If Duke Nguyen Hoang, a son of Gia Mieu in Thanh Hoa province, pioneered the expansion of the nation's territory southward, his son, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, is praised as the lord of "extraordinary achievements in territorial expansion... breaking free from dependence on the Le dynasty and Trinh lords." He is also revered as Lord Sai, Lord Phat, for his compassionate and benevolent heart.
Gia Mieu village in Thanh Hoa province is the ancestral land of the Nguyen dynasty lords and kings. Photo: Khanh Loc
After deciding to move south to expand his territory and establish a new dynasty, besides escaping the control of the Trinh lords, Nguyen Hoang also harbored the ambition to build his own empire. However, given the circumstances at the time, even though he had moved south, he remained a general of the Le-Trinh dynasty, still having to lead troops to suppress the remnants of the Mac dynasty in the north when called upon. The Le-Trinh court, somewhat aware of the intentions of "Nguyen Kim's son," later tried every means to keep Nguyen Hoang in the north. Nevertheless, in 1600, taking advantage of an opportunity to lead troops to suppress rebels, he returned to the south by sea, officially "breaking free" and never returning to the north.
In 1613, knowing his health was failing, Lord Nguyen Hoang summoned his sixth son, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, and his trusted ministers and confidants to his bedside, instructing them: “We have shared hardships and joys for a long time, and I wish to build a great empire. Now I leave this heavy burden to my son; you should all work together to help him establish this empire.” Then, turning to his son Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, the Lord admonished him: “A son must be filial, a subject must be loyal; brothers must first and foremost love each other. If you can keep these words of advice, I will have no regrets.” And before his last breath, Lord Nguyen Hoang left this dying wish: “The land of Thuan-Quang in the north has the formidable Ngang Mountain (Hoanh Son) and Gianh River (Linh Giang), and in the south, the sturdy Hai Van Mountain and Da Bia Mountain (Thach Bi Son). The mountains are rich in gold and iron, the sea has fish and salt; truly, it is a land for heroes to fight. If you know how to teach the people to train soldiers to resist the Trinh family, you will be able to build a lasting dynasty. If you are unable to defeat them, then hold firm to the land and wait for an opportunity; do not disregard my advice” (according to Dai Nam Thuc Luc Tien Bien).
After Lord Nguyen Hoang passed away, his sixth son, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, succeeded him. Nguyen Phuc Nguyen was born in 1563. According to Nguyen Dynasty historical records and folklore, when Nguyen Phuc Nguyen's mother was pregnant with him, she had a strange dream. A divine being gave her a piece of paper with the word "Phuc" (meaning fortune/blessing) written on it. Upon waking, she told everyone about it, and they considered it a lucky omen and advised her to name the child "Phuc." However, "She pondered for a while and said that if she only named the child 'Phuc,' only he would benefit. To share the blessings with many in the family, she suggested using this word as a middle name. And when the Crown Prince was born, she named him Nguyen Phuc Nguyen. From then on, the Nguyen family always used the word 'Phuc' as a middle name. Therefore, the year Quy Hoi (1563) is the year when the word 'Phuc' began to be used in the Nguyen family" (Nguyen Dynasty: Nine Lords and Thirteen Kings).
After succeeding to the throne, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên moved his residence from the cramped, open land of Vũ Xương to Phước Yên, Quảng Điền district. The new residence was fortified with high walls and a deep moat, to guard against enemy attacks. In terms of internal affairs, he inherited his father's policies – governing with virtue, pacifying the people, and attracting talented individuals… His reputation spread far and wide, and heroes from all over flocked to Lord Nguyễn in ever-increasing numbers. It was through this that the Lord's family met Đào Duy Từ, an outstanding talent from Thanh Hóa province at that time.
Fulfilling the last wishes of his father, Lord Nguyen Hoang, after succeeding him, Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen strongly realized his aspiration to "break free" from the Le-Trinh government in Dang Ngoai (Northern Vietnam) with a series of actions, such as: refusing to pay taxes, refusing to attend court... In particular, upon assuming power, he abolished the Do Ty, Thua Ty, and Hien Ty according to the Le dynasty's system. Instead, he established his own system.
According to historical records, Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen himself was a talented but not arrogant man, and he knew how to "attract and treat talented people well," valuing those with talent. Therefore, besides Dao Duy Tu, he also gathered many other wise men to help him, such as Nguyen Huu Dat, Nguyen Huu Tien, etc.
The Southern territories, under the control of the Nguyen lords, grew increasingly powerful, posing a threat to the Trinh lords in the North. Using the pretext that the Nguyen family in the South were late in paying taxes, the Trinh lords in the North launched an army to "punish" them. Among these actions, the story of "Returning the imperial decree"—Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen returning the decree to the Le emperor—is still widely recounted today. This act of returning the decree to the Le emperor was a decisive move, affirming Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen's ambition to establish his own independent territory.
To build a strong government in terms of both economic and military potential, Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen expanded trade relations with foreign countries, promoted the development of a commodity-based economy, and built Hoi An into the most bustling international trading port of the time. Along with this, the Lord also promoted the expansion of the territory southward, extending further and wider. "The expansion and consolidation of the southern territories in the 17th and 18th centuries was a remarkable achievement in Vietnamese history, and Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen was not only instrumental in opening up and laying the initial foundation, but also in planning the goals, methods, and specific, precise measures for subsequent generations to continue and succeed."
With a solid foundation and a compassionate heart, Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen was admired by officials and trusted confidants, and respected by the people of Dang Trong (Southern Vietnam). Therefore, he was often referred to as Lord Sai or Lord Phat.
Commenting on the contributions of Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, Professor Nguyen Quang Ngoc, in his article "Nguyen Phuc Nguyen: The Lord of the Grand Achievements in Expanding the Territory in the Early 17th Century," stated: “From a young age, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen was renowned for his intelligence and courage. At the age of 22, he commanded a naval force that defeated five foreign ships that were plundering the Cua Viet region, earning him the title of 'hero.' At 40, he was appointed governor of Quang Nam, expanding trade with Eastern and Western countries (especially Japan), and developing Hoi An into a thriving international port city – which is now recognized as a World Heritage Site. At 51, he became the head of the Nguyen dynasty, reforming the administration, developing the country in all aspects, and expanding the territory down to Mo Xoai, Dong Nan, Saigon, Ben Nghe... in the southeastern region – laying the foundation for the current Vietnamese national territory. He was the first to establish the Hoang Sa Special Task Force.” "He was responsible for the exploitation and protection of the South China Sea from the outer perimeter – a unique form of the process of seizing, establishing, and exercising sovereignty over the archipelagoes in the South China Sea. From a new historical perspective, we are increasingly recognizing a clearer, more complete, and more accurate portrait of him..."
Khanh Loc
(This article references and uses content from the following books: Ha Trung District Gazetteer; the Nguyen Dynasty - Nine Lords and Thirteen Kings; and some articles by researchers).
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