A short look at the life of the founder of the last imperial dynasty of Viet Nam, Prince Nguyen Phuc Anh, later known as Emperor Gia Long, who united the entire country as we know it today and gave it the name Nam Viet -later switched to Viet Nam. He was the founder of the Nguyen Imperial Dynasty which reigned over Viet Nam from 1802 until 19245.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zlZ1bDqxWo

i proud of these guys more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRLoCOMS6g

asdasdasd

SoCal,

There is a reason for this Emperor's shortcoming (Fall) and caused much debates about his role
History stated this ill-fate of Viet Nam had fallen to French colonisation, was much due to this very Emperor's shortsighted reign.

" Nguyen Phuc Anh Crowned himself Emperor Gia Long (1761-1820)

Nguyen Phuc Anh (1761-1820) was the strongest of Nguyen leaders who faced the Tay Son and other rivals for many years. He was also the first to turn to the French for help against his rivals. This was before he became the first Nguyen emperor of Vietnam and the founder of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945).

He actually permitted a French missionary, Pierre Pigneau de Béhaine, to intercede in 1787 to seek French aid against his rivals.
The original treaty-based relationship of 1787 between Vietnam and France promised missionary and commercial rights to France and military aid to Nguyen Anh. France was also promised the city of Da Nang (which later under the French became Tourane) and the island of Con Son

He declared himself Emperor Gia Long. His newly acquired name reflected the joining of Gia Dinh (then the name used for Saigon) and Long (part of the old name for Hanoi, Thang Long). Thus, he as emperor represented a unification of Vietnam not known for centuries.
To confirm his power and to symbolize his dynasty, he moved the capital from Hanoi to Hue and he changed the name of the state to Vietnam.
Nevertheless, Gia Long obtained recognition of his newly established power by seeking the endorsement of China and by adopting Chinese as Vietnam's official written language. This meant an end to the use of Nom (writing *back then was widely recognised as Viet Nam's own written form and much prominent).
Up until his death in 1820, when his son succeeded as Emperor Minh Mang, Gia Long tolerated French missionaries but disapproved further French economic developments in Vietnam."

Ernest Bolt
University of Richmond

https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ebolt/hi...rorGiaLong.html

*about Professor Bolt - History Department of Richmond Faculty - his teaching focussed on Indochine/ Vietnam curriculum
( in bracket is non-author explaination)