh Long (Ha Noi) which had been taken by the Qing army. In a brilliantly successful battle (which would be copied with less success by Vo Nguyen Giap) Nguyen Hue made a surprise attack against the Chinese during the Tet, 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 Le Chieu Thong was forced to flee for his life back to China. Yet, Nguyen Hue 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, Nguyen Hue had become the national savior of Viet Nam and the most popular figure in the country. He was subsequently proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam with the name Quang Trung.
Once in power, Emperor Quang Trung quickly began instituting massive and unprecedented national reforms in Viet Nam. He set up a new system of administration and replaced the traditional Chinese script with the Vietnamese Nom as the official written language of the country. His religious toleration won him the support of the growing Christian community and his campaign of the common people against the traditional elites won him the admiration of the peasant majority. However, the popularity and success of the Tay Son regime was not destined to last long, perhaps mostly because of the short reign of its most glorious leader. Emperor Quang Trung died in 1792. He was succeeded by Canh Thinh, a 10-year-old boy whose reign would see the doom of the Tay Son. Christians began to be persecuted, government officials came to be seen as oppressive and Nguyen Anh returned in the south, with French support, to reclaim not only the former position of his family, but to overthrow the Tay Son and found the Nguyen Dynasty.
There came to be a feeling of illegitimacy regarding the Tay Son reign, perhaps because of the support then removal of the traditional Le dynasty, later on because of conflict between the brothers. Over time, what was once seen as a people's government came to be viewed as a police state. However, none of this could ever taint the reputation of Emperor Quang Trung who was a brilliant general, a reforming statesman and always seen as a champion of the Vietnamese people and a defender of the country against any foreign invasion. Much like the later Duy Tan Emperor, many Vietnamese look back at Quang Trung's short reign with a melancholy sense of a great opportunity being lost.
He grew up in the area of Quy Nhon (a place I am not unfamiliar with) and which would later play a pivotal role in the survival of the Tay Son reign. From very early on, along with his brothers Nguyen Nhac and Nguyen Lu, he became involved in the protracted civil war and an early antagonist for the Nguyen lords of the south. He grew up opposed to the costly conflict between his people as well as the often oppressive policies of the opposing regimes. His first fame came in 1785 against Thailand (then known as Siam). The southern lord, Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) had been driven out of Viet Nam and taken refuge in Siam. There he enlisted the support of the King to restore him to power. It would become a theme of Nguyen Hue's life to fight foreign armies sent to reinstate deposed Vietnamese rulers. West of the Mekong River, Nguyen Hue soundly defeated an army of 50,000 Siamese. Hopes of Thai expansion into southern Viet Nam were thwarted and Nguyen Anh was forced to flee once again, this time seeking help from the French. Nguyen Hue, however, continued his military campaigns.
The peasants across Viet Nam, tired of paying huge taxes and being forced into military service for the continuing wars between the Trinh and Nguyen, Nguyen Hue came to be seen as a champion of the common people and a national leader. As dissatisfaction spread, the Tay Son rebellion grew stronger and stronger. Originally, Nguyen Hue, in traditional fashion, stated that his goal was to crush the Trinh (since the Nguyen had already been all but wiped out) and to reunite the country and restore power to the Le Emperor. The Le dynasty had been powerless, under the control of the Trinh, and the object of control over the Le Emperor had been the purpose of every Nguyen-Trinh clash. Both sides professed loyalty to the old and honored dynasty, but both wished to control it. In an unprecedented campaign, the Tay Son firmly defeated the Trinh and then, in a shocking move, deposed the hitherto sacrosanct Le Emperor and gave power to the leading Tay Son brothers.
However, the last Emperor, Le Chieu Thong, would not go quietly. Calling upon the Chinese for help, the famous Emperor Qianlong of the Great Qing Empire, sent a massive army south with Chieu Thong in 1788 to restore him to the throne, though under Chinese protection of course. Nguyen Hue gathered his forces around Thanh Long (Ha Noi) which had been taken by the Qing army. In a brilliantly successful battle (which would be copied with less success by Vo Nguyen Giap) Nguyen Hue made a surprise attack against the Chinese during the Tet, 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 Le Chieu Thong was forced to flee for his life back to China. Yet, Nguyen Hue 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, Nguyen Hue had become the national savior of Viet Nam and the most popular figure in the country. He was subsequently proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam with the name Quang Trung.
Once in power, Emperor Quang Trung quickly began instituting massive and unprecedented national reforms in Viet Nam. He set up a new system of administration and replaced the traditional Chinese script with the Vietnamese Nom as the official written language of the country. His religious toleration won him the support of the growing Christian community and his campaign of the common people against the traditional elites won him the admiration of the peasant majority. However, the popularity and success of the Tay Son regime was not destined to last long, perhaps mostly because of the short reign of its most glorious leader. Emperor Quang Trung died in 1792. He was succeeded by Canh Thinh, a 10-year-old boy whose reign would see the doom of the Tay Son. Christians began to be persecuted, government officials came to be seen as oppressive and Nguyen Anh returned in the south, with French support, to reclaim not only the former position of his family, but to overthrow the Tay Son and found the Nguyen Dynasty.
There came to be a feeling of illegitimacy regarding the Tay Son reign, perhaps because of the support then removal of the traditional Le dynasty, later on because of conflict between the brothers. Over time, what was once seen as a people's government came to be viewed as a police state. However, none of this could ever taint the reputation of Emperor Quang Trung who was a brilliant general, a reforming statesman and always seen as a champion of the Vietnamese people and a defender of the country against any foreign invasion. Much like the later Duy Tan Emperor, many Vietnamese look back at Quang Trung's short reign with a melancholy sense of a great opportunity being lost.
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