Quang Binh and its territorial expansion efforts.

In the process of nation-building and national defense, territorial expansion held significant strategic importance. Expanding the territory was not only about acquiring land, human resources, and material wealth to build a prosperous nation, but also about rationally unifying feudal dynasties to create a larger state. The formation of Western feudal states was a process of unifying ancient kingdoms. Territorial expansion has been a recurring theme throughout history. There were many forms of territorial expansion; in Europe, it was the unification of smaller kingdoms to form larger kingdoms during the Middle Ages.

In Vietnam, after Ly Thai To ascended the throne and established the Ly Dynasty, moving the capital to Thang Long, the territory of Dai Viet extended only to the area north of Deo Ngang Pass and was frequently harassed by Champa forces from the south. In 1069, Ly Thanh Tong issued a decree to personally lead an expedition, choosing Ly Thuong Kiet as the commander-in-chief to lead the army to attack the Champa capital and capture the Champa king, Che Cu, alive.

To ransom his life, Chế Củ offered the three provinces of Bố Chính, Địa Lý, and Ma Linh to Đại Việt. In 1075, Lý Thường Kiệt commissioned a map depicting the mountains and rivers of the three provinces. King Lý Thánh Tông renamed Địa Lý province Lâm Bình and Ma Linh province Minh Linh, issuing a decree to recruit people to settle there and organize governance. The Quảng Bình region became part of Đại Việt territory, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the nation's expansion southward.

During the Tran dynasty, Quang Binh province served as the southern border region, protecting the territory of Dai Viet and facilitating territorial expansion to Thuan Chau and Hoa Chau.

During the Le Dynasty, the development of Quang Binh expanded, and its economy flourished, creating favorable conditions for the Le Dynasty's expeditions to protect its southern territories. Under the Nguyen Lords, the strong defense of the northern line in Quang Binh enabled the Nguyen Lords to expand their territory southward, building increasingly strong economic and military potential.

When Duke Nguyen Hoang took control of Thuan Hoa and also governed Quang Nam , the southernmost part of Quang Nam was Tuy Vien district, belonging to Hoai Nhon prefecture, which is Tuy Phuoc, Binh Dinh today. Beyond the Cu Mong pass lay the territory of Champa.

In the year of Tan Hoi (1611), Nguyen Hoang ordered his troops to attack Chiem Thanh and seize land beyond the Cu Mong pass to Thach Bi mountain, establishing Phu Yen prefecture, comprising two districts, Dong Xuan and Tuy Hoa. This was the first southward expansion of the Nguyen lords.

The territory of the Nguyen lords at that time stretched from the Ngang Pass (at this time, there was no Trinh-Nguyen war, so the area north of the Gianh River to the Ngang Pass belonged to Bo Chinh district, Thuan Hoa province of Nguyen Hoang) to Thach Bi Mountain. It was for this reason that before his death, Nguyen Hoang instructed Nguyen Nguyen (Lord Hi Tong): "The land of Thuan and Quang, to the north, has the Hoanh Son mountain range and the Gianh River, a formidable stronghold; to the south, the Hai Van and Thach Bi mountains stand firm; the mountains are rich in gold and iron; the sea is full of fish and salt. Truly, this is a land for heroes to fight. If you know how to educate the people and train the army to resist the Trinh dynasty, you will be able to build a lasting empire." The idea of ​​expanding the territory southward, like the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties, was conceived by Nguyen Hoang when he expanded his territory through the Cu Mong Pass to Thach Bi in 1611.

In the year of Ky Ty (1629), the governor of Phu Yen, Van Phong, used Champa troops to rebel. At this time, the Nguyen army had driven the Trinh army from the battle lines on the Nhat Le River in 1627, giving Lord Sai the opportunity to send troops to suppress the rebellion and change Phu Yen prefecture into Tran Bien garrison. Besides relocating people and establishing villages in Phu Yen, Lord Sai also advocated for the reclamation of land by 30,000 Trinh soldiers captured in the Mau Ty war (1648) in Quang Binh, so that "within a few years, taxes could help the nation, and after twenty years, increased production could add to the army." These soldiers were brought to various localities from Thang, Dien to Phu Yen, with 50 people forming a village, provided with half a year's worth of food, allowed to exploit resources in the mountains and lagoons, and ordered wealthy people to lend them rice. From then on, villages sprang up in close proximity to each other in the Phu Yen region.

In the year Quy Ty (1653), during the reign of Lord Thai Tong (Nguyen Phuc Tan), he crossed Thach Bi mountain and reached Phan Rang river, establishing Thai Khuong garrison (later renamed Binh Khuong, which is present-day Khanh Hoa province), dividing it into two prefectures: Thai Khuong and Dien Ninh.

The tomb complex of Lord Le Thanh Nguyen Huu Canh. Photo: TH

After the victorious Battle of Nhâm Tý (1672) in Quảng Bình, the Trịnh army retreated to the north bank of the Gianh River, ending their invasion. Lord Nguyễn intensified the development of new lands in Bình Khương and continued his southward expansion. During the reign of Lord Hiển Tông (Nguyễn Phúc Chu), in the year Nhâm Thân (1692), the Champa king Bà Tranh attacked Diên Ninh prefecture. Lord Hiển Tông ordered General Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, son of Nguyễn Hữu Dật, to lead the army and Văn chức Nguyễn Đình Quang as the military advisor. General Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh defeated the Champa army and captured Bà Tranh, but the pacification of the new lands continued for some time afterward. Lord Hiển Tông entrusted General Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh and Văn chức Trinh Tường with the command to quell the rebellion.

In the year Dinh Suu (1697), Binh Thuan prefecture was established, taking land from Phan Rang and Phan Ri westward and dividing it into two districts, An Phuoc and Hoa Da, to build peaceful relations between the Vietnamese and Cham people in the new land.

Not only limited to the South Central region, during the Nguyen lords' era, the southward expansion continued to extend the territory to the south. In the year Canh Ngo (1690), during the reign of Lord Anh Tong, he sent Cai Co Nguyen Huu Hao (son of Nguyen Huu Dat, brother of Nguyen Huu Canh) to Cambodia to force King Nak Thu to submit to the Nguyen lords.

In particular, in the year of Mau Dan (1698), Lord Hien Tong (Nguyen Phuc Chu) sent General Nguyen Huu Canh to survey the southern region, dividing the land of Dong Pho, establishing Phuoc Long district in Dong Nai province and Tran Bien garrison (present-day Bien Hoa); establishing Tan Binh district in Saigon province and Phan Tran garrison (present-day Gia Dinh). Each garrison had a Governor, Registrar, Clerk, and various units, teams, boats, naval and land forces, elite troops, and subordinate troops. The Lord also ordered the recruitment of migrants from Bo Chinh southward to settle, establishing villages, hamlets, and communes, dividing boundaries, reclaiming land, collecting taxes and labor taxes, and creating a population and land registry. At that time, Gia Dinh prefecture had a population of up to 40,000 households.

The southward expansion continued until the completion of the territorial conquest, resulting in a unified country extending to Ca Mau as it is today.

The process of territorial expansion began under the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties, and especially under the Nguyen lords. Quang Binh was not only the starting point for the southward expansion, but also a crucial springboard for territorial expansion under the Nguyen lords. For nearly 50 years (from 1627 to 1672) during the Trinh-Nguyen war, the people of Quang Binh suffered the pain of separation and the constant ravages of war.

Countless human and material resources, blood, and tears of the people here were shed to defend the Thầy Fortress, a border region of the Southern Kingdom, helping the Nguyen lords expand their territory southward. It was through decisive battles on the Nhật Lệ River and on the fortifications of Trường Dục, Động Hải, An Náu, and Sa Phụ that the Nguyen lords were able to advance and establish the Trấn Biên (Phú Yên) and Bình Khương (Khánh Hòa) garrisons. Later, they established the Trấn Biên garrison in Đồng Nai (Biên Hòa) district and the Phiên Trấn garrison in Sài Gòn (Gia Định), establishing the Phiên Trấn garrison in Tân Bình district.

By a twist of fate, history bestowed upon two sons of Quang Binh, Nguyen Huu Hao and Nguyen Huu Canh, the pioneering soldiers of the Nguyen dynasty. Nguyen Huu Hao went to Dong Nai and My Tho in 1690, replacing Mai Van Long, forcing Nak Thu, the King of Cambodia, to submit to the Nguyen lords. Nguyen Huu Canh served as the commander of the Tran Bien garrison (Phu Yen), and as the commander of the Binh Khang and Tran Bien garrisons (Bien Hoa), and the Phien Tran garrison. Along with Nguyen Huu Canh, people from Quang Binh settled in new lands in Phuoc Long and Tan Binh, then gradually moved south to Tan An, My Tho, Rach Gam, Long Ho, throughout the delta between the Tien and Hau rivers, across Ong Chuong islet to Chau Doc and Ha Tien.

When settling in the far south, the people of Quang Binh still remembered their homeland, so they named the new areas after their villages and lands. Names like Tan Binh, Binh Dong, and Binh Tay evoke memories of the Lam Binh-Tan Binh-Tien Binh-Quang Binh region of their ancestors. Sometimes they recalled the name of a district, such as Phong Phu (Le Thuy), or a district and a commune, such as Phong Duc (Phong Loc district, Duc Pho commune). Many hamlets and villages retained their old names: Phu Nhuan, Phu Tho, An Lac (Le Thuy), Phu My, Thanh Ha (Bo Trach), and Vinh Loc (Quang Trach). Located on the front lines of the Trinh-Nguyen war, the people of the past carried with them the aspirations for peace and the nostalgic memories of those place and village names to these new lands.

During the Trinh-Nguyen War, many people from Quang Binh became pioneers in defending the territory and expanding southward. A prime example is the Nguyen Huu and Truong Phuc families in Phong Loc (present-day Quang Ninh).

Regarding the Nguyen Huu clan, throughout the nearly 50 years of the Trinh-Nguyen war, the Nguyen Huu clan in Phong Loc had General Nguyen Trieu Van and his son Nguyen Huu Dat who were always leading the charge, achieving outstanding feats. Nguyen Huu Dat's sons, Nguyen Huu Hao, Nguyen Huu Trung, and Nguyen Huu Canh, all made great contributions and directly led troops south to expand the territory for the Nguyen lords.

Nguyen Huu Hao was a resourceful and skilled general, possessing both military talent and a compassionate heart. He left behind many benefactors for his soldiers and the people, and was granted the titles of Marquis and Duke. In 1689, Lord Nguyen Phuoc Tran ordered Nguyen Huu Hao to lead troops south to Bich Doi, protecting the Nguyen Lord's territory in the Ba Ria region.

Notably, there was Lord Nguyen Huu Canh, who played a key role in expanding the Dong Nai-Gia Dinh region, establishing the Tran Bien (Bien Hoa) and Phien Tran (Gia Dinh) garrisons, and bringing people to cultivate the vast delta region in the South.

Regarding the Truong Phuc family, Truong Phuc Gia and his son Truong Phuc Phan were talented generals who served as garrison commanders in Quang Binh province, achieving many victories alongside Nguyen Huu Dat at the Dao Duy Tu fortifications. Truong Phuc Phan's sons, Truong Phuc Hung and Truong Phuc Cuong, were also skilled generals under the Nguyen lords. Truong Phuc Phan, son of Truong Phuc Cuong and grandson of Truong Phuc Phan, along with many loyal generals from Quang Binh, fought side-by-side with Commander-in-Chief Nguyen Huu Canh in the southward advance.

In 1700, after the death of Nguyen Huu Canh, Truong Phuc Phan was appointed by Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu to the position of Governor of Tran Bien garrison. Simultaneously with establishing sovereignty, from the very beginning of its settlement, the Nguyen dynasty's government in Tran Bien waged a struggle to protect the integrity of its territory, most notably the victory in driving the British out of Con Lon Island (Con Dao) in the early 18th century.

After retaking Con Lon, Truong Phuc Phan reorganized the island's defense forces using a semi-civilian, semi-military model. According to the book Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi, "The islanders themselves formed a group of soldiers, called the First, Second, and Third Regiments, under the command of the Can Gio district. They possessed sufficient weapons to defend the land against the fierce Do Ban bandits, without needing to call for help from elsewhere. The soldiers here regularly collected swallows' nests, tortoiseshell, sea turtles, cinnamon, fish sauce, and conch shells, offering them seasonally; the rest they caught seafood such as fish and shrimp to make a living..."

Thanks to the island's defense forces, during the time Truong Phuc Phan was the commander of Tran Bien garrison, the British failed several times in their attempts to retake Con Lon.

The history of the southward expansion of Dai Viet's territory spanned several centuries, from the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties to the Nguyen lords. In this glorious endeavor, Quang Binh was a region that made many worthy contributions, leaving a profound mark on the heroic history of the nation.

According to Quang Binh Newspaper