Nguyễn dynasty

The Nguyễn dynasty was the final imperial ruling family of Vietnam. This dynasty governed a unified Vietnam independently from 1802 until 1883.

The emperors belonged to the House of Nguyễn Phúc. During their rule, the empire expanded its borders significantly. It grew to include modern-day Southern Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. This expansion occurred through the Nam tiến movement and various Siamese–Vietnamese wars.

The roots of the dynasty lie in the powerful Nguyễn clan. This clan originated in the Thanh Hóa Province. They had held political influence since the tenth century. In 965, Nguyễn Bặc served as the first grand chancellor under the Đinh dynasty. Later, Nguyễn Thị Anh served as a regent for the child emperor Lê Nhân Tông. By the 16th century, the clan became major players in Vietnamese politics.

In 1558, a man named Nguyễn Hoàng moved to the southern frontier. He was appointed the lord of Thuận Hóa by Emperor Lê Anh Tông. This move created a division in the country. The Trịnh clan held power in the North. The Nguyễn clan established a separate dominion in the South.

The Nguyễn lords ruled the south until 1777. They recognized the Lê emperors only in a ceremonial way. They eventually expanded into Cambodia and parts of Laos. They also captured the remaining lands of the Champa kingdom in 1693.

The transition to imperial rule followed a period of intense conflict. The Tây Sơn rebellion began in 1774 and challenged the Nguyễn lords. This led to the Tây Sơn–Nguyễn war, which lasted until 1802. After defeating the Tây Sơn dynasty, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh ascended the throne. He became Emperor Gia Long in 1802.

He had previously sought titles from the Qing dynasty. The Qing Emperor refused his request for the title 'King of Nam Việt'. Instead, the Qing Emperor helped establish the name 'Việt Nam'. Between 1804 and 1813, Emperor Gia Long used this name officially.

As the empire grew, its official names also changed. Under Emperor Minh Mạng in 1839, the name became Đại Việt Nam. This was later shortened to Đại Nam, meaning 'Great South'.

Westerners often called the kingdom Annam or the Annamite Empire. In the 1930s, the government used the term Nam Triều on official documents. These names reflect the evolving identity of the nation during the dynasty.

In the mid-19th century, French intervention changed the dynasty's power. The Cochinchina Campaign began in 1858. This led to the French occupation of Southern Vietnam. In 1862, the Treaty of Saigon made the southern territory a French colony called Cochinchina.

The 1863 Treaty of Huế gave France control over foreign affairs. Finally, the 1883 and 1884 Treaties of Huế divided the rest of the land. The regions of Annam and Tonkin became French protectorates.

In 1887, these areas joined Cambodia to form French Indochina.

The end of the dynasty was marked by the chaos of World War II. In 1940, Japan occupied Indochina. On March 9, 1945, Japan overthrew the French administration. The last emperor, Bảo Đại, proclaimed the Empire of Vietnam with Japanese support. This state was nominally independent but acted as a Japanese puppet state.

This brief independence ended after Japan surrendered. The August Revolution, led by the Việt Minh, resulted in Bảo Đại's abdication. This concluded 143 years of Nguyễn rule. He was later restored as head of state in 1949 before Vietnam became a republic in 1955.