The spirit of King Hàm Nghi

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem wrote about King Ham Nghi with deeply moving words: "A man who lived amidst the upheavals of the nation, his family, and himself, yet still upheld responsibility and dignity, pride and self-reliance to such an extent that the further away he is in time, the more precious what he accomplished in the finiteness of his life becomes" (Ham Nghi - The Patriotic King, the First Generation Painter of Vietnam, Song Huong Magazine, August 2021).

Deeply devoted to the homeland.

King Hàm Nghi, whose real name was Nguyễn Phúc Ưng Lịch, was born in 1871, the fifth son of Kiên Thái Vương Nguyễn Phúc Hồng Cai. Even as a child, he topped a competition personally judged by King Tự Đức, with his anti-French poem being praised by the king as possessing "the spirit of a true man."

Former Emperor Hàm Nghi shortly after being exiled to Algiers.

Photo: Journal des voyage

Despite his young age, King Hàm Nghi quickly recognized the danger of losing the country and resolutely refused to cooperate with the French colonialists. He, along with the pro-war faction, led by the Minister of War Tôn Thất Thuyết, constantly sought to resist the French invasion plot.

On the night of July 4th to 5th, 1885, the pro-war forces attacked the Mang Cá fort and the French Legation in Hue. The attack failed, the capital fell, and Ton That Thuyet escorted King Ham Nghi to flee to Tan So ( Quang Tri ). On July 13th, 1885, at Tan So citadel, Ton That Thuyet, acting on behalf of the king, issued the Can Vuong decree, calling on all officials, scholars, soldiers, and people throughout the country to rise up and take up arms against the enemy.

The Royal Proclamation of Can Vuong quickly spread throughout the country, igniting the flame of the anti-French movement.

The journey to Tân Sở marked a crucial turning point in the life of King Hàm Nghi, transforming him from a young king on the throne into the leader of the national resistance movement.

From Tan So, under the escort of Ton That Thuyet, King Ham Nghi and his entourage continued their journey through many treacherous mountainous regions in Quang Binh, Ha Tinh , and into Laos. Life in the resistance zone was extremely difficult, lacking in everything, and constantly facing danger from the French army, but the king not only remained undaunted but also became even more determined to lead the resistance movement.

Under the leadership of Ton That Thuyet, the armed forces organized numerous resistance movements against the French throughout the central provinces. However, due to the disparity in forces and weapons, and the intense French crackdown, the Can Vuong movement gradually encountered difficulties. Although the uprisings were courageous, they lacked coordination and centralized command, and were eventually suppressed by the French army.

In 1888, Truong Quang Ngoc and Nguyen Dinh Tinh led troops to hunt down and capture King Ham Nghi while he was resting in the mountains of Quang Binh . This capture brought an end to King Ham Nghi's resistance career under his direct leadership.

The king was exiled.

On November 25, 1888, King Hàm Nghi was taken by the French to a ship at Lăng Cô to Saigon and then to North Africa. On January 13, 1889, the ship docked in Algiers, the capital of Algeria. King Hàm Nghi, then only 18 years old, officially began his life in exile in a foreign land.

The French Legation in Hue (woodblock print), which was attacked by the pro-war faction's army in the Nguyen dynasty, led by Tran Xuan Soan, on the night of July 4th to 5th, 1884.

Photo: Archives of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

During his early years abroad, King Hàm Nghi maintained the traditional lifestyle and attire of his people. He endured many hardships and challenges, but remained steadfast in his integrity and love for his homeland.

Later, he studied French and found joy in art, especially painting. His works are always imbued with a sense of longing for his homeland.

King Hàm Nghi married a French woman, Marcelle Laloe (1884 - 1974), daughter of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Algiers. They had three children: Princess Như Mai (1905 - 1999), Princess Như Lý (1908 - 2005), and Prince Minh Đức (1910 - 1990).

Dr. Amandine Dabat (a fifth-generation descendant of King Hàm Nghi) proactively conducted in-depth research into her ancestry, accessing over 2,500 valuable documents (letters, paintings) for her doctoral dissertation. Through this research, she recounts the life of King Hàm Nghi during his exile, giving the public a new perspective on a patriotic king and a talented artist.

The story of the young king who rose up to lead the resistance against a powerful empire has awakened national pride and reminded future generations of the sacrifices made by their ancestors for the nation's future.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khi-phach-vua-ham-nghi-18525123022512437.htm