Trịnh Tạc

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Trịnh Tạc ruled Vietnam from 1654 - 1682

Trinh Tac, one of the most successful of the Trinh Lords who ruled north Vietnam. During his rule, he made peace with the Nguyen, ending the long war. Trinh Tac also captured the last small province of Vietnam ruled by the Mac Dynasty.

Trinh Tac took control of the Vietnamese government at a time when things looked bleak. The long war with the Nguyen Lords was going badly (see the Trinh-Nguyen War for details). The Trinh armies had suffered several defeats under his father, Trinh Trang, and the Nguyen armies had pushed north all the way into Nghe An Province. Trinh Tac took over in 1654 and one of his armies was also defeated by the Nguyen. However, the next year, Trinh Tac's army was victorious and the Nguyen were driven all the way back to their original provinces in the south. The Royal (Trinh) army attacked the great defensive walls of the Nguyen but without success.

For the next five years, the war with the Nguyen was put on on hold while Trinh Tac turned his attention to Cao Bang Province. This was the last bit of Vietnam where the MAC rulers still held power. Periodically they had raided into north Vietnam. The Trinh had been prevented from the final destruction of the Mac because they were protected by the Ming Dynasty. But now the Ming had fallen, replaced by the Manchu, and as a result, the Mac no longer enjoyed the same relationship with the Chinese government. The Mac made the mistake of siding with a disloyal governor and so the Kangxi Emperor withdrew his protection of the Mac. In 1667, Trinh Tac defeated the Mac army and drove them out of Cao Bang Province.

In 1672, one last effort was made to break the walls of the Nguyen. For seven months the Royal (Trinh) army besieged the Nguyen walls but, like the previous efforts, the attacks failed. In 1673, Trinh Tac and Nguyen Phuc Tan came to an agreement. Peace finally came to North Vietnam. This peace between the Nguyen and the Trinh was to last for the next 100 years.

The Mac invaded northern Vietnam from their new base in southern China in 1677 but this invasion was defeated by the Royal (Trinh) army. Trinh Tac died in 1682, leaving the government in the hands of his son Trinh Can.

In dynastic matters Lê Than Tông, the man who was king twice, finally died in 1662. He was succeeded by Lê Huyen Tông. 10 years later he died and was succeeded by Lê Gia Tông. The new Le king died after just three years in office (1676) and so he was replaced by Lê Hy Tông.

With the war ended, Vietnam was peaceful and prosperous, Trinh Tac had rescued the situation, even though he failed to conquer the Nguyen.