Trịnh Tùng

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Trịnh Tùng ruled Vietnam from 1570 - 1623 (also known as Trinh Tong and also given the title Binh An Vuong)

Trịnh Tùng, one of the famous Trịnh Lords who ruled Vietnam while a succession of figurehead kings from the Lê family nominally ruled the country. During his rule, the war with the Mạc Dynasty was carried to a successful completion.

Trịnh Tùng was the second son of Trịnh Kiểm. In 1570, with the death of his father, Trịnh Tùng's older brother Trịnh Coi took command but was inept. He lost a battle to the Mạc and so Trịnh Tùng took control over the situation. He proved to be a very capable leader and in 1571, the Royal Army captured the capital Hanoi from the Mạc king Mạc Mau Hiep. However, a counter attack the next year drove them out. In the midst of this reverse, the nominal Lê King: Lê Anh Tông fled to Nghệ An province. Trịnh Tùng appointed a new king (Lê The Tông) and had the previous king assassinated. The war against the Mạc continued for the next twenty years until in 1592, Hanoi was reconqured. Mạc Mau Hiep was captured during the retreat and subsequently executed.

Further military actions took place against the army of the Mạc in the years 1593 and 1594. The Royal (Trịnh) army was helped in this battles by a Nguyễn army.

In formal recognition for his defeat of the Mạc, Trịnh Tùng was given the title Peaceful Prince (Binh An Vuong) in 1599.

A new Lê king, Lê Kinh Tông, in 1619 tried to have Trịnh Tùng killed so he could take power but the plot was discovered, the king was executed and a new king put in his place (Lê Than Tông). This led Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên to formally end his relation to the court which, after seven more years, lead to the Trịnh-Nguyễn War.

By 1623, Trịnh Tùng was growing old. He tried to secure the succession to his power by dividing rule between his two sons in order to avoid conflict. His attempt was not successful.

"Jealousy broke out in his family even before his death, as not only both his sons but also one of his brothers tried to (take) his power. Trịnh Tùng was taken ill to his brother's house and there his younger son was murdered. The elder, called Trịnh Trang, hearing of this, ran away to the province of Thanh Hóa, taking with him the king and the royal family. Trịnh Tùng was then driven away from his brother's place, and abandoned by the servants who had carried him away in a sedan chair, died alone on the road. So ended the statesman who had more capitcity and energy than any other man mentioned in the whole of Annamese history..." - Annam and its Minor Currency Chapter 16 (downloaded May 2006)